Resources for Young Adults

What Is a System of Care?
Your Rights, Your Responsibilities
How Do I Get Help?
Definition of Youth-Guided (PDF - 153 KB)
National Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health’s Bill of Rights for Adults, Youth, and Children with Behavioral Health Care Needs and Their Family Members (PDF - 207 KB)
Health Care Reform and the Affordable Care Act: Since 2011, the Affordable Care Act has extended coverage and increased access to mental health and substance abuse services to more than 3 million previously uninsured young adults ages 19 to 25.
- For more information on the Affordable Care Act and young adults, visit: http://www.healthcare.gov/law/information-for-you/young-adults.html or http://www.pathwaysrtc.pdx.edu/pdf/proj4-healthCareFAQ.pdf (PDF - 5.74 MB)
- For more information on the Affordable Care Act and behavioral health services coverage, visit: http://www.healthcare.gov/blog/2010/08/mentalhealthupdate.html
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, Young People in Recovery (YPR): Young People in Recovery's mission is to use their voices and lived experience to improve quality of life for young people in or seeking recovery. For more information and resources, visit http://youngpeopleinrecovery.org .
- YPR informational handout (PDF - 183 KB)
National Alliance on Mental Illness: StrengthofUs is an online community designed to empower young adults through resource sharing and peer support, and to build connections for those navigating the unique challenges and opportunities in the transition-age years.
- On Our Own : Resources and a discussion board will help individuals gain independence and guide them through important life decisions, from where to live to where to work. Examples include:
- Taking Charge : Resources and a discussion board helps an individual find his or her inner strength. Examples include:
- Campus Life : These resources and discussion board provide advice on making and keeping friends, dating, and building healthy, intimate relationships. Examples include:
- Educate Yourself : These resources and discussion board share knowledge on mental health conditions, services and supports, what to expect when seeking help and more to help young adults make the best choices about their health and your life.
- Friends and Family : These resources and discussion board include tips on supporting friends and family members living with a mental health condition, and how to take care of personal needs, too.
- Express Yourself : Offers space to share inspirational quotes, lyrics, or photos, or even original creations-drawings, poems, paintings, photographs, writings, or other inspirational material.
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) On Campus : NAMI on Campus provides information and resources to support students living with mental health conditions and to empower them to take action on their campuses. This site also includes materials to help colleges in improving the academic and social experience of their students by addressing the mental health needs of all students.
National Alliance on Mental Illness' (NAMI) Life Under Construction Facebook group : The purpose of the Life Under Construction group is to provide a place for transition age youth (ages 14-21) whose lives are affected by mental illness to share ideas, concerns, and questions they have about planning their future. Learn how you can get involved in helping create a better mental health system for youth.
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP): AAP has tips to promote social-emotional health among teens. (PDF - 167 KB).
The Learning & Working During the Transition to Adulthood Rehabilitation Research & Training Center (Transitions RTC) : The Transitions RTC is a national effort that aims to: Improve the supports for youth and young adults, ages 14-30, with serious mental health conditions who are trying to successfully complete their education and training and move into rewarding work lives.
- Getting Accommodations at College: Tools for School (PDF - 358 KB)
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI): What Happens to Your SSI When You Turn 18? (PDF - 307 KB)
- Teens on IEPs: Making My "Transition" Services Work for Me (PDF - 450 KB)
- My Mental Health Rights on Campus (PDF - 87 KB)
- Vocational Rehabilitation: A Young Adult's Guide (PDF - 618 KB)
- Do I Tell My Boss? Disclosing My Mental Health Condition at Work (PDF - 518 KB)
- My "Must Have" Papers (PDF - 391 KB) (Northeast Massachusetts Community of Practice)
- Applying for a Job: (PDF - 530 KB) The Young Adults Guide (Northeast Massachusetts Community of Practice)
Research Training Center (RTC) for Pathways to Positive Futures : The RTC for Pathways to Positive Futures aims to improve the lives of youth and young adults with serious mental health conditions through rigorous research and effective training and dissemination. The work is guided by the perspectives of young people and their families, and based in a positive development framework.
- Things People Never Told Me (PDF - 904 KB) This compilation of suggestions about finances, health care, employment, and relationships is aimed at equipping other youth leaving foster care with the necessary tools to become independent and successful adults.
- Strategic Sharing Workbook: Youth Voice in Advocacy (PDF - 858 KB) This workbook, produced by the Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health (FFCMH) and Pathways RTC, is for individuals who have experienced traumatic life events and are interested in sharing their stories in an effort to promote change.
- Strengthening Family Support for Young People with Mental Health Needs in the Transition to Adulthood: A Tip Sheet for Service Providers (PDF - 301 KB) This document instructs service providers in strategies for engaging families in supporting young people with the transition to adulthood.
- If, When, and How to Disclose to an Employer That You Have a Mental Health Disability (PDF - 277 KB) This fact sheet helps young people with mental health conditions determine the best strategies for whether and how to disclose their conditions to an employer.
- FAQ: The Impact of Health Care Reform on Services and Supports for Young Adults with Serious Mental Health Conditions (PDF - 5.74 MB) This FAQ was written to help advocates and concerned citizens ensure that the needs and priorities of young adults are addressed when the Affordable Care Act is implemented.
- Focal Point (2012): Healthy Body — Healthy Mind (PDF - 3.02 MB) This issue of Focal Point addresses how the mind and body impact each other, and how to achieve balance between the two.
- Community-based Approaches for Supporting Positive Development in Youth and Young Adults with Serious Mental Health Conditions (PDF - 964 KB) This white paper describes recent theory and research on positive development, including descriptions of empirically supported programs that support young adults with serious mental health conditions.
- Enhancing Career Development Engagement and Self-Determination for Young Adults with Mental Health Diagnoses (PDF - 206 KB) This report provides a literature review on self-determination and career development engagement for young adults with mental health diagnoses.
- Paving the Way: Meeting Transition Needs of Young People with Developmental Disabilities and Serious Mental Health Conditions (PDF - 5.85 MB) This report provides summaries of innovative programs and best practices for young people with both developmental disabilities and serious mental health conditions.
Youth M.O.V.E. National: Youth M.O.V.E. National is a youth-led national organization devoted to improving services and systems that support positive growth and development by uniting the voices of individuals who have lived experience in various systems including mental health, juvenile justice, education, and child welfare. To get involved with your local state chapter of Youth M.O.V.E., visit http://www.youthmovenational.org/chapters .
- Change Agents Guide to Starting a Youth Run Organization (PDF - 2.5 MB)
Active Minds: Active Minds empowers students to change the perception about mental health on college campuses. For more information visit http://www.activeminds.org/index.php .

AGING OUT OF FOSTER CARE

FosterClub Transition Club: More than 20,000 young people transition out of foster care every year. FosterClub's Transition Club can help youth get ready for success. (http://www.fosterclub.com )
- FosterClub created a poster listing the 21 things everyone should have when exiting foster care. Download the 21 things poster (PDF - 1.63 MB) or view the 21 things here.
- Higher Ed — Information about higher education, FAFSA, and more.
- Real Stories — Everyone in Foster Care has a story.
- Permanency Pact — FosterClub's new free tool designed to encourage life-long, kin-like connections between a young person and a supportive adult.
- FYI3 Publication — This binder provides a roadmap for youth to become more involved in their foster care plan.

SAMHSA Children

Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration

Resources for Young Adults

AGING OUT OF FOSTER CARE