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ATTACHMENT 18

HOW TO GET HELP HANDOUT

How to Get Help

Sometimes people don’t get the help they need because they don’t know where to turn. When you are not feeling well, it can be a struggle to take the necessary steps to get appropriate treatment.

When dealing with emotional problems, it’s important not to go at it alone. Healing is a combination of helping yourself or and letting others help you. Comfort and support, information and advice, and professional treatment are all forms of help.

Health professionals who specialize in helping individuals and their families with emotional problems include psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, counselors, and psychiatric nurses. Psychotherapy, sometimes known as talk therapy, is often an important part of mental health treatment by qualified professionals. In some situations, physicians may recommend the use
of medication for an individual with emotional problems. Health professionals often work together, for example, as members of a treatment team. Family members may also be asked to support an individual in his or her treatment.
There are free self-help and support groups in many communities for dealing with specific emotional problems.

The more you know, the easier it is.

Libraries are an excellent source of information about mental health. Bookstores often have “self-help” or “psychology” sections.

There are many Web sites related to physical and mental health. Some are better in quality than others. It is important to know if the information on a site comes from sources you can trust. Use caution whenever you’re sharing or exchanging information online, as there’s a chance that it will not be kept private.

Following is a list of telephone numbers and Web sites where you can get help accessing health care in your community. Please note that this is not meant to be a complete list. You many also wish to first contact your family physician or your private health insurance provider for advice and referral.

National Hopeline

Network

Number/Web site:

1-800-SUICIDE or

www.hopeline.com

Description: The Hopeline connects people in immediate distress to a crisis center. Calls are answered by certified counselors 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. When the system is fully operational, your call should be routed to a center nearest your home. A trained counselor should answer within two or three rings, or in about 20 to 30 seconds from the moment you dial
1-800-SUICIDE.

1-800-THERAPIST

Number/Web site:

1-800-843-7274 or

www.1-800-THERAPIST.com

Description: This is a toll-free number, and it’s a free referral service. You can talk to a referral resource counselor during normal business hours. You must leave a message and they will return your call. The advantage
to using this service is that after an initial telephone evaluation, they can refer you to the full range of clinicians, including
a psychiatrist, psychologist, marriage or family therapist, clinical social worker, licensed professional counselor, or nurse.

American Psychological Association Public Education Line

Number/Web site:

1-800-964-2000 or

www.helping.apa.org

Description: This is a toll-free call. If you press “0,” after an
initial discussion, they will connect you to
the American Psychological Association chapter in your state, that will
give you a local
referral to
psychologists only. Most state APA
chapters keep normal business hours.

National Alcohol
and Drug
Treatment Locator

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

Number/Web site:

1-800-662-4357 or

findtreatment.
samhsa.gov

Description: This center can provide informational pamphlets on alcohol and drug problems.
A staff person can provide guidance to clinics near your home. This line is
run by the federal government’s National
Clearinghouse on Alcohol and Drug Information.

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Public Inquiries

Number/Web site:

301-443-4513 or

www.nimh.nih.gov

Description: The public inquiries line is a toll call and is staffed by trained information specialists Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (EST). Information may be obtained on the NIMH mental health research programs and on symptoms and treatment for emotional problems. The NIMH

does not provide referrals to health care providers or counsel people on specific problems. A list of NIMH publications, including several in Spanish, is available on the NIMH Web site at <www.nimh.nih.gov>. Single copies of these
are free and may be requested by phone at 301-443-4513, by fax at 301-443-4279, or by writing to NIMH Public Inquiries, 6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 8184 MSC 9663, Bethesda, MD 20892-9663.

How to Get Help