Resources

Below is a complete list of resources that The 61% Project has referenced at the end of each story.

Active Minds is a national organization that seeks to improve the mental health and well-being of college students. With more than 800 campuses, it reaches close to 600,000 students through campus awareness campaigns, events, advocacy, and outreach. In addition to a 550-plus strong network of student advocates, Active Minds’ programs include an award-winning suicide prevention exhibit, a curated group of professional presenters, and the Healthy Campus Award, which honors colleges that are prioritizing student well-being. They also offer a crisis text line that provides free, 24/7 support from anywhere in the United States and abotu any type of crisis. Text BRAVE to 741-741.

If you would rather connect with other human beings than talk to a chatbot, the ADAA Online Support Group is a peer-to-peer online support group that offers the same anonymity. While users don’t have to reveal their names, they can start conversions by asking questions or sharing posts about their mental-health journey. They can also interact with others who are battling anxiety, depression, and related disorders. Join the ADAA Support Group, or download their iOS app. For more information, email information@adaa.org.

Affordable Colleges Online offers a free Mental Health Guide to assist in recognizing disorders, seeking help, and promoting wellness. This guide provides information about common mental illnesses, support systems, and how to request accommodations.

The Affordable Colleges’ Transgender College Student Resource Guide serves as a clearinghouse for a range of issues, projects, and information that seeks to empower trans students and assist them as they advocate for themselves and those in their community. Also consider the National Center for Transgender Equality. In addition, The Trevor Project provides crisis intervention and mental-health services for ages 13 to 24. Call their crisis hotline at 866-488-7386.

Students who struggle to find autism-specific programs at their school can look to student organizations to help deal with the social and academic pressures of college. If the campus lacks student organizations for autistic students, they can always create new ones. Although Autism Connections Kent is specific to Kent State University, students with autism can follow in their footsteps to create their own support and advocacy group on campus. They can follow the “nothing about us without us” initiative to continue to advocate for neurodiversity support in the classrooms, while meeting new people and making friends.

The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law provides information on legal protection for those with mental illnesses. The center offers resources on mental-health advocacy and provides the public with information on what kind of rights people have in advocating for their own mental health. Call 202-467-5730 x1310, or email communications@bazelon.org.

The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) provides an online resource that allows you to search for PTSD and other mental illness-related support groups in your area.

The Clean Air Task Force is a group working to push changes in technologies and policies in order to achieve zero-emissions energy, waste, agricultural, and forest management systems by 2050. Call 617-624-0234 or email info@catf.us.

The Coalition for Rainforest Nations helps governments and communities responsibly manage their rainforests. Coalition members launched the United Nation’s REDD+ mechanism in 2005, which works to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. Call (646) 448-6870 for more informaiton or email info@rainforestcoalition.org.

The College and University Food Bank Alliance (CUFBA) focuses on helping college students struggling with food insecurity. Their website offers specific resources and pantry information for different areas. Email the organization at cufbanational@gmail.com. If you or someone you know is struggling with food insecurity, you may be eligible for SNAP Benefits for college students. Contact your local SNAP office and find easy-to-understand information through their directory.

Find a Multicultural Therapist at Psychologytoday.com, an online therapy directory that lists out mental-health clinicians around the United States. One of the website features redirects users to multicultural counselors based on city or ZIP code, if available.

The Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice is an organization that connects students to resources for the basic needs of food, affordable housing, transportation, childcare, and mental-health care. The Hope Center conducts research, engages and communicates with students and educators, and advocates for student needs. Email hopectr@temple.edu with questions.

The University at Albany has its own Middle Earth Outreach Hotline accessible through their website or by calling (518) 442-5777).

The NAMI HelpLine is a free, peer-support service provided by the National Alliance on Mental Illness. This hotline offers resources and assistance for individuals and families affected by mental-health conditions like depression and anxiety. The HelpLine staff is well-trained and able to provide guidance, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., ET. Not only can they share information about NAMI programs and support groups, but they also serve as a source of reliable, accurate information. To contact the NAMI HelpLine, call 800-950-NAMI (6264) or send an email to info@nami.org.

To receive support and find out more about eating disorder resources and treatment options for yourself or a loved one, you can call the National Eating Disorders Association Helpline at (800) 931-2237. The National Eating Disorders Association website has additional information about eating disorders among student-athletes, a text line for anyone affected by eating disorders, and lists of resources for recovery.

The National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) maintains a directory that lists sexual assault coalitions, victim/survivor support organizations, and local communities of color sexual assault organizations by state and territory.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a free, confidential 24/7 hotline for individuals in distress or for those looking to help someone else. The line can provide prevention and crisis resources to you. To speak with a certified listener, call 1-800-273-8255. For people who are deaf or hard of hearing, an online chat option is also available.

Crisis Text Line is a free, confidential 24/7 texting service for emotional crisis support. To speak with a trained listener, text HELLO to 741741.

The Psychologist Locator helps connect people with psychologists or counselors in their area. Start by searching by location and/or name of a provider, then refine your search on: practice area, insurance accepted, sexual orientation specialization, gender identity specialization, and provider gender identity.

RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) provides a National Sexual Assasult Hotline that gives you access to a range of free services, including: confidential support from a trained staff member, support finding a local health facility that is trained to care for survivors of sexual assault and offers services like sexual assault forensic exams, someone to help you talk through what happened, local resources that can assist with your next steps toward healing and recovery, referrals for long-term support in your area, information about the laws in your community, and basic information about medical concerns. Call 800-656-HOPE (4673).

The Steve Fund, the nation's only organization focused on supporting the mental health and emotional well-being of young people of color, published a report on possible ways to better address mental health among community college students. The Steve Fund also partnered with the University of Michigan's National Center for Institutional Diversity to create a video toolkit that provides information for faculty, staff, and providers to foster a positive learning environment and support students of color. For students, text STEVE to 741741to connect with a trained crisis counselor 24/7.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or SAMHSA has a mission “to provide efficient and effective delivery of resources and services” for Indigenous people so that they have access to prevention and treatment options that “reflect the best of modern science and traditional cultural practices.” Email otap@samhsa.hhs.gov or call 240-276-0641 for more info. SAMHSA also provides a free, confidential, 24/7 National Helpline with access to treatment referrals and information for people struggling with substance abuse. Call 1-800-662-HELP (4357) for assistance.

Consider putting your concern for the planet to work through engagement with The Sunrise Movement, a youth led organization fighting climate change and working to create millions of jobs rooted in environmental action, or #FridaysForFuture, the hashtag for the school strike for the climate that Greta Thunburg started in 2018. Students around the globe now use this to organize similar strikes on Fridays, and adults have joined them by protesting outside government buildings on those designated days.

Vibrant Emotional Heath advocates for emotional education, access, and respect. Users can receive state-of-the-art-technology-enabled crisis care tools to live a healthier life. Through more than 20 national and local call, text, and chat hotlines, Community Programs work directly with people at all stages of life to offer support, connect them to the services they need, and help them build fulfilling lives.