Create a Hope Box

A hope box is something you can create for when you need a reminder of why your life is so precious. It is a collection of various items that can show you that your life is meaningful and worth living.

Addiction Center

Addiction and suicide have a very complicated relationship, where addiction greatly increases the risk of suicide and suicidal thoughts and tendencies greatly increase the risk of addiction. AddictionCenter.com, connects individuals struggling with addiction to treatment options, as well as providing valuable information about substance dependence.

AddictionResource.net

The state of Connecticut has a number of reputable inpatient drug and alcohol treatment programs. These addiction treatment facilities offer a variety of programs that make it easier for everyone to find the right treatment for them.

Advocacy Unlimited, Inc. (AU)

Offers comprehensive recovery and advocacy education for people with or in recovery from mental health and/or addiction issues. Courses include Recovery University, a state sanctioned certification program for Recovery Support Specialist; Compassionate Activism, our new advocacy education course; the Young Adult “Super Advocate” Program; and the “Join Rise Be” Young Adult Initiative.

Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery (CCAR)

CCAR strives to end discrimination surrounding addiction and recovery, open new doors and remove barriers to recovery, maintain and sustain recovery regardless of the pathway, all the while ensuring that all people in recovery, and people seeking recovery, are treated with dignity and respect.

Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling

The Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling (CCPG) is a non-profit agency dedicated to reducing gambling related harm and helping those who may be negatively impacted by gambling. CCPG does not advocate for or against gambling but is committed to working with all stakeholders to help individuals and families who are experiencing issues.

CT Emergency Mobile Psychiatric Services for Youth 18 & Under

Emergency Mobile Psychiatric Services (EMPS) is a mobile intervention service for children and adolescents experiencing a behavioral or mental health crisis that is accessed by calling 2-1-1. Funded by the CT Department of Children and Families and in partnership with the United Way of CT/2-1-1, the program comprises a team of nearly 150 trained mental health professionals across the state that can respond immediately by phone or face to face within 45 minutes when a child is experiencing an emotional or behavioral crisis. The purpose of the program is to serve children in their homes and communities, reduce the number of visits to hospital Emergency Rooms, and divert them from hospitalization if a lower level of care is a safe, effective alternative. Please call 911 in the event of an emergency that involves imminent risk to self or others.

CT Crisis Services for Adults 18 & Over

If you or someone you know is experiencing or at risk of experiencing a mental health or substance abuse crisis please call your local Mobile Crisis Response Team listed by town. These are interdisciplinary teams of mental health professionals available to provide short-term crisis response, stabilization and intervention. They go to the person in need, so that the individual can remain in a comfortable environment. Timely response and intervention reduces the risk of the crisis escalating, and is an alternative to hospitalization. Please call 911 in the event of an emergency that involves imminent risk to self or others.

CT Kids as Self Advocates

CT KASA participants learn how to advocate for themselves and take control of their own lives. CT KASA facilitates this by teaching young people about their rights and how to change the systems that affect their lives.

CT Network of Care

The CT Network of Care is a resource for individuals, families and agencies concerned with mental health. The website provides information about mental health services, laws, and related news, as well as communication tools and other features. Regardless of where you begin your search for assistance with mental health issues, the Network of Care helps you find what you need – it helps ensure that there is “No Wrong Door” for those who need services. This Web site can greatly assist in our efforts to protect our greatest human asset – our beautiful minds.

DMHAS Addiction Services Bed Availability

Links to information on Medication Assisted Treatment, Medicaid MAT providers, Prescription Drugs and Heroin Prevention and Treatment, and Naloxone (Narcan).

Following Up With Individuals at High Risk for Suicide: Developing a Model For Crisis Hotline & Emergency Department Collaboration

In the United States, more than 33,000 people die each year by suicide (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2009). Many of these are people that were previously seen in the emergency room setting. While it is difficult to predict with certainty whether an individual who has attempted suicide will make future suicide attempts, what we do know is that the likelihood is high and improving the management of those recently discharged from an ED setting should be an important component of any suicide prevention effort (Litts, Radke, & Silverman, 2008).

HAVEN (Health Assistance InterVention Education Network)

HAVEN is the health assistance program authorized by state law to serve virtually all healthcare professionals licensed or eligible for license in the State of Connecticut. HAVEN offers a confidential alternative to “public disciplinary action for professionals suffering from chemical dependency, emotional or behavioral disorder, or physical or mental illness.” HAVEN provides a safe environment for coordinating educational, rehabilitative, and supportive services to healthcare professionals.

Join Rise Be

A statewide, peer-run initiative for young people in Connecticut.

Make a Mental Health Plan with “Gizmo’s Pawesome Guide to Mental Health”

The Guide seeks to introduce mental health and wellness, and how to care for one’s mental health in a nonthreatening way that encourages the self-identification of warning signs and when to apply the use of internal and external healthy coping strategies to help reduce risk.

Mental Health Resources for College Students Guide

This free guide provides information about the most common mental health concerns for young adults transitioning to college, including stress management, depression, suicide, substance abuse, sleep health, and mental health stigma.

NAMI Connecticut

NAMI Connecticut provides support, education, and advocacy for all Connecticut citizens affected by mental illness.

Now Matters Now

We have had suicidal thoughts and emotions and problems that felt unsolvable. Here are our stories, including research based ways for managing the most painful moments of life. We teach Mindfulness, Mindfulness of Current Emotion, Opposite Action and Paced-breathing. These skills are part of Dialectical Behavior Therapy or DBT, proven to be helpful for people considering suicide. These tools are not considered a replacement for one-to-one counseling. You do not have to have suicidal thoughts or mental health problems to use these tools – they are useful for most people and many problems.

Online Therapy for Veterans

Online therapy for veterans is an electronic therapy option for active duty service members, retirees and military family members. Online counseling can be delivered via Zoom, texting, live video/videoconferencing, email, real-time chat, online journaling, and mobile apps. Veterans must have access to a PC, laptop, smartphone or other mobile devices to take part. Services may include counseling, group therapy, substance abuse treatment, life coaching and other mental health interventions, all specifically aimed at veterans.

Online Treatment Options

Problem Gambling Services

The CT Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services Problem Gambling Services provides a comprehensive network of consumer-oriented problem gambling recovery services for people of Connecticut and to foster an environment throughout the State that promotes informed choices around gambling behavior.

Toivo

Toivo by Advocacy Unlimited is an initiative that includes statewide classes, workshops and a mind/body focused wellness center where people can engage in expert facilitated yoga, meditation, fitness and strength training, creative writing, expressive art, walk/run groups, nutrition workshops, drum circles and much more!

Turning Point CT

TurningPointCT.org was developed by young people in Connecticut who are in recovery from mental health and substance use issues. While we’re not clinicians, we know what it’s like to feel alone, stressed, worried, sad, and angry. We’ve lived through the ups and downs of self-harm, drugs and alcohol, and the struggle to find help. Fortunately, we found what worked for us. Our goal is to provide information and support to help you choose your path so that you don’t have to struggle the way we did.

Virtual Hope Box App

The Virtual Hope Box (VHB) is a smartphone application that contains simple tools to help with coping, relaxation, distraction, and positive thinking.