The Parent/Caregiver’s Toolkit: Guide to Navigating Youth Behavioral Health, a brand-new digital behavioral health resource for families, developed by the Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide (SPTS), launched today. This vital resource will support Monmouth County families and youth by providing parents with information on what to do, ask, and expect if their child is experiencing behavioral health concerns.

“The Parent/Caregiver Toolkit includes vital information for parents to have while navigating behavioral and mental health issues with their child. It works to ease anxiety and worry that parents and caregivers may experience during this difficult time by providing specific information on behavioral and mental health,” said SPTS Clinical Director, Susan Tellone.

By consolidating a comprehensive array of local, national, and online resources, the Toolkit provides a one-stop destination for families seeking guidance and assistance.

Whether parents and caregivers are looking for information on the warning signs of suicide, advice on how to have difficult conversations with their children, local support groups, national helplines, or online forums, this toolkit has all of the important information needed to help keep children safe.

It serves as a roadmap of information, eliminating the need to spend additional energy searching for resources online and streamlining the process of finding the right support.

The Parent/Caregiver Toolkit is an ideal resource for families seeking a supportive means to ignite important discussions about behavioral health. With a user-friendly interface and a wealth of information, the toolkit empowers parents and caregivers to navigate the complexities of youth behavioral health with confidence. The digital toolkit is available in nine different languages and accessible on both desktops and mobile devices to ensure accessibility of this resource to families in need.

"The SPTS Parent/Caregiver Toolkit helped my family through a difficult time by providing us with definitions of terms we did not know, information on local resources including how to access the New Jersey Children's System of Care, and helped ease our anxiety in regard to seeking support for our loved one," said Stacy Brief, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and mental health advocate. "I am very excited that this important toolkit will now be more accessible to families in Monmouth County."

The Parent/Caregiver’s Toolkit: Guide to Navigating Youth Behavioral Health is now available to Monmouth County parents, caregivers, and families. Any individual interested in accessing the toolkit can do so through the online form.

This digital resource is made possible due to funding awarded to SPTS by Impact 100: Jersey Coast.

The 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is a hotline for individuals in crisis or for those looking to help someone else. To speak with a trained listener, call 9-8-8. Visit 988lifeline.org for crisis chat services or for more information.

The Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide, Inc. (SPTS) is a 501(c)3 public charity, incorporated on Jan. 18, 2005. The organization was founded by two Monmouth County fathers who each experienced the devastating loss of a teenage child by suicide. SPTS is dedicated to increasing awareness, saving lives, and reducing the stigma of suicide through specialized training programs and mental health resources that empower students, parents, school staff, and community members with the skills needed to help youth build a life of resiliency.

Many organizations address mental health needs across the entire age spectrum, however, SPTS is the only organization focused solely on comprehensive youth suicide prevention for ages 5-18. SPTS utilizes a holistic approach, centered on evidence-based, best practices programming to build communities where everyone is concerned about the welfare of all members of their community, is committed to an environment that supports the common good, and knows how and where to get help if someone is in need. The array of programs offered by SPTS target the network around a young person. Keep updated with SPTS by following them on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

To watch a video from SPTS Clinical Director Susan Tellone, click here.