LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Free mental health resources are available for the whole family across Clark County, thanks to a federal grant expanding access to a well-known program for local students.
Many families with children in the Clark County School District are familiar with the website ParentGuidance.org, offered by the Cook Center for Human Connection. The site offers courses and parenting guides on a range of tough topics, from depression, suicide, addiction, technology use, and more; parents can learn from and communicate with therapists on specific concerns.
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Ahead of summer break, Clark County partnered with the Cook Center for Human Connection on an awareness campaign for mental health awareness, telling families how they can get help through the Parent Guidance site.
The expanded access is funded by a federal stop grant, providing $986,000 in online support services for the next three years, according to Mark Welling, CSO of the Cook Center.
“When they do need it, they know where to go: they know where to turn for it, and that confidence that it gives people to be able to take on challenges, have some resilience, and move forward is so critical,” Welling tells FOX5.
“Mental health doesn’t take a break during the summertime, and especially where the majority of families access mental health services through the school system, while those are still available during the summer with Clark County School District- we want to be able to continue to surround that child with a supportive adult,” Welling said.
Nevadans struggle with the lack of mental health resources for adults and children; the state ranks last in the nation for mental healthcare availability, and last for mental health professionals for school children.
Many families cannot afford mental health services; Commissioner Justin Jones, who advocates for mental health awareness, hopes this is a first step for families to get needed support.
“It is a great first step for people who are addressing crises in their own homes. We know that there are so many people out there that are financially struggling, and truly, they’re lucky if they can put food on the table and put gas in their tanks. Asking them to be able to pay hundreds of dollars to go to a mental health professional is just simply out of reach for so many people,” Jones said.
“This is not a substitute for counseling for some of the other resources with professionals that are absolutely necessary, but it’s a good starting point and it’s an opportunity for a conversation between family members or between our educators and folks in class to start that conversation and see what other resources are necessary to address a mental health challenge,” Jones tells FOX5.
In a mental health crisis, Jones advises families to utilize the 988 hotline or 911 for immediate support.
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