RESOURCES
Below is a comprehensive list of resources for anyone seeking information about and/or help for a range of mental health issues. This includes organizations who addressing issues ranging from general mental illnesses and disorders such as autism, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and substance abuse, to the specific needs of diverse populations, including LGBTQ youth, minorities, women, and veterans.
OVERALL
Crisis
- Colorado Crisis Services: 1-844-493-TALK (8255) or text “TALK” to 38255
- National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
- No-Cost Suicide Prevention Services Across Colorado
- National Eating Disorder Helpline: 1-800-931-2237
General
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
The National Association of Mental Illness is the largest nationwide mental health advocacy grassroots organization with hundreds of state organizations, affiliates and volunteers. It is a hub for support groups, free education, raising awareness and building community.
This nonprofit provides community-based mental health services to adults, especially those suffering medical, social or substance-related comorbidities.
American Psychiatry Association
The American Psychiatry Association is the largest professional membership organization of psychiatrists in the world. The APA website hosts “Let’s Talk Facts” brochures on a range of illnesses, professional resources for psychiatrists, psychiatric residents and medical students. It publishes up-to-date news, research, government policies and developments in psychiatry.
Government
This is the National Institutes of Health’s collection of resources from the National Library of Medicine. It includes information about conditions, treatments, patients, families and friends, latest research, drugs and supplements, terminology and definitions, videos, illustrations and clinical trials.
World Health Organization (WHO) — Project Atlas
The World Health Organization’s Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse has a Project Atlas, which compiles resources and information about mental health and neurology policies, prevalence, statistics, medicines, professionals, information systems and publications. Topics covered include mental health in emergencies, maternal and child mental health, neurology and public health, disorders management and suicide prevention. Information can be searched by region, country or worldwide.
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — Mental Health
This website, run by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides government information about mental health taken from the Centers for Disease Control, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Mental Health, Medline Plus, FindYouthInfo.gov and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The information is for the general public, health care providers, policymakers, schools and communities.
POPULATIONS
LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER
The National Alliance on Mental Illness GLBT resources page contains articles, videos, publications, research and links to prominent organizations about GLBT mental health.
The Centers for Disease Control maintains a section about LGBT youth health issues.
The GLBT National Help Center provides an online peer-support chat as well as free, confidential counseling over the phone for the GLBT community.
The GLBT National Help Center runs this website, which contains more than 15,000 GLBT resources and offers tools for users to find local community centers, youth groups and support resources.
The creators of the Oscar-winning short film “Trevor” founded The Trevor Project. The organization provides suicide prevention and crisis intervention for LGBTQ youth between the ages of 13 and 24.
The American Psychological Association’s Help Center on Sexual Orientation’s website provides research and information on mental health issues surrounding sexual orientation.
MILITARY/VETERANS
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website hosts screening tools, a veterans crisis line and a guide to mental health conditions that often plague veterans.
The National Association on Mental Illness has a Veterans & Military Resource Center, which is home to online discussion groups, information about veteran mental illnesses and treatments. It includes information about advocacy for active-duty members, returning veterans, veteran families, veterans in recovery, veterans looking for work, mental health providers, college faculty members and women veterans.
Military Pathways is a site created by Screening for Mental Health and the Department of Defense that allows military members and their families to take free, anonymous mental health or alcohol self-assessments. Completion of the assessment directs users to referral information for Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs services.
MINORITY
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health website provides statistics, news and treatment information.
SENIORS
The National Institutes of Health provides this online index of information, videos and training tools about senior health, including mental health and wellness.
The National Council on Aging promotes programs that help seniors cope with mental health issues like depression, anxiety, addiction and more.
WOMEN
The Office on Women’s Health of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides access to research, publications, Surgeon General Reports and general information for women’s mental health issues. This includes problems related to pregnancy and conception, menstruation, menopause, women veterans, suicide prevention and mental illnesses.
The National Institutes of Health’s Women and Mental Health index contains information, research and publications about women’s mental health.
The World Health Organization website contains a section on global mental health as it relates to issues of gender and gender disparity.
YOUTH, TEENS, SCHOOL AND COLLEGE STUDENTS
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Adolescent Health offers information about adolescent mental health across states, adolescent mental health disorders and access to care.
The Jed Foundation is an organization committed to the mental and emotional health of college students and preventing suicide among this population. The foundation runs several free online self-assessment and resource programs for students and campuses. It offers training tools for campus professionals to improve their mental health services for students.
This is a hub of government information about youth mental health issues, including substance abuse, LGBT issues, bullying and homelessness.
A project of the Jed Foundation that provides a free, confidential online resource about emotional health to more than 1,500 colleges and universities.
LawLifeline is a combined project of the Jed Foundation and Dave Nee Foundation. It is a free, anonymous and confidential online resource for law school students to seek out information about depression, anxiety, suicide, stress and self-harm.
The UCLA Center for Mental Health in Schools created the School Mental Health Project, an online collection of tools, research, publications and resources for school practitioners and professionals.
DISORDERS
ANXIETY, OCD, PTSD AND DEPRESSION
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America raises public and professional awareness, promotes research advancement and provides referrals for children and adults with anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorders and related disorders. The website provides information about these conditions, their treatment and resources for professionals.
This is the website of the nonprofit advocacy organization Freedom from Fear. It contains a wealth of research-based information and treatment referrals for anxiety and depression.
AUTISM/ASPERGER’S
The Autism NOW Center is a resource for individuals with autism spectrum disorders and their families. The Center’s resources include fact sheets, webinars, a newsletter and a call center. It focuses on the topics of early detection, intervention, education, transition, aging, community inclusion, long-term care and health care reform.
BIPOLAR
The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance is a national peer-led organization run by individuals with depression and bipolar disorder. It provides support groups, peer specialist training, wellness tools, research, podcasts, brochures, publications and information for clinicians.
EATING DISORDERS
The National Eating Disorders Association is a nonprofit supporting people with eating disorders and their families. It provides an information and referral helpline, extensive information about eating disorder prevention, treatment and recovery, as well as handouts and toolkits for parents, coaches and educators, and forums for discussion and stories of recovery. The website is also available in Spanish.
An online community for teens that encourages healthy body image.
SCHIZOPHRENIA
The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation awards grants to scientists conducting research on causes and treatments of mental disorders in children and adults. This includes schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress, attention-deficit hyperactivity and autism.
SUBSTANCE ABUSE
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services agency on behavioral health, runs several mental health campaigns and has information on health reform for providers, families and individuals. SAMHSA also has a helpful online behavioral treatment services locator.