Mental Health Resources
Mental health involves the presence of positive characteristics such as:being able to cope with life's challenges, staying in control of emotions and behaviors, managing stress, building strong, healthy relationships, and recovering from setbacks.
While effort is required to build and maintain physical health, the same is true for mental and emotional health. Improving emotional health can be rewarding as it can benefit all aspects of life, including boosting mood, building resilience, and adding to the overall enjoyment of life.
Helpful Information:
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
Mental Health America
American Academy of Family Physicians
American Psychological Association
How to Talk to Your Child About Their Mental Health
NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Support Groups and Education
Resources for Parents & Caregivers, from The Kids Mental Health Foundation
Suicide Prevention Links
Alabama Suicide Training School Faculty and Staff
After a Suicide - A Toolkit for Schools
Child Abuse and Neglect Link
Childwelfare.gov-Child Abuse and Neglect
What is Mental Illness?
A mental health concern becomes a mental illness when ongoing signs and symptoms cause frequent stress and affect your ability to function. A mental illness can make you miserable and can cause problems in your daily life, such as at school or work or in relationships. (source: Mayo Clinic)
According to NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), trying to tell the difference between what expected behaviors are and what might be the signs of a mental illness isn't always easy. There's no easy test that can let someone know if there is mental illness or if actions and thoughts might be typical behaviors of a person or the result of a physical illness.
Each illness has its own symptoms, but common signs of mental illness in adults and adolescents can include the following:
-
- Excessive worrying or fear
- Feeling excessively sad or low
- Confused thinking or problems concentrating and learning
- Extreme mood changes, including uncontrollable “highs” or feelings of euphoria
- Prolonged or strong feelings of irritability or anger
- Avoiding friends and social activities
- Difficulties understanding or relating to other people
- Changes in sleeping habits or feeling tired and low energy
- Changes in eating habits such as increased hunger or lack of appetite
- Changes in sex drive
- Difficulty perceiving reality (delusions or hallucinations, in which a person experiences and senses things that don't exist in objective reality)
- Inability to perceive changes in one’s own feelings, behavior or personality (”lack of insight” or anosognosia)
- Abuse of substances like alcohol or drugs
- Multiple physical ailments without obvious causes (such as headaches, stomach aches, vague and ongoing “aches and pains”)
- Thinking about suicide
- Inability to carry out daily activities or handle daily problems and stress
- An intense fear of weight gain or concern with appearance (mostly in adolescents)
- Excessive worrying or fear
Mental health conditions can also begin to develop in young children. Because they are still learning how to identify and talk about thoughts and emotions, their most obvious symptoms are behavioral. Symptoms in children may include the following:
-
- Changes in school performance
- Excessive worry or anxiety, for instance, fighting to avoid bed or school
- Hyperactive behavior
- Frequent nightmares
- Frequent disobedience or aggression
- Frequent temper tantrums
- Changes in school performance
If you or someone you are concerned about is in immediate danger, CALL 911
Jasper City Schools’ Mental Health Coordinator – Mrs. Ginger Mitchell (205)384-6880
Notification Regarding School Provided or Sponsored Mental Health Services
Opt-In Mental Health Services Notification & Form
Adam Bishop Center
1105 7th Ave
Jasper, Alabama
(205) 302-9066
Department of Human Resources
1901 Highway 78
Jasper, Alabama
(205) 221-2100
Health Connect America
1700 5th Ave S
Jasper, Alabama
(205) 530-6007
Hope for Women
1708 5th Ave S
Jasper, Alabama
(205)265-2799
Integrated Behavioral Health
1458 Jones Dairy Rd Suite 200B
(205) 358-9877
Jasper Area Family Services Center
1400 19th St W
Jasper, Alabama
(205)302-0801
Northwest Alabama Mental Health
1100 7th Ave
Jasper, Alabama
Northwest Alabama Psychiatric Services, P.C.
20 Medical Center Dr Suite 300
Jasper, Alabama
(205) 384-0141
Birmingham Area & State Services
Alabama Department of Mental Health
https://mh.alabama.gov/
1-800-367-0955 | (334) 242-3454
The Alabama Department of Mental Health serves more than 200,000 Alabama citizens with mental illnesses, intellectual disabilities, and substance use disorders. The department strives to Serve, Empower, and offer Support to create awareness while promoting the health and well-being of Alabamians.
Alabama Post Adoption Connections (APAC)
http://www.childrensaid.org/what_we_do/programs/apac/
(205) 949-2722
Statewide program designed to empower adoptive families facing adoption challenges and to facilitate stronger bonds and interactions with adoptive families.
ALL Kids -Children’s Health Insurance Program
http://www.alabamapublichealth.gov/allkids/
1-888-373-KIDS (5437)
ALL Kids is a low-cost, comprehensive healthcare coverage program for children under age 19. Benefits include regular checkups and immunizations, sick child doctor visits, prescriptions, vision and dental care, hospitalization, mental health and substance abuse services, and much more.
Amelia Center
www.ameliacenter.org
(205) 638-7481
The Amelia Center is a comprehensive grief counseling center that provides individual and family counseling to children and teens who have experienced a death, or to adults who have experienced the death of a child.
Bradford Health Services
www.bradfordhealth.com
(205) 942-3200 or 888-577-0012
Bradford is about helping people and families who are dealing with addiction achieve recovery.
Children’s Behavioral Health
https://www.childrensal.org/behavioral-health
(205) 638-9193
Outpatient clinic that provides care through a multidisciplinary team approach. Various types of therapy are provided including individual, family, and behavioral.
Children’s of Alabama
https://www.childrensal.org
(205) 638-9100
1600 7th Ave. S.
Birmingham AL 35233
Child’s Play
www.childsplaytherapycenter.com
(205) 978-9939
Offers speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy as well as psychological services such as IQ/achievement testing, therapy and counseling. Small groups and camps are also offered.
CHIPS Center-Children's Hospital Intervention and Prevention Services (CHIPS Center)
www.childrensal.org/CHIPS
(205) 638-2751
CHIPS Center has been an outpatient center at Children’s of Alabama since 1995 where children who have experienced suspected abuse and their families impacted by suspected abuse can come for support, hope, and healing. The CHIPS staff is a team of specially trained licensed professional counselors, doctors, licensed social workers, and sexual assault nurse examiners (SANE). CHIPS provides forensic medical evaluations, social work support services, counseling services, and prevention education services
Community Food Bank of Central Alabama
www.feedingal.org
(205) 942-8911
Collects surplus food and distributes through charitable and other non-profit organizations to feed hungry people in our twelve-county area.
Community Grief Support
www.communitygriefsupport.org
(205) 870-8667
Free services provided to adults 19 years or older. A safe place where people grieving the death of a loved one can meet with others who have had this experience. Together they learn how to regain control of their lives in an environment of care, comfort and healing.
Crisis Center, Inc.
www.crisiscenterbham.com
(205) 323-7782 (Office Line)
(205) 323-7777 (Crisis Line)
(205) 328-5437 Kids Helpline, Line Open 3-10PM
(205) 328-5465 Teen Helpline, Line Open 3-10 PM
(205) 323-7272 Rape Response, 24 Hour Hotline
Provides 24-hour, 365 days per year support, crisis and suicide intervention, community information and referrals through telephone counseling
Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama (HICA)
www.hispanicinterest.org
(205) 942-5505
Provides services dedicated to the social, civic and economic integration of Hispanic families and individuals in Alabama.
IMPACT Family Counseling
http://impactal.org
(205) 916-0123
IMPACT Family Counseling is a 501© 3 Christian-affiliated, United Way agency located in Birmingham, AL. The agency provides outpatient counseling and a variety of other services such as mentoring, relationship education, family strengthening and anger management to all people, regardless of religion, sex, race, ethnicity, age, or disability.
Jessie’s Place for Women and Children
https://jimmiehalemission.com/ministries-more/jessies-place/
(205) 323-0170
A safe haven for women and children that offers Christ-centered support and counseling, helping them to become strong and self-sufficient.
Kids One Transport
www.kidsone.org
(205) 978-1000
Non-profit agency that provides transportation to medical appointments for children and expectant mothers.
Mitchell’s Place
http://mitchells-place.com
(205) 957-0294
Provides a wide range of specialized services for children with Autism.
NAMI, National Alliance on Mental Illness
https://www.nami.org/About-NAMI
(800) 626-4199
NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness.
One PAL-Parenting Assistance Line
http://pal.ua.edu/
(866) 962-3030
The Parenting Assistance Line (PAL) is a free service available to anyone who wants information and support in becoming a more confident parent or caregiver.
Partnership for Drug Free Kids
www.drugfree.org
(855) 378-4373 or text 55753
Offers support and guidance to families struggling with their son’s and daughter’s substance abuse.
Poison Control
(205) 638-9201 / (800) 222-1222
Psychiatric Intake Response Center (PIRC)--Located in the Emergency Depart. of Children's of Alabama
https://www.childrensal.org/pirc
(205) 638-PIRC (7472)
PIRC is designed to assist patients, their loved ones and/or caregivers, and community providers in finding the appropriate level of mental health care. These services are provided via telephone or in person by licensed mental health clinicians trained to assess a child or teen’s mental, emotional, and behavioral needs and recommend the best treatment options.
- Anyone with a mental health question or concern regarding a child or adolescent is encouraged to contact the PIRC at 205-638-PIRC (7472)
- PIRC is open seven days a week, year-round from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.
- Anyone experiencing a crisis should call 911 or go to the nearest Emergency Room.
- Anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts should call the 24-hour, 7 day a week National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Prescott House Children’s Advocacy Center
www.prescotthouse.org
(205) 930-3622
Provides services to child victims of physical and sexual abuse, severely neglected children and children who have witnessed a violent crime. The Center is a 501 © 3 non-profit organization. It provides services for the Birmingham Division of Jefferson County as well as other areas as needed. Representatives from the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, local law enforcement agencies, Alabama Department of Human Resources, and medical and mental health professionals work with Prescott House staff when cases are reported.
Recovery Resource Center
https://recoveryresourcejeffco.com/
(205) 458-3377
A central point of information concerning substance abuse treatment. The center’s staff and volunteers answer questions, initiate the treatment process, and make referrals as needed.
Sight Savers America
www.sightsaversofalabama.org
1-877-942-2627
Provides no cost comprehensive eye care children each year through a network of child referral agencies, medical providers and other eye care professionals. The children's eye care network provides vision screenings, eye exams, eyeglasses, medications, surgeries, low vision assessments, vision aids and other therapeutic vision treatments. Coordination of transportation services and follow-up care are also provided.
UAB Beacon Recovery
www.uab.edu or https://www.uab.edu/medicine/substanceabuse/
(205) 917-3733 ext.103
Outpatient and Intensive Outpatient substance abuse treatment for adults and adolescents ages 13-18
United Way of Central Alabama
www.uwca.org
(205) 251-5131
Maintains a list of organizations that help with food, clothing, rehabilitation services, elder care, and more. The services are available in Jefferson, Shelby, Walker, Blount and St. Clair Counties from both public and private agencies. 211 information line – caller enters local zip code to be connected with United Way representative in their area who can assist in finding appropriate assistance program.
YWCA Domestic Violence Services
http://www.ywcabham.org/domestic-violence-services-and-programs
(205) 322-4878 - 24 hour Crisis Line
Provides shelter, counseling, advocacy, and case management for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.