Gallery of Resources

Mental health

Prevention

Common challenges

Positive connections and awareness

Featured topic: loneliness

If you are struggling with feelings of loneliness, know you are not alone. It’s an issue that our youth advisory has identified as trending, and it’s a topic gaining national attention as well. In Dr. Vivek H. Murphy’s book, “Together”, the former U.S. Surgeon General shares four key strategies will help us not only to weather this crisis:

1. Spend time each day with those you love. Devote at least 15 minutes each day to connecting with those you most care about.

2. Focus on each other. Forget about multitasking and give the other person the gift of your full attention, making eye contact, if possible, and genuinely listening.

3. Embrace solitude. The first step toward building stronger connections with others is to build a stronger connection with oneself. Meditation, prayer, art, music, and time spent outdoors can all be sources of solitary comfort and joy.

4. Help and be helped. Service is a form of human connection that reminds us of our value and purpose in life. Checking on a neighbor, seeking advice, even just offering a smile to a stranger six feet away, all can make us stronger.

Are you feeling…

You are not alone

• Putting a Face on Mental Health: Most Parents Assume It Is Other People’s Kids Who are Struggling, by Josephine Urbon

• The Journey Through Loss, Grief, and Recovery: My Story, by Lili Namoradze

• Overlooking the Signs: Teen Panic Attacks Are Common, Why Don’t We Know It and What Can We Do About It? by Josephine Urbon

Reach out for help when you need it

If you are feeling overwhelmed, know that help is available. Please reach out to a trusted adult and/or your school counseling department for guidance and support. They will have an exhaustive list of options. Below are some community resources that can also help.

For crisis support

• To access related resources created for your parents and guardians so they can support you, please click HERE.

• The Suicide Prevention Lifeline phone number is 800-273-8255.

• The Crisis Text Line is available for any crisis. Text Hello to 741-741 and a live, trained crisis counselor will receive the text and respond.

• The LA County Department of Mental Health services phone number is 800-854-7771.

• Dial 211 or visit the 211 website to access information and referrals for counseling, emergency shelters, crisis hotlines, rape crisis and domestic violence crisis.

• The Community Helpline, at 877-541-2525, offers trained crisis listeners who provide support and a non-judgmental listening ear.

• Youth can always call or text the California Youth Crisis Line, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at: 1-800-843-5200

• If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgment-free place to talk, call the TrevorLifeline now at 866-488-7386.

• The Teen Line, established in 1980, is a nonprofit, community-based organization offering help to teenagers. Its mission is to provide personal teen-to-teen education and support before problems become a crisis, If you or anyone you know is going through a hard time, please feel free to reach out! Call 310-855-4673.

For mental health treatment and referrals

• Visit the Beach Cities Health District referral webpage for South Bay mental health resources and treatment providers.

• Beach Cities Health District has launched allcove Beach Cities, which serves young people ages 12 - 25 with mild to moderate needs looking for support. Services include mental health counseling, physical health, substance use prevention, career coaching, peer support and family support. Services are provided to residents throughout the South Bay and are provided free of charge. For more information or to make an appointment, call (310) 374-5706.

• Soluna provides confidential support for 13- to 25-year-olds in California at no cost. Chat 1:1 with a professional coach, use interactive tools to destress, or explore quizzes, videos, forums, and more.

Visit the SBFC Teens Instagram page for videos created by our youth advisory to reduce stigma and increase awareness around mental health challenges that so many teens face. Our posts aim to inspire, connect, and let you know you are not alone.

The SBFC Teen Advisory

The SBFC Youth Advisory, founded in 2023, is currently led by Ann Marie Whitney, SBFC Board President, and Angela Bennet, SBFC volunteer. South Bay schools represented include, Redondo Union High School, Mira Costa High School, El Segundo High School, Marymount High School, West High School, Chadwick School, Flintridge Prep School, Palos Verdes Peninsula High School and Vistamar High School. We thank our 2025-26 Youth Advisors for their dedication to youth wellness:

• Josie Atkins

• Ronny Chan

• Brandon Doll

• Blake Gurney

• Eli Henry

• Katya Horasz

• Brooke Jadon

• Grace Jones

• Colin Kim

• Brady Lange

• Riley Marsh

• Adrianna Martinez

To download a Virtual Teen Center printable flyer to use in your school or business, click HERE.