Resources
Find helpful tools and easy guides to support your child's mental health. We are here to help your family grow and heal together.
A mental health crisis is a situation in which a person’s emotional, behavioral, or psychological distress becomes severe enough that they are unable to safely manage the situation using their usual coping skills or available supports. A crisis may involve significant changes in mood or behavior, thoughts of suicide or self-harm, thoughts of harming others, severe emotional distress, or a loss of ability to maintain personal safety.
A mental health crisis may require immediate professional intervention or emergency support. If you or your child is experiencing an immediate safety concern or is at risk of harm, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department. You may also call or text 988 to connect with the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Mental Health Crisis Resources
Domestic Violence
FVPS offers residential and non-residential clients shelter, transitional housing, counseling for adults, children, families, and legal services.
Crisis Hotline/Emergency Shelter: Please call (210) 733-8810 to speak with a hotline specialist, 24/7, 365 days a year. Available in English and Spanish
Â
The Center for Healthcare Services
The Center for Health Care Services (CHCS) Children’s Division provides specialized behavioral health, psychiatric, and developmental support for children and adolescents (typically ages 3 to 17). Operating as a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic, they offer tailored outpatient care to families navigating serious emotional disturbances, mental health conditions, and substance use challenges across Bexar County.
The Children's Bereavement Center
The Children's Bereavement Center provides no-cost grief support, counseling, and education programs for children, caregivers, and families grieving the death of a loved one in the San Antonio area. The organization offers age-divided peer grief support groups where children and families can share experiences and support one another, alongside individual and family grief counseling sessions. They also hold therapeutic grief camps such as Camp Heroes and specialized family camps multiple times a year. Furthermore, the center integrates support groups into local schools, and they offer crucial crisis response services for the community following sudden or traumatic losses. Finally, they provide professional education and training programs to equip schools, community members, and professionals with the tools needed to properly support grieving children
San Antonio Council on Alcohol & Drug Awareness (SACADA)
San Antonio Council on Alcohol and Drug Awareness (SACADA) provides a comprehensive continuum of youth-focused care in Bexar County through specialized prevention, intervention, and adolescent treatment services. For children and younger adolescents (ages 6 to 18), SACADA delivers free, evidence-based substance misuse and bullying prevention curricula within local school districts, empowers youth through positive alternative activities, and hosts community coalitions to reduce underage drinking. For older adolescents facing immediate substance use or co-occurring mental health challenges, the organization offers structured supportive outpatient treatment programs that integrate cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), family counseling, and free peer recovery coaching. Additionally, SACADA provides court-approved educational classes for teens navigating early-stage substance-related citations.Â
If you or your child is experiencing an immediate emergency or is at risk of harm, please call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department for immediate assistance. Emergency services should be contacted for situations requiring urgent medical, psychiatric, or safety intervention that cannot wait for a scheduled counseling appointment.
Clarity Child Guidance Center
Clarity Child Guidance Center is a nonprofit children’s mental health treatment center serving children and adolescents ages 3–17 throughout South Texas. Clarity provides a comprehensive continuum of mental health services, including 24/7 crisis assessments, inpatient psychiatric hospitalization, partial hospitalization, outpatient individual, family, and group therapy, psychological and developmental assessments, psychiatric services, and care coordination. Their 24/7 Crisis Services department provides walk-in mental health assessments for children experiencing a psychiatric emergency and helps families identify the appropriate level of care.
Association for Play Therapy
The Association for Play Therapy (APT) is a national professional society established in 1982 to foster contact among mental health professionals interested in exploring and, when developmentally appropriate, applying the therapeutic power of play to communicate with and treat clients, particularly children.
San Antonio Financial Assistance
Families and individuals are provided with the support they need to move toward better jobs and financial self-sufficiency.Â
Services include utility assistance and financial counseling. Eligible residents may also qualify for free Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) preparation and tuition assistance/intensive case management for those aiming for better employment.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
SAMHSA’s National Helpline is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders.
The Ecumenical Center
For personal care, they offer individual therapy for children, teens, adults, and older adults, alongside family and marriage counseling. Clients can access specialized treatments like play therapy, art therapy, music therapy, and neurofeedback, plus psychological testing. They also run support groups, including bereavement care like "Life After Loss," and dedicated mental health programs for military members, veterans, and their caregivers.
Beyond direct care, the center focuses on community learning and professional growth. They host continuing education workshops and provide continuing education units for local counselors, social workers, nurses, and doctors. They also run pastoral chaplaincy training programs and community events like parenting classes and trauma-informed care seminars.
Housing Resources: Opportunity Home San Antonio (OHSA)
OHSA is a public agency dedicated to providing safe, quality, and affordable housing solutions to low-income children, adults, and seniors. Serving over 62,500 residents, the organization administers federal housing programs such as Public Housing across dozens of communities and the Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8), alongside managing mixed-income and supportive housing developments. Beyond rental assistance and property management, Opportunity Home offers supportive social services designed to foster self-sufficiency and economic growth. These include the Family Self-Sufficiency Program-which features personalized case management, financial literacy courses, and resume-building workshops- as well as specialized programs like HUD-VASH for homeless veterans, digital inclusion initiatives, and educational scholarships to help families achieve long-term financial stability and homeownership goals.