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The phone call came at 2:14 a.m. A mother’s voice, frantic and breaking, desperate for guidance. Her 15-year-old son had just confessed to having suicidal thoughts. She had no idea what to do next.
As the Executive Director of No Shame On U (NSOU), a nonprofit dedicated to eliminating the stigma associated with mental health conditions, I receive these calls all too frequently — parents facing the unimaginable: navigating their child’s mental health crisis without a roadmap, often in the darkest hours when resources seem unreachable.
A State of Emergency in Children’s Mental Health
I understand their desperation on a deeply personal level. Years ago, before my involvement with NSOU, I was that parent — desperately searching for answers during my own child’s mental health crisis. I scoured the internet, called professionals, and reached out to friends, but found no comprehensive resource to guide our family through this terrifying journey. The roadmap I so desperately needed simply didn’t exist.
We are living amid what the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry has declared a “National State of Emergency in Children’s Mental Health.” The statistics are sobering: 50% of mental health conditions develop by age 14, and 75% by age 24. In fact, half of the world’s population will experience a mental health disorder at some point in their lifetime, and suicide remains a leading cause of death among adolescents and young adults. Yet, parents often feel utterly alone in this terrifying situation.
A Mental Health Resource for Parents
“We were at our wit’s end,” one parent shared. “Our daughter was in crisis, and we had no idea where to turn or what level of care she needed. The emergency room? A therapist? Something in between? We felt like we were failing her at every turn.”
This parent’s experience mirrors countless others. The journey through treatment options is rarely linear and often overwhelming. Many parents describe drowning in unfamiliar terminology, struggling to understand treatment options, and carrying the crushing weight of making life-altering decisions for their children.
These conversations inspired our team to create a comprehensive guide: “When Your Child is Experiencing a Mental Health Crisis.” We recognized that families need more than just a list of resources — they need a trusted companion to walk them through what might be the most challenging period of their lives.
Developed by NSOU’s Director of Strategic Initiatives, Dr. Anat S. Geva, JD, PhD, with input from mental health experts and parents with first-hand experience, our guide addresses the full spectrum of care options. It explains the differences between outpatient therapy, intensive outpatient programs, partial hospitalization, emergency services, inpatient hospitalization, and residential treatment centers. The guide demystifies the evaluation process, clarifies what to expect during treatment, and offers practical advice for supporting a child through each level of care.
Perhaps most importantly, the guide reminds parents they are not alone. As one parent whose child was hospitalized for suicidal ideation shared, “The night we took our child to the ED was hell. It had been really tough and scary at home, and we felt we had no choice. Despite our child’s pleas to return home, we recognized that we had just taken a critical step in putting them on the road to recovery.”
Mental Health Is as Important as Physical Health
Mental health struggles are real and common. Yet, unlike physical health conditions, they often remain shrouded in secrecy and shame. When a child breaks an arm, parents receive clear instructions and support. When a child experiences depression or anxiety, too many parents are left to navigate the crisis alone, unsure of the next steps and terrified of making the wrong choices.
No Shame on U is working to eliminate this isolation. The mental health guide represents our commitment to providing clear, practical, and accessible information to families in crisis. It reminds us that mental health conditions deserve the same urgency, care, and support as any physical illness.
One father who used our guide during his son’s mental health crisis summed it up perfectly: “I felt like I finally had a translation guide for the foreign language everyone seemed to be speaking. For the first time, I understood the options available and could advocate effectively for my child.”
The landscape of children’s mental health remains challenging, but with proper information and support, parents can confidently navigate these difficult waters. Our guide is available as a free download on our website, and we encourage parents, caregivers, educators, youth-serving professionals, and family members to familiarize themselves with it before a crisis occurs.
Because when it comes to mental health, knowledge isn’t just power — it’s a lifeline.
How To Help
No Shame On U works to eliminate the stigma associated with mental health conditions. The organization provides guidance and resources to individuals in a mental health crisis and educational resources to loved ones so they can provide proper support to save lives.
Donations to No Shame On U support programming, enable the organization to conduct educational efforts, help raise awareness to end the stigma associated with mental health conditions, and save lives. Since its inception, No Shame On U has provided hundreds of programs for people of all ages at no charge to participate.
Read more mental health awareness and crisis support and prevention resources from Better Magazine.
Wendy Singer, MS, is the Executive Director of No Shame On U, a nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating the stigma associated with mental health conditions. After navigating her own family’s mental health crisis without adequate resources, she is passionate about ensuring other families have the guidance they need. The comprehensive guide “When Your Child is Experiencing a Mental Health Crisis: A Guide for Parents and Caregivers” is available for free download at www.noshameonu.org or for purchase on Amazon.
