COVID-19 Mental Health Resource Guide

Pasadena COVID-19 Information

24-hour Suicide Prevention Lifeline:
1-800-273-8255

24-hour Domestic Violence Hotline:
1-800-799-7233

24-hour Department of Children and Family Services Child Protection Hotline:
1-800-540-4000

Call 9-1-1 if you or the person you are helping are in an emergency or need immediate help.

The COVID-19 pandemic interrupted the daily lives of all Pasadena community members. You may have felt many different kinds of emotions during this time.  Now as different settings open back up, you may be faced with new stressors while still feeling the effects of the pandemic. You are not alone.

Hotlines

Help for Mental and Behavioral Health

  • Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Treatment Locator to find treatment for substance use disorders: Visit https://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/
  • Project Pasadena is a volunteer-based local support network to help older adults, children and families, and those with preexisting conditions during the COVID-19 crisis. Project Pasadena is hosting free virtual support groups with partners; visit the Community Calendar

COVID-19 and Disenfranchised Grief 

Help for Older Adults

Here are some ideas to help with feeing worried or lonely:

  • Keep regular routines and schedules as much as possible or help create new ones in a new environment, including regular exercising, cleaning, daily chores, singing, painting or other activities. Keep in regular contact with loved ones (e.g. via telephone, e-mail, social media or video conference).
  • Learn simple daily physical exercises to perform at home, in quarantine or isolation so you can maintain mobility and reduce boredom.
  • If you have an underlying health condition, make sure to have access to any medications that you are currently using. Activate your social contacts to provide you with assistance, if needed.

Hotlines you can call if you are feeling lonely or need help:

Information about COVID-19 and Mental Health

Help for Children, Youth, and Families

During times of stress and crisis, it is common for children to seek more attachment and be more demanding on parents and caregivers. Discuss COVID-19 with your children in an honest and age-appropriate way.

If you are a child and think you are in an unsafe home and your physical, mental, or emotional health is at risk, call the Department of Children and Family Services Child Protection Hotline  immediately.

Toll-free within California: 1-800-540-4000

Outside of California: 1-213-639-4500

TDD [hearing impaired]: 1-800-272-6699

Here are some ways to help children cope:

  • Help children find positive ways to express feelings such as fear and sadness. Every child has his or her own way of expressing emotions. Sometimes engaging in a creative activity, such as playing or drawing can facilitate this process. Children feel relieved if they can express and communicate their feelings in a safe and supportive environment.
  • Children thrive on routines because routines comforting for them. Maintain familiar routines in daily life as much as possible, or create new routines, especially if children must stay at home.
  • If children must be separated from their caregivers, make sure to keep in regular contact with parents and caregivers, such as twice-daily scheduled telephone or video calls or other age-appropriate communication (e.g. social media).

Help for children and their caregivers:

Help for Teens and Youth:

  • California Youth Crisis Line for 24/7 help to youth who are ages 12-24, call 1-800-843-5200 or chat online
  • TEEN LINE Text “TEEN” to 839863from 6pm – 9pm, or call 1-800-852-8336 from 6pm – 10pm
  • The Trevor Project offers support for crisis intervention and suicide prevention to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning young people under 25; for TrevorLifeline call 1-866-488-7386; or for TrevorText text START to 678678
  • Pasadena Public Library is offering a number of mental health awareness webinars for teens in the month of May; visit Teen Events Calendar for schedule and registration information
  • Journey House is a Pasadena non-profit organization that helps former foster youth with support groups, mental health referrals, and case management; call 626-798-9478 or E-mail info@jhpasadena.org
  • Youth Moving On is a Pasadena non-profit organization that helps former foster youth and those on probation with mental health support groups, referrals to mental health services, and help with a number of basic needs resources; call 626-765-6010

Help for First Responders and Healthcare Workers

To do the job of taking care of others, first responders must feel well and rested to help with thinking clearly. First responders might experience stress from witnessing human suffering, the risk of personal harm, intense workloads, critical decisions, and separation from family. Stress prevention and management is important for first responders.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/guidance-for-ems.html recommends the following steps to help first responders in challenging situations:

  • Prepare for the response as thoroughly as possible.
  • Understand and identify signs of burnout and secondary traumatic stress.
  • Get support from team members, develop a buddy system.

Additional Resources for First Responders:

COPLINE find 24/7 support for law enforcement officers; call 1-800-267-5463