Mental health supports during the holidays
With winter break upon us, the district is reminding families that there are numerous mental health supports available – even on stat holidays like Christmas Day – that students and their families can access if needed.
While the holidays are a cheerful time for many, they can also be a hard time for some students. The district offers various student and family mental health resources at surreyschools.ca/mentalhealth and works with many health organizations to share supports that students and parents can access any time throughout the year.
The district’s Mental Health Matters video series highlights common issues that some students may face, reminding them that You Are Not Alone and offering tips for Coping with Stress and Anxiety and Navigating Life Changes. Separate versions of the videos are available for elementary and secondary audiences, and all are available in multiple languages, including French, Punjabi, Mandarin and Arabic.
Below is a comprehensive list of crisis supports, health resources, counselling options and smartphone apps for mindfulness and guided meditation to help students and families experiencing mental health issues, at this time of year and throughout the year.
Crisis Supports:
- Kids Help Phone | 1-800-668-6868 (toll free) or text CONNECT to 686868 – Confidential and anonymous telephone and online counselling and referral service for young people up to age 20, available 24/7.
- Kids Help Phone Online Chat | kidshelpphone.ca – Available Wednesday to Sunday, 3 to 11 p.m. in B.C. to connect you with a Kids Help Phone counsellor, on the web or from a smartphone.
- Fraser Health Crisis Line | 604-951-8855 or 1-877-820-7444 (toll free) – Trained volunteers provide emotional crisis support 24/7.
- Short Term Assessment Response Team (START) | 1-844-START 11 (1-844-782-7811) – Provides assessment and intervention services to children and teens (ages 6 to 18) experiencing a mental health crisis. Available Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and weekends and holidays, noon to 9 p.m.
- Mental Health Support Line (24/7 all ages) | 310-6789
- United Way Centraide | Call 2-1-1 – Information/referral for community, government and social services support.
- Emergency Mental Health Crisis | Call 9-1-1 – Car 67 Mental Health Police Response
- Suicide Crisis Helpline | Call 9-8-8
- Suicide Prevention Crisis Line | 1-800-784-2433
- Suicide Prevention Education and Counselling (SPEAC) | 604-584- 5811
- Alcohol & Drug Information and Referral Service | 604-660-9382 or 1-800-663-1441 (toll free)
- Kuu-us Crisis Response Services | 1-800-588-8717 (toll free) – Provides 24/7 culturally aware crisis support to Indigenous people in B.C.
- Hope for Wellness Help Line | 1-855-242-3310 (toll free) – Offers 24/7 counselling and crisis intervention by phone or online chat. Available in French, English, Cree, Ojibway and Inuktitut.
- Métis Crisis Line | 1-833-638-4722 – Provides 24/7 metal health support, including crisis intervention and access to crisis programs.
Child and Youth Mental Health Clinics:
- Cloverdale | 604-951-5701
- Guildford | 604-586-2685
- Newton | 604-501-3122
- North Surrey | 604-951-5960
- South Surrey / White Rock | 604-542-3900 cymhsrss.com
Other Resources:
- Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre | keltymentalhealth.ca – Resources for students, families and educators.
- Foundry BC | foundrybc.ca – Offers young people ages 12 to 24 health and wellness resources, services and supports-online and through integrated services in communities across B.C.
- Fraser Health Child and Youth Mental Health Resources | fraserhealth.ca
- Here to Help | heretohelp.bc.ca
- Anxiety Canada | anxietycanada.com
- Canadian Mental Health Association | cmha.ca
- Mental Health Commission of Canada | mentalhealthcommission.ca
- Wellness Together Canada: Mental Health and Substance Use Support | www.canada.ca
Counselling:
- BC Association of Clinical Counsellors| 1-800-909-6303 or bc-counsellors.org
- BC Psychological Association | psychologists.bc.ca
- DIVERSEcity – Multicultural Counselling Services | 604-597-0205 or dcrs.ca
- Sources Community Resource Centre | 604-531-6226 or sourcesbc.ca – Provides support for individuals and families.
- Peace Arch Hospice Society | 604-531-7484 or peacearchhospice.org – Offers grief counselling.
- Alex House | 604-535-0015 or alexhouse.net
- Together White Rock / South Surrey | together-wr.com
- Aboriginal Child and Youth Mental Health Services | 604-586-4200
- FRAFCA (Fraser Region Aboriginal Friendship Centre Association) | frafca.org
Apps & Mindfulness Recordings
- Guided Mindfulness Meditations by Dr. Vo | Kelty Mental Health keltymentalhealth.ca
- UCLA free guided mindfulness meditations | http://marc.ucla.edu/body.cfm?id=22
- Mindful Teen Website | http://mindfulnessforteens.com/guided-meditations/
- Apps: Headspace | Calm | Breathe2Relax | MoodGym | Breathr | Mindshift | Mind Your Mood | What’s Up? | Smiling Mind | Stop, Breathe, Think | Insight Timer