Family Help in MASSACHUSETTS

Massachusetts Information

Massachusetts Information  -  Hotlines & Helplines

Programs & Services  -  Helping Resources in Massachusetts

TAKE POSITIVE ACTION TO HELP YOUR TEEN

AND HEAL YOUR FAMILY

• Take an honest look at your child's behavior and family situation.

• Become informed of your child's issues.

• Network the resources listed on the Family Help pages and throughout the Focus website to find referrals to mental health services and supportive programs.

• Follow through on professional advice and treatment plans.

• Build a support system from family, friends, self-help groups, and your place of worship.

NEXT:  Hotlines & Helplines

Hotlines & Helplines

Programs & Services  -  Helping Resources in Massachusetts

Self-Help & Support Groups

Massachusetts Information

Abuse and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

• Child Abuse and Neglect    NOTE: To report abuse or neglect, call the Child-At-Risk Hotline at 1-800-792-5200

• Child Abuse Hurts Us All:  Recognizing, Reporting, and Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect (pdf)

• Child Protective Services:  A Parent's Guide (pdf)

• Helping Traumatized Children Learn (pdf)

• Public Health Advisory on Domestic Violence

Abuse: Sexual and Teen Dating Violence

• Massachusetts Sex Offender Registry

• Massachusetts Sexual Assault Statistics

• Obtaining Information about Sex Offenders

• Parents of murdered child sue child-sex advocates

• Rape in Massachusetts (pdf)

• Sex Offender Registration for Juveniles: Summary of the Law (pdf)

• Sexual Abuse Crisis in Fall River

Adolescence

• Consent to Medical Treatment by Minors in Massachusetts (pdf)

• Emancipation and the Legal Rights of Minors in Massachusetts

Anxiety & Anxiety Disorders and Teen Stress

• Back-to-School Anxiety: Not Just for Poor Achievers

Bullying: What Parents & Teachers Must Know

• Aftershocks

• Cyberbullying

• Direct From the Field: A Guide to Bullying Prevention (pdf)

• Massachusetts Anti-Bullying Law

Depression and Teen Suicide

• Making Sense: A Parent's Guide to a Child's Psychiatric Hospitalization (pdf)

• Parent's How-To Guide to Children's Mental Health Services in Massachusetts

• Study looks at loss, its role in depression

• Understanding How Teens Behave Emotionally (pdf)

Dropouts

• GED in Massachusetts

Drugs & Teen Substance Abuse

• Docs, Parents on Lookout for Teenagers High on OTCs  NOTE:  It's called "Robotripping" or "dexing," a reference to dextromethorphan, or DXM, the active ingredient in more than 100 nonprescription drugs which, taken in large enough doses, can produce hallucinatory effects similar to those of angel dust, or PCP.

• Prescription Drug Abuse: What Parents Need to Know

Family Health

• A Consumer's Guide to Getting and Keeping Health Insurance in Massachusetts (pdf)

• Find a Physician's Profile  NOTE  Massachusetts was the first state to offer a comprehensive program to give patients access to information about the education, training, and experience of all licensed physicians.

• How to Access and Understand Your Mental Health Benefits and Obtain Referrals

• Massachusetts Fluoridation Law

• Staying Healthy: A Guide to Keeping Health Insurance After Divorce (pdf)

• Your Medical Records Rights in Massachusetts (pdf)

Runaways & Missing Children

• A family grieves and hopes for a daughter

• Missing Children in Massachusetts

Special Education

• Massachusetts Special Education Laws

• Parent's Guide to Special Education in Massachusetts

• Special Education: FAQs (pdf)

Teen Sexual Behaviors: Issues & Concerns

• Commentary on 'Little Black Book - Queer in the 21st Century'

• Little Black Book - Queer in the 21st Century (pdf)

• Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) Fact Sheet (pdf)

When Your Teen is in Trouble with the Law

• From A Parent's Perspective (pdf)  A Handbook for Parents of Children Committed to the Massachusetts Department of Youth Services

• Girls in the Massachusetts Juvenile Justice System (pdf)

• Just for Youth: Advocating for Youth in the Massachusetts Department of Youth Services (pdf)   This book describes the basic steps that a youth typically follows within the DYS system, with particular attention to his/her rights, and examines two areas closely: mental health/ substance abuse services and education.

• Massachusetts Courts, Probation and the Department of Youth Services (DYS)