The North Suburban YMCA encourages community members to care for themselves and others.

Mental health is how we think, feel, and act. At the Y, we recognize that we all have mental health, and mental health is an important part of our overall health and social-emotional well-being, as well as a core component of our identity. 

The Y supports the mental health of individuals and communities in all the work we do to help people reach their full potential—whether that’s teaching life skills to youth in our afterschool programs or helping people achieve their best physical health. This type of non-clinical support is called “community care” and includes:

  • Understanding mental health as something we all have—it is how we think, feel, and act.
  • Applying positive self-care practices routinely.
  • Engaging in conversations in a genuine way, with empathy, and the intent of building meaningful relationships.
  • Understanding and applying trauma-informed guiding principles when interacting with others.
  • Understanding the impact of social determinants of health, systemic racism, discrimination, and marginalization on mental health.
  • Modeling emotion regulation, co-regulation, and effective coping skills.
  • Recognizing signs that someone may be struggling.
  • Connecting individuals to primary and specialty support when needed.
  • Providing initial response in crises.
  • Initiating dialogue and collaborating with others to embed mental health informal care support throughout the community. 

All of the above are informed by practices found in social-emotional learning, trauma-informed care, and suicide prevention. Through this work, we can reduce the risk and impact of mental illness, provide early intervention, and support the process of healing and recovery.

Everyone can play a role in mental health community care, and the Y encourages you to identify simple ways you can care for yourself and others, such as: 

  • Use your powers of observation to notice when someone may be struggling with a hard day, moment, or situation.
  • Intentionally asking “how are you?” and encouraging honest answers so others can share and feel heard.
  • Bringing empathy, compassion, and kindness to your daily interactions.

 

Mental Health Newsletter

 

Learn More about the Y's Mental Health Network for local professional agencies, nonprofits, and community leaders.

 

Mental Health Network

 

 

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988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is more than just an easy-to-remember number – it’s a direct connection to compassionate, accessible care and support for anyone experiencing mental health-related distress – whether that is thoughts of suicide, mental health or substance use crisis. 

A new, free-of-charge emotional support text line, Call4Calm, is now available for Illinois residents experiencing stress and mental health issues related to COVID-19. Illinois Department of Human Services' Mental Health Division launched the hotline, which connects Illinoisans with the mental health services and other support systems they need.

Text "TALK" to 552020 to connect with a counselor. The service is also available in Spanish by texting "HABLAR" to the same number. Within 24 hours of sending a text to the hotline, residents will receive a call from a counselor at a local community health center. Call4Calm is free to use, and individuals will remain anonymous. Individuals can also text 552020 with key words such as "unemployment," "food" or "shelter" for help navigating state assistance services.

If you or someone you know is experiencing an urgent mental health crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1 (800) 273-8255 or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a Crisis Text Line counselor. Both resources are available 24/7.

Mental Health Resources and other Services

www.samhsa.gov - Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

National Institute of Mental Health 

60 Digital Resources for Mental Health

Illinois Department of Human Services

Josselyn Community Mental Health Cente

Youth Services

C.A.T.C.H. - Community Action Together for Children's Health

Ascension - Center for Mental Health Arlington Heights

Rebecca’s Dream - Changing the face of depression