For Parents & Caregivers
If you're worried about your child, you're already doing the right thing. Below are the resources we hand to parents every week — crisis lines, trusted reading, and a clear path to finding real help.
If you need help now
If your child is in immediate danger, call 911. Otherwise, these free lines are staffed around the clock by trained counselors.
Call or text 988. Free, confidential, 24/7 — for kids, teens, and parents.
Call 9881-800-662-4357 — free, 24/7 treatment referral and information service.
Call SAMHSAUnderstanding what you're seeing
Signals and strategies change as kids grow. Find your child's stage, then follow the link for a deeper read.
Meltdowns, separation worry, and trouble sharing are developmental — not defiance. Kids this age need co-regulation first: your calm body borrows them theirs. Name the feeling, wait out the wave, teach the skill later.
Child Mind Institute: emotional regulationSocial pain peaks here. Shifting friend groups, group chats, and feeling left out can look like anger, stomachaches, or refusing school. Coaching beats fixing — role-play hard conversations at home.
Understood: social skills basicsPerfectionism, avoidance, sleep loss, and withdrawal are the most common signals. Teens will talk — usually sideways, in the car or late at night. Ask questions you don't already know the answer to.
JED Foundation resource centerIn Missouri you can request a special education evaluation or a 504 Plan in writing at any time, and the district must respond. MPACT gives free, parent-to-parent help preparing for that meeting.
MPACT — Missouri Parents ActWatch and learn
Trusted channels you can subscribe to for ongoing help with anxiety, big emotions, friendships, and school support.
Clinician-led explainers on anxiety, ADHD, emotional regulation, and school refusal.
Visit channelLicensed therapist teaching anxiety and emotion-regulation skills you can practice with your kid tonight.
Visit channelShort animated lessons on mental health conditions, therapy types, and what treatment actually looks like.
Visit channelLearning and thinking differences, ADHD, school accommodations, and IEP/504 walkthroughs.
Visit channelPractical scripts for tantrums, boundaries, sibling conflict, and building confidence.
Visit channelFamily education, lived-experience stories, and youth mental health awareness.
Visit channelPrint & use tonight
Practical PDFs we hand to parents. Print at home, or fill out on a tablet. No sign-up required.
Build emotional vocabulary and a calm-down plan while your child is still learning to name what they feel.
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A 5-minute daily worksheet to do together. Builds emotional vocabulary and lets you spot patterns early.
Download PDFPDF · Letter size
Make a personalized regulation plan with your child during a calm moment — before the next meltdown.
Download PDFTrack the pattern behind the mood swings, and walk into school meetings organized instead of overwhelmed.
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Log shut-downs, blow-ups, and anxiety spikes. Bring the completed sheet to your pediatrician or counselor.
Download PDFPDF · Letter size
Organize what you're seeing, what you've tried, and exactly what you're asking the school to do.
Download PDFTeens can fill these out on their own. Use them as a conversation starter, not a check-up.
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Hand it to your teen to self-track stress, sleep, and mood before a therapy intake or doctor visit.
Download PDFPDF · Letter size
Prep for a 504, IEP, or counselor meeting — including what your teen wants to say for themselves.
Download PDFWhere to start
You don't have to do all of these at once. Do the next one.
Track what you're seeing — when, how often, what makes it better or worse. A 2-week note on your phone is enough.
Ask for a behavioral health screening. They can rule out medical causes and refer you into a network.
Email the counselor and teacher. Ask what they see and what supports exist (small groups, check-ins, 504/IEP).
Look for child-trained clinicians using CBT, play therapy, or family therapy. First session is a fit-check — it's okay to switch.
You cannot pour from an empty cup. Join a parent group, protect your sleep, and get your own support in place.
Missouri organizations
State and regional organizations offering free support groups, sliding-scale therapy, school advocacy, and crisis response.
Free family support groups, education classes, and a statewide helpline for Missouri families.
State services, provider directories, and how to access publicly funded children's behavioral health care.
St. Louis-area 24/7 crisis line and mobile youth crisis response — also the regional 988 answering center.
Free training and one-on-one help for parents navigating IEPs, 504 Plans, and school meetings.
Statewide navigation center connecting families of kids with disabilities or behavioral health needs to services.
Community behavioral health clinics across Missouri offering child therapy on a sliding scale and Medicaid.
Affordable counseling and crisis services for children, teens, and families in the St. Louis region.
Coverage that includes behavioral health services for eligible Missouri children — apply online.
Care Solutions offers free, non-clinical navigation for families. Tell us what's going on and we'll help you find the right next step — a program, a therapist, a support group, or just someone who's been there.
Care Solutions Inc. is an educational and referral organization. We are not a clinical or emergency service. In a crisis, call 988 or 911.
