Virtual School Counseling

DePaul Catholic Virtual School Counseling/Community Resources

During the closure of schools due to the health emergency, the DPCHS School Counseling Department will be operating virtually. School counselors are available through email and virtual meetings (e.g., Zoom, Google Hangouts). The best avenue to reach your school counselor is through email. To schedule an appointment, students and parents may email the school counselor directly to find a mutually agreed upon date/time.

OFFICE HOURS: Monday - Friday from 7:30 AM - 2:35 PM
Emails/inquiries received after school hours will be answered during the next business day.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, please dial 911, go to the nearest emergency room, call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) to reach a 24-hour crisis center or text MHA to 741741 at the Crisis Text Line.

Resources For Immediate Response

Disaster Distress Helpline

Link: https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/disaster-distress-helpline

Call 1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746. The Disaster Distress Helpline (DDH) provides crisis counseling and support for anyone in the U.S. experiencing distress or other behavioral health concerns related to any natural or human-caused disaster, including public health emergencies.

Crisis Text Line

Link: https://www.crisistextline.org/

Text MHA to 741741 and you'll be connected to a trained Crisis Counselor. Crisis Text Line provides free, text-based support 24/7.

The Trevor Project

Link: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/

Call 1-866-488-7386 or text START to 678678. A national 24-hour, toll-free confidential suicide hotline for LGBTQ youth.

Dial 2-1-1

Link: http://211.org/services/covid19

If you need assistance finding food, paying for housing bills, accessing free childcare, or other essential services, visit 211.org or dial 211 to speak to someone who can help. Run by the United Way.

National Domestic Violence Hotline

Link: https://www.thehotline.org/2020/03/13/staying-safe-during-covid-19/

For any victims and survivors who need support, call 1-800-799-7233 or 1-800-799-7233 for TTY, or if youâ€™re unable to speak safely, you can log onto thehotline.org or text LOVEIS to 22522.

The DPCHS School Counseling Department would like to ensure that students and parents are fully informed about the benefits and limitations of a virtual platform.

Benefits:
- Online platforms provide school counselors with the ability to communicate and disseminate information to the student body as well as parents/guardians in an efficient manner.
  - Communicating online provides flexibility for the counselors as well as accessibility for students to review information at their convenience.
  - Parents also have more flexibility to participate in meetings through alternative methods (e.g. Zoom).
- Certain students may feel more comfortable using the school counseling services through a virtual platform compared to appointments in person.
  - Less anxiety may be associated with disclosing information electronically to school counselors.
  - Online services can give students a greater sense of autonomy and empowerment to use school counseling services.
- School counselors have the ability to collaborate with other staff/teachers online to make sure the students are receiving the proper services needed for their success within and outside of the classroom.
Limitations:
- Confidentiality and Privacy cannot be guaranteed with services provided through online platforms.
  - In the event that a student/parent identifies or a school counselor believes that the virtual meeting is not private or other participants not anticipated are observed, the meeting will be rescheduled for another time when confidentiality and privacy can be ensured.
- Depending on each individual studentâ€™s needs, telehealth may or may not be the best medium. School counselors will try to recommend the best medium based on each individual student and their visual and/or verbal needs.
  - In a crisis situation, please dial 911.
- Timing of connections with students and parents based on virtual activity.
- Technical issues
  - In the event of technological failure during a meeting, the school counselor will make attempts to reconnect for ten minutes. If the internet or technological failure cannot be resolved, the school counselor will call you back via the telephone.
  - If the technological failure interferes with the goals of the meeting being achieved, another meeting will be scheduled at a mutually convenient date and time.

Local Mental Health Resources

Mental Health Association in Passaic County: About Us: 973-478-4444. (http://www.mhapassaic.org/)

Family Support Organization of Passaic County: 973-427-0100 (https://njarch.org/resource/family-support-organization-of-passaic-county/)

Circle of Care CMO is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting Passaic County multiple-needs children and their families. The contact number is 973-942-4588. (http://www.circleofcarecmo.org/)

State/National Resources

NJ Hope Line for suicide prevention, available at 1-855-654-6735.(https://njhopeline.com/)

PerformCare partners with the New Jersey Children's System of Care (CSOC) to coordinate the care of your child. New Jersey Children's System of Care addresses behavioral, mental health, or emotional challenges and provides access to needed services. The contact number is 1-877-652-7624. (http://www.performcarenj.org/)

Mobile response stabilization services (MRSS)- PerformCare also has options to authorize mobile response stabilization services (MRSS) to come to your home within one hour of notification to provide face-to-face crisis services. The goal is to stabilize behavior and keep your child at home. Mobile response is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and can offer up to eight weeks of stabilization services.

The NJHelps Services Home Page is designed to give consumers a "one-stop" shopping resource for the wide range of programs, information, and services provided by the Department of Human Services and its partners, to assist individuals, families, and communities throughout the State of New Jersey. (http://www.njhelps.org/)

The Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care has a center that connects callers to the appropriate division of statewide behavioral health services system at 1-800-969-5300.(https://ubhc.rutgers.edu/clinical/call-center/overview.xml)

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has a national helpline at 1-800-985-5990, or text officials there at TalkWithUs to 66746 (TTY 1-800-846-8517). (https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline)

Crisis Text Line: Free text line, 24/7 support for those in crisis. Text HOME to 741741(https://www.crisistextline.org/)

2nd Floor Youth Helpline of NJ - CALL 888-222-2228 a confidential and anonymous helpline for New Jersey's youth and young adults. They are available 24/7.(https://www.2ndfloor.org/more-help/mental-health/)

Tips for Taking Care of Your Mental Health During Coronavirus Closures

Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to social media and news stories about COVID-19. It's okay to stay informed, but overexposing ourselves to too much information can be stressful and overwhelming.
Make sure you are still taking care of your body! Getting enough sleep, eating healthy, and making sure we are still moving around can help us take care of our mental health. Some ideas to consider:
- Practice mindfulness and/or meditation.
- Make sure to get some fresh air and sunlight, maybe sit by a window while doing homework/or reading, do a quick workout in your own yard, etc.
- Use home workout videos to keep moving and exercising.
- Find some healthy recipes and try your hand at cooking, not only are you fueling your body with healthy food, but it could also be a fun experience!
Make time to connect with others who live in your home or with friends through phone calls or video chats. Talk with people you trust about your concerns and how you are feeling.
Practice hobbies and activities you enjoy. It's important to keep up on school and work, but fun and enjoyment are also factors that promote positive mental health. This could also be a good time to try something you've never had the time to do. Sites like Youtube have plenty of free how-to videos that can help you learn new skills, such as new dance moves, cooking techniques, or how to crochet.