Catholic Charities of Central Florida (A Ministry of the Diocese of Orlando) – Programs to assist with Healthcare, Behavioral Health, Housing, Financial Assistance, Food Assistance, Human Dignity, and Immigration/Refugee Services.
Digital Calming Room – activities to reduce stress and bring your body back to a state of peace and calmness.
Text-4-Help
Text-4-Help is a resource that is available to all our high school students in the Orlando Diocese community, 24/7, all year round. With Text-4-Help, teens can use their preferred method of communication, text messaging, to reach out for help for themselves or friends. The resource allows teens to find anonymous, immediate help for themselves if they have concerns over the coronavirus pandemic or if they are struggling with drugs or alcohol abuse, depression, difficult family situations, bullying, or any of the many challenges they face today. The service is available 24/7, is completely anonymous, and is staffed with licensed counselors to support teenagers (and others) who have a concern or a crisis.
How It Works:
Any student who sends a text message CELTIC to 844-311-7177 will receive an immediate text response from a trained, professional counselor. Counselors are provided by LEAD (Linking Efforts Against Drugs), a non-profit organization focused on promoting healthy family relationships and preventing alcohol and drug use and other risky behaviors by youth. The response team consists of licensed/certified mental health professionals from The Child, Adolescent, and Family Recovery Center in Lake Bluff. They are clinicians who are experienced in counseling youth and have been trained in understanding the needs of our community. Thanks to a system that routes calls through a cloaking server, texters are completely anonymous, allowing teens freedom to reach out for help without fear. In the case of a life- threatening condition, emergency responders will be notified and be given as much information as is available to help the person in need.
Suicide Prevention
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
If you or someone you know is in an emergency, text “CARE4U” to 741741 or call The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-TALK (8255) or call 911 immediately.
Suicidal thoughts or behaviors are both damaging and dangerous. Someone experiencing these thoughts should seek immediate assistance from a health or mental health care provider. Having suicidal thoughts does not mean someone is weak or flawed.
Know the Warning Signs
- Threats or comments about killing themselves, also known as suicidal ideation, can begin with seemingly harmless thoughts like “I wish I wasn’t here” but can become more overt and dangerous
- Increased alcohol and drug use
- Aggressive behavior
- Social withdrawal from friends, family and the community
- Dramatic mood swings
- Talking, writing or thinking about death
- Impulsive or reckless behavior
Risk Factors for Suicide
Research has found that more than half of people who died by suicide did not have a known mental health condition. A number of other things may put a person at risk of suicide, including:
- A family history of suicide
- Substance abuse. Drugs and alcohol can result in mental highs and lows that exacerbate suicidal thoughts
- Intoxication. More than one in three people who die from suicide are found to be currently under the influence
- Access to firearms
- A serious or chronic medical illness
- Gender. Although more women than men attempt suicide, men are four times more likely to die by suicide
- A history of trauma or abuse
- Prolonged stress
- Isolation
- Age. People under age 24 or above age 65 are at a higher risk for suicide
- A recent tragedy or loss
- Agitation and sleep deprivation
- Sexual orientation. Stress resulting from prejudice and discrimination (family rejection, bullying, violence) is a known risk factor for suicide attempts among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth.
Florida Department of Children and Families
Baker Act Information – Crisis Services – Baker Act
Child Abuse Information and Reporting – Report Abuse Hotline