HCPSSMiddle School: Social Emotional Learning and Support

Middle school students are characterized by a need to explore a variety of interests, as they search for their own unique identity. Below are resources to support the social emotional health of your middle school child.ken from ASCA

Mental Health Resources and Supports

Howard County NAMI: We are the Howard County, Maryland affiliate, NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, which is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness.

Children's Mental Health Matters: If you are worried about your child’s emotions or behavior, you can start by talking to friends, family members, your spiritual counselor, your child’s school counselor, or your child’s pediatrician/family physician about your concerns.

Finding a Therapist- Psychology Today allows you to sort by insurance provider, specialty, location and more.

Stress Management and Mindfulness Activities

Virtual Calming Room: Sacramento City Unified School District collected music, meditation, yoga, drawing and other calming resources.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

12-minute Wind Down Yoga before Bedtime

Listening to the book, I am peace written and read by Susan Verde

Substance Abuse Resources

HC Drug Free: HC DrugFree provides resources and education on prevention, treatment, recovery, and health and wellness to help Howard County residents develop knowledge and skills to understand and address behavioral health (substance use and mental health) disorders.

Student Assistance Program: Having a Student Assistance Program representative at each secondary school. The SAP representative serves on the school’s Student Support Team and focuses on providing supports to students experiencing negative consequences from substance use.

Tobacco Awareness Program for Teens

Grief and Loss

What'syourgrief.com: Links to an external site.What's your grief is a site for sharing information, blogs, resources and more all related to supporting grief.

Hospice of Chesapeake: Following the death of a loved one, family members are supported by experienced and caring grief counselors through the services of the Chesapeake Life Center.Links to an external site.

Camp Kessem:Links to an external site. Summer Camp for kids ages 6-18 who have been impacted by a parent's diagnosis of cancer.

National Alliance for Grieving Children: The National Alliance for Grieving Children (NAGC) is a nonprofit organization that raises awareness about the needs of children and teens who are grieving a death and provides education and resources for anyone who supports them.Links to an external site.

The Dougy Center: Dougy Center provides support in a safe place where children, teens, young adults, and families who are grieving can share their experiences .Links to an external site.

Eating Disorders

Natinal Alliance of Eating Disorders:Links to an external site. We are the leading national nonprofit organization providing referrals, education, and support for individuals experiencing eating disorders and their loved ones

Life without EdLinks to an external site. by Jenni Schaefer

Sick EnoughLinks to an external site. by Jennifer Gaudiani

Changing Families- Divorce and Separation

National Family Resiliency Center: Provides support in working with children, teens and adults experiencing life and family transitions (separation, divorce, blended family or re-marriage).

The Children's Bill of Rights in DivorceLinks to an external site.

Supporting Children with Incarcerated Family Members

The National Resource Center on Children and Families of the IncarceratedLinks to an external site.Includes: Directory of programs for children and their families,

Healthy Relationships

One Love:Links to an external site. One Love Foundation is a national non-profit with the goal of ending relationship abuse. We empower young people with tools and resources to see the signs of healthy and unhealthy relationships and bring life-saving prevention education to their communities.

Hopeworks:Links to an external site. At HopeWorks our mission is to support and advocate for people in Howard County affected by sexual and intimate partner violence and engage the community in creating the change required for violence prevention.

Addressing Bullying

Stopbullying.hcpss.org:The Howard County Public School System is committed to providing a safe and nurturing environment for all students. Preventing bullying is an important part of this goal and HCPSS recently launched a new bullying reporting tool that allows students, staff and family members to easily and confidentially report incidents of bullying.

Stopbullying.gov: A federal government website managed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Anti Bullying Alliance: The Anti-Bullying Alliance is a coalition of organisations and individuals that are united against bullying.