Resources for Children, Youth, and Young Adults

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — 988

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Since its inception, the Lifeline has engaged in a variety of initiatives to improve crisis services and advance suicide prevention.

The Trevor Project - 1-866-488-7386

The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) young people ages 13-24.

2NDFLOOR — New Jersey's youth helpline – 1-888-222-2222

The New Jersey statewide youth helpline, 2NDFLOOR, is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to youth and young adults ages 10 – 24 to help find solutions to the problems they face at home, school or play.

The helpline is supervised at all times by a mental health professional. Youth are provided with relevant and appropriate links to information and services to address their social, emotional and physical needs. Calls to the 2NDFLOOR youth helpline are anonymous and confidential, except in life-threatening situations.

Children and Adults with ADHD (CHADD) — 1-800-233-4050

CHADD is a national nonprofit, tax-exempt Section 501(c) (3) organization providing education, advocacy and support for individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Stop Bullying

Managed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, stopbullying.gov provides information from various government agencies on the definitions of bullying and cyberbullying, who is at risk, and how you can prevent and respond to bullying.

New Jersey Department of Education – Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying (HIB)

This page provides information and resources to aid schools in the establishment of HIB policies, the adoption of HIB program strategies, the implementation of proactive responses to HIB and the adoption of effective HIB reporting procedures.

National Bullying Center – 1-800-537-2237 

Founded in 2006, PACER's National Bullying Prevention Center actively leads social change, so that bullying is no longer considered an accepted childhood rite of passage. PACER provides innovative resources for students, parents, educators, and others, and recognizes bullying as a serious community issue that impacts education, physical and emotional health, and the safety and well-being of students.

Garden State Equality Anti-Bullying Hotline – 1-877-652-8559 (1-877-NJ-BULLY)

If you or a child you know is being bullied, get help. Tell an adult you trust, or get advice by calling the hotline maintained by Garden State Equality at 877-NJBULLY or by texting 'njbully' to 66746.

Child Abuse Reporting – State Central Registry - 1-877-652-2873 (1-877-NJ-ABUSE)

In New Jersey, any person having reasonable cause to believe that a child has been subjected to abuse or acts of abuse should immediately report this information to the State Central Registry (SCR). If the child is in immediate danger, call 911 as well as 1-877 NJ ABUSE (1-877-652-2873). A concerned caller does not need proof to report an allegation of child abuse and can make the report anonymously.

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) - 1-888-829-2483

The mission of DBSA is to improve the lives of people living with a mood disorder, and their loved ones. DBSA is affiliated with mood-disorder self-help support groups throughout New Jersey. 

NJ Helps

The NJ Helps 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 in throughout the State of New Jersey.

National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) - 1-800-931-2237

In the United States, 20 million women and 10 million men suffer from a clinically significant eating disorder at some time in their life, including Anorexia Nervosa (AN), Bulimia Nervosa (BN), Binge Eating Disorder (BED), or an Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED).  NEDA supports individuals and families affected by eating disorders, and serves as a catalyst for prevention, cures and access to quality care.

National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD)

The National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, Inc. (ANAD) is a non-profit (501 c 3) organization working in the areas of support, awareness, advocacy, referral, education, and prevention. ANAD is the oldest organization aimed at fighting eating disorders in the United States. ANAD assists people struggling with eating disorders and provides resources for families, schools and the eating disorder community.

Eating Disorder Referral and Information Center

Edreferral.com is a directory service for assistance and information regarding treatment of Anorexia, bulimia & related disorders.

NJ STARS - 1-609-584-4480

NJ STARS is a scholarship program exclusively for New Jersey residents that covers the cost of tuition at New Jersey's 19 community colleges.  Students who rank in the top 15 percent of their high school class at the end of either junior or senior year may be eligible.  Students must complete a rigorous series of high school courses as a first step toward eligibility, as determined by the New Jersey Commission on Higher Education in consultation with the New Jersey Commissioner of Education.

Job Corps – 1-800-733-5627

Job Corps is a free education and training program that helps young people learn a career, earn a high school diploma or GED, and find and keep a good job. For eligible young people at least 16 years of age that qualify as low income, Job Corps provides the all-around skills needed to succeed in a career and in life.

Funbrain

Funbrain, created for kids ages preschool through grade 8, offers more than 100 fun, interactive games that develop skills in math, reading, and literacy. Plus, kids can read a variety of popular books and comics on the site.

Chillola

Chillola.com is designed to give children all over the world the opportunity to explore foreign languages, learn about different countries, cultures, and people. Playful illustrations, real life pictures, native speakers and sounds will capture your children's interests and create a fun, and learning environment to build confidence.

Adolescent Housing Hub

The Adolescent Housing Hub is a program managed by the Office of Adolescent Services under the Department of Children and Families. The program is a real-time database designed to assist youth with placement in a transitional or permanent housing program.

The Ali Forney Center

The Ali Forney Center's mission is to protect LGBTQ youth from the harms of homelessness and empower them with the tools needed to live independently.

It Gets Better Project  

The It Gets Better Project's mission is to communicate to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth around the world that it gets better, and to create and inspire the changes needed to make it better for them.

Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)

Founded in 1972 with the simple act of a mother publicly supporting her gay son, PFLAG is the nation's largest family and ally organization.  Uniting people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) with families, friends, and allies, PFLAG is committed to advancing equality through its mission of support, education, and advocacy.

The Pride Center of New Jersey

The mission of The Pride Center of New Jersey is to provide comprehensive programming which fosters the health and well-being of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and questioning (LGBTIQ) community, and to increase public acceptance and champion social change for the LGBTIQ community through education and outreach.

Safe Schools Coalition

Safe Schools Coalition, located in Washington State, is a public-private partnership, in support of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender, queer and questioning youth, working to help schools become safe places where every family can belong, where every educator can teach, and where every child can learn, regardless of gender, gender identity or sexual orientation.

Cornell Self-Injury and Recovery Research and Resources (SIRRR)

The Self-Injury and Recovery Research and Resources (SIRRR) website is part of the Cornell University Research Program on Self-Injury and Recovery and summarizes their work, as well as provides links and resources to self-injury information.

Their work is intended to generate new research and insight into self-injury. They also aim to translate the growing body of knowledge about self-injury into resources and tools useful for those seeking to better understand, treat, and prevent it.

Launching Point 

Launching Point is a self-injury support and resource center offering a safe place to share in a support group setting.

Advocates for Youth

Advocates for Youth champions efforts that help young people make informed and responsible decisions about their reproductive and sexual health. Advocates believes it can best serve the field by boldly advocating for a more positive and realistic approach to adolescent sexual health. Advocates focuses its work on young people ages 14-25 in the U.S. and around the globe.

Reach NJ - 1-844-ReachNJ

The Reach NJ helpline offers 24 hour a day, focused on addiction.  It serves as a one-stop shop to simplify the process for those seeking help.  Addiction is a disease.  Don't suffer, don't wait.  You are not alone - help is within reach.  

NJ Connect — 1-855-652-3737 

A confidential call line to connect substance users with certified drug and alcohol counselors and connect family members with peer specialists.

NJ Addictions Services Hotline — 1-844-276-2777

This 24/7 hotline is staffed by addiction services specialists with Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care (RUBHC) who can provide help to those with substance use needs.

Center for Disease Control (CDC) websites

Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (DNPAO).

The CDC's Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity (DNPAO) protects the health of Americans at every stage of life by encouraging regular physical activity, good nutrition, and preventing adult and childhood obesity.

CDC Page on Obesity.

CDC's Obesity efforts focus on policy and environmental strategies to make healthy eating and active living accessible and affordable for everyone.

Teen Health & Wellness.

Teen Health & Wellness provides middle and high school students with up-to-date, nonjudgmental, straightforward curricula, and self-help support. Articles are correlated to state, national, and provincial standards, including Common Core Health and Science.
 Topics covered include diseases, drugs, alcohol, nutrition, mental health, suicide, bullying, LGBTQ issues, and more.

KidsHealth

As part of The Nemours Foundation's Center for Children's Health Media, KidsHealth provides families with perspective, advice, and comfort about a wide range of physical, emotional, and behavioral issues that affect children and teens.

Please note: PerformCare posts these links for informational purposes only. These external web sites are maintained by organizations over which PerformCare and the New Jersey Children's System of Care exercise no control. PerformCare and the NJ Children's System of Care expressly disclaim any responsibility or endorsement for the content, the accuracy of the information and/or quality of products or services provided by or advertised by these third-party websites. PerformCare and the NJ Children's System of Care do not control, endorse, promote, or have any affiliation with any web site listed unless expressly stated herein.