Media Newsroom

Media Advisory

For immediate release: June 22, 2021
Contact: Sandra Wellhausen
(619) 507-2077
swellhausen@sdyouthservices.org

San Diego Youth Services’ Crisis Counseling Program Supports Young People In Need During COVID-19

Program provides greatly needed crisis counseling to vulnerable youth

San Diego, Calif. (June 17, 2021) - San Diego Youth Services’ crisis counseling program support youth, ages 12 to 24, in San Diego County who have been impacted by COVID-19.  The crisis counseling program is open to all youth, and their families, with a particular focus on the LGBTQ+, African American, Latinx and Hispanic communities, individuals at high risk of suicide, as well as individuals with accessible and functional needs challenges.

The program, which was launched in April, is funded by a grant from California Mental Health Services Authority in partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and state of California Department of Healthcare Services and will run through Aug. 8.

“We are focusing on building resiliency and helping youth develop healthy coping strategies and build strong lasting connections,” said Laura Beadles, Director of Services, San Diego Youth Services. “So many young people are really struggling, and our program provides emotional support and techniques to help people cope.”

SDYS offers group counseling sessions, as well as individual sessions to youth in need of support.

The group counseling sessions cover many different topics, including safe socialization, healthy self-care, coping with difficult feelings, hope and healing after loss, understanding and coping with depression and anxiety, protective behaviors and planning for recovery, self-advocacy and rights and responsibilities around housing/eviction prevention.

SDYS crisis counselors also connect youth with resources including financial support, housing, employment opportunities, mental health treatment, tutoring and other basic needs.

San Diego Youth Services is a nonprofit organization serving more than 17,000 youth annually who are homeless, abused or at-risk in their community. SDYS has helped stabilize the lives of more than 797,000 youth living in San Diego County since its founding in 1970. SDYS is working to end homelessness, prevent delinquency and school failure, break the cycle of child abuse and neglect and promote mental health and addiction recovery.

www.sdyouthservices.org

# # #