Youth Mental Health And Community Resources

Local Mental Health Resources

Resources & AIRY Bridge: Get Connected – Arts in Recovery for Youth  

Free expressive arts programming for teens and young adults struggling with suicidality.

Berkshire County Kids Place

Safe space for victims of child abuse.

Commonwealth Collaborative

Addiction treatment center in Great Barrington, MA.

Optimal Healing

Provides individual and group therapy services in North Adams, MA.

Vaping Resources

VapeFreeMass: Teens ages 13-24 can enroll for support by texting 88709.

My Life, My Quit: Provides coaching by phone, text or chat with trained youth specialists for ages 12-17. ma.mylifemyquit.org They also provide support for parents and guardians on the Resources tab

Smokefree Teen: Includes text messaging and a quitSTART app that provides strategies for tackling cravings, bad moods, and other situations. teen.smokefree.gov. For parents/caretakers: smokefree.gov/help-others-quit


Social Resources

YAB. Youth Advisory Board

Our mission statement is: “We want to promote youth voices and advocate for positive change.” Join us at PHS or Taconic

ROOTS Teen Center

Free community organization in North Adams, MA, for teens to spend time together. Organized events and activities open to ages 13-19.


Boys & Girls Club of the Berkshires 

Sports club for Berkshire County youth. 20$ membership fee.


Berkshire Music School

Community music education programs. Financial assistance available for select programs.


Greenagers

Environmental conservation, farm work, and vocational skills opportunities for teenagers.


Barrington Stage Company Playwright Mentoring Program

Provides theater opportunities for Berkshire County youth, October-April every year. Participants paid 200$ upon completion of the program. No auditions required.

Berkshire County YMCA

Facility in downtown Pittsfield with multiple amenities for local youth.


General Resources

Dial 988 for an instant suicide hotline suitable for people of all identities, backgrounds and support needs.

The Trevor Project - Suicide Prevention for LGBTQ+ Young People

Provides a suicide prevention hotline and other mental health services for LGBTQ+ Youth.

Trans Lifeline

Provides a trans peer support crisis hotline.

Care Solace 

Helps connect users with local mental health treatment services.

NAMI HelpLine

Instant helpline open to anyone in a non-crisis situation suffering from mental illness. Provides one-on-one emotional support and mental health information and resources free of cost.

Need Support? Berkshire Health Systems is here to help.

The Youth Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) at Berkshire Medical Center is a place where teens can get real help with tough stuff like anxiety, depression, self-harm, big emotions, or feeling hopeless. You’re not alone, and you don’t have to go through it without support.

The program runs for about 4 weeks, with group sessions held after school from 2:30 to 5:30 PM at the hospital. You’ll get to interact with other teens who get what you’re going through, and learn real-life tools to feel more in control, more connected, and more yourself.

Here’s what’s included:

  • A full intake to get to know you and your goals

  • Group therapy focused on building skills that actually work

  • One-on-one check-ins with a therapist

  • Meetings with a psychiatric provider to talk about how you’re doing and any medication needs

  • Family sessions (because support at home matters too)

  • Help planning your next stems after the program

Ask your doctor or therapist to refer you, or reach out to BHS directly if you have questions.

Call BHS at 413-447-2167 to learn more.

Click here for a teen mental health crisis guide.

Click here for a general teen mental health brochure.