CHILDREN & TEENS
UC Berkeley Parents Network contains thousands of pages of recommendations and advice contributed by members of the Berkeley Parents Network, a parent-to-parent email network for the community of parents in the San Francisco Bay Area. Founded in 1993, the BPN is run by a group of volunteer parents in their “spare” time. BPN sends out 10 email each week to 31,776 local parents. Many busy parents have taken the time to enlighten and inform us all with their suggestions, their wisdom, and their experience, archived here for all who need it.
Practical Help for Parents was founded in 1998 by adolescent specialist Michael Y. Simon to support the people who work daily with teens. PHFP is a great resource for all things having to do with parenting teens. PHFP provides: informative, entertaining, research-based workshops & presentations to high school & middle school parents, faculty, staff and administrators; parent consultation and support groups; program development and consultation to mental health professionals, policymakers, and schools/school districts and; access to online resources like the PHFP Newsletter, Practical Help Tip Sheets, PHFP Parenting Blog and other web-based resources all organized by 10 Key Parenting areas.
Palo Alto Medical Foundation provides a listing of Bay Area and national crisis lines and hotlines, from suicide and self-injury to grief support and sexuality information.
John Muir Adolescent Behavioral Health Programs include a variety of resources geared toward helping troubled adolescents and their families navigate a dynamic, challenging period of their lives. They have emergency assessment capabilities and can help families negotiate difficult times with teens.
Parents Education Network is a coalition of parents collaborating with educators, students and the community to empower and bring academic success to students with learning and attention difficulties.
Parents Place provides comprehensive, results-oriented mental health services for children, teens and their families, emphasizing prevention and early intervention. Through individual counseling, play therapy, socialization groups, family therapy and consultations to parents, Parents Place gives families access to the tools they need whenever they need them. Parents Place also provides consultation, staff training, prevention and early intervention services to licensed, early childhood programs that serve low-income children and families. You can find a list of some of their fantastic offering of classes (of all kinds) for parents at this link.
Department of Motor Vehicles Teen Web links to Information about how to get your driver’s license and permit, as well as host of other good information on teens and driving; this is the DMV’s teen-specific website.
Kids’ Turn helps children understand and cope with the loss, anger and fear that often accompany separation or divorce. They provide education, training and groups for kids and parents separately and together.
Learning Disabilities Association of California (LDA-CA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit volunteer organization of parents, professionals, and adults with learning disabilities. Its purpose is to promote and support the education and general welfare of children and adults of potentially normal intelligence who manifest learning, perceptual, and/or behavioral handicaps.
Family Paths, Inc. (formerly Parental Stress Service) is a non-profit organization of mental health professionals and dedicated volunteers that provide a number of mental health, counseling and therapy services to low income, multi-stressed individuals and families. Family Paths is a multicultural agency committed to serving families of Alameda County regardless of age, ethnicity/race, financial status, language, sexual orientation, immigration status, class, religion, gender, mental or physical ability.
BANANAS is a non-profit child care referral and support agency serving the diverse families in Northern Alameda County, California. They provide free parenting information, workshops and referrals to family child care, child care centers, preschools, babysitters, in-home caregivers, nannies and playgroups. Bananas also provides subsidized child care for parents in need, as well as training, workshops, classes and technical support to caregivers and child care programs to assure parents a wide selection of quality care.
National Institute of Mental Health provides a comprehensive website to help parents, educators, clinicians and researchers on a wide range of mental health topics. The site is not a substitute for professional help, but it represents a trusted place to start if you have questions about mental health.
NAMI California is a grass roots organization of families and individuals whose lives have been affected by serious mental illness. We advocate for lives of quality and respect, without discrimination and stigma, for all our constituents. We provide leadership in advocacy, legislation, policy development, education and support throughout California.
Children and Adults with AD/HD (CHADD) is a national non-profit organization founded in 1987 in response to the frustration and sense of isolation experienced by parents and their children with AD/HD. Many individuals and families dealing with AD/HD turn to CHADD, the national organization representing individuals with AD/HD, for education, advocacy and support. The organization is composed of dedicated volunteers from around the country who play an integral part in the association’s success by providing resources and encouragement to parents, educators and professionals on a grassroots level through CHADD chapters.