Resources

CRISIS NUMBERS/HOTLINES

Adult Abuse Hotline 1-800-677-1116

Child Abuse Hotline (Missouri) 1-800-392-3738

Covenant House Nineline 1-800-999-9999

Hours: Monday-Sunday (3:00-7:00)

Services: A free crisis line which provides crisis intervention and referral services for troubled youth and their families throughout the U.S.

Domestic Violence Hotlines 816-461-HOPE (4673)

816-HOTLINE (468-5463)

Drug/Alcohol Abuse Hotline 1-800-521-7128

KC Homeless Hotline 474-4599

MOCSA (Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault) Crisis Line - for victims of rape and sexual abuse

816-531-0233 or 913-642-0233

National Child Abuse Hotline 1-800-4-A-CHILD (422-4452)

National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Hopeline 1-800-NCA CALL (622-2255)

National Hopeline Network 1-800-SUICIDE (784-2433)

National Runaway Hotline 1-800-621-4000

National Runaway Safeline 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929)

National Suicide Prevention Hotline 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

Restart Youth Network 24 Hour Hotline 816-309-9048

United Way 2-1-1 Dial 211

Services: A referral service for emergency assistance with food, shelter and energy needs.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

This is an excellent resource for consumers, family members, community leaders and educators. Here you have a section that tells you what to look for in different disorders. Also there is a search bar where you can look up many articles relating to the topic you are interested in. Click on this link or visit mentalhealth.gov

National Institute of Mental Health

This is a well designed web-site that allows you to easily select the health topic that you are interested in and then learn what it is, how it is caused, what the symptoms are, how to treat it, and information on living with the issue. There are also numerous articles and resources to help inform you about specific mental health and behavioral health issues.

Addictions Fact Sheets

This is a collection of fact sheets and other material arranged by the name of the drug. This is a great resource for family members and clients who are struggling with substance abuse of any kind. Click on this link or visit Web of Addictions at http://www.well.com/user/woa/facts.htm

VIA Strengths Test

his is an official test used by employers to be able to help determine characteristics that would make the prospective employee ideal for the job. This test 24 character strengths and order them from strongest to weakest. The idea is to take your top 5 strengths and each week do one thing that will strengthen one of those categories. It is claimed to be the only FREE, online, scientifically validated survey of character strengths. Pennsylvania University is offering it for FREE in exchange for using the data for research. You must login so your test results can be stored for you, but they will never send you an unrequested email or use your information in any other way. This is an awesome test to take to find out where your strengths really are. You may click on this link or you can visit authentichappiness.org and select questionnaires.

VIA Strength Test for Children

Much like the adult version of the VIA strength test, but this test is appropriate for children ages 8-17. This is a great tool for parents to use to focus on their children's strengths and to encourage development of skills and boost self- esteem. It will test for 24 character strengths and order them from strongest to weakest. Take your top five strengths and do one thing each week that will strengthen one of these categories. Once a parent has logged in, multiple children can be tested under the same account. This is a FREE test available to the public. You may click on this link or you can visit authentichappiness.org and select questionnaires.

Mental Health Exercise

Using the VIA strengths test, identify VIA strengths and commit to utilizing them in a new way each day for one week. (See these character strength examples.)

The benefits determined to be enjoyed from these interventions were improved states of happiness and decreases in depressive symptoms. Adhering to the previously listed principles is important in understanding the usage of these interventions, as clinicians know that it is not a “one size fits all” type of work.