This document provides information to help youth know what words to use when talking about suicide with friends and peers. No one likes to talk about suicide. It’s hard to know what to say; you worry about saying the “wrong thing”. Taking the time to ask and REALLY listen means a lot, regardless of your words. Whether this is your first time asking someone about suicide or your 10th, here is a list of questions that might help you get a conversation started.
Peer Supports & Student Groups
When Students Talk About Suicide (Worksheet)
As a teacher, you may be the one person in a student’s life with whom they feel safe to talk about their thoughts of suicide. Educators often worry they will not know the right thing to say. The following guidance may help you feel more comfortable talking about suicide.
You Are Here: Supporting Young People in Stressful Times
It is quite possible that historians will mark this as one of the most volatile and consequential periods in the modern age. The pandemic, political divisiveness, international conflict, civil unrest, economic instability, and more—it has all taken a toll on our mental health. This is reflected in rising rates of anxiety, depression, and other forms of mental health challenges, as well as a collective sense of fatigue and burnout. While everyone has felt the toll of the past couple of years, our nation’s young people have been most affected. Worry about the health and well-being of loved ones, coupled with disrupted schedules and developmental phases, characterize the past; looking ahead, a sense of uncertainty grows with daily news reports. Unlike adults, however, youth lack the life experience and perspective that can help navigate these challenges.
Pilot to Practice: Lessons from Six Counties to Achieve Full Implementation of California’s New Foster Youth Tax Credit
During the pandemic, tax filing has proven to be critical as it was the means to distribute over $12 billion in emergency relief. In its recently adopted state budget, California established the Foster Youth Tax Credit, a $1,000 refundable tax credit for current and former foster youth ages 18 through 25. When fully implemented, the program has the potential to provide direct financial assistance to an estimated 20,000 current and former foster youth annually.
This publication includes the findings of a six-county pilot project led by John Burton Advocates for Youth (JBAY) to ensure current and former foster youth receive state and federal tax credits and stimulus payments accessible by filing taxes. The purpose of the publication is to document the impact of tax filing on foster youth and to offer guidance to inform the implementation of the newly established state Foster Youth Tax Credit.
Basic Needs Center Toolkit
The California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (Chancellor’s Office) released the first version of the Basic Needs Center Toolkit in June 2022, following the passage of AB 123—state legislation which established funding for each California community college to establish a Basic Needs Center, or enhance an existing one. Since the passage of the bill, colleges have made great strides to increase basic needs services for students across the system. As of 2024, all California community colleges are now offering basic needs services, informative websites to provide information to students regarding available services, and dedicated campus staff.
The April 2025 toolkit update includes new information, examples, and resources. View a one-page overview of the key changes: 2025 Basic Needs Toolkit Overview.
This toolkit can be used by a wide range of individuals and groups in the campus community, including:
- Basic needs coordinators
- College leaders and decision-makers
- Basic needs task forces
- Student support services leadership, staff, and administrators
- College counselors, health services staff, and mental health providers
- Staff who support relevant student programs (e.g., NextUp, EOPS, CalWORKs, MESA)
- Financial aid staff
- Food pantry organizers and staff
- Residential life staff
- Leaders and staff engaged in equity work
- Student-run associations and organizations addressing basic needs
- Librarians
- Staff members who work with community-based organizations
- All campus leaders, staff, faculty, and administrators who are invested in promoting student success and equity by addressing barriers to meeting basic needs