Resources for
Caregivers & Perinatal People
Resources to Support Wellbeing
While VTCPAP's consultation service is designed for healthcare providers, we recognize that caregivers are essential members of a child's support team. Our approach considers each child within the context of their family, home, and community.
Below are curated resources to help caregivers better understand and support their child's unique developmental journey. Caregivers are encouraged to collaborate with their child's Primary Care Provider (PCP); Caregivers can encourage their PCP to reach out to VTCPAP for support and consultation.
If you are looking for a mental health provider for your child, VTCPAP recommends the Vermont Counseling Network or Psychology Today. Perinatal people can also access Help Me Grow for support in getting connected to resources.
Mental Health Resources for Caregivers & Perinatal People
A wealth of resources, carefully curated to address your diverse needs and empower you in your journey
Aggression & Other Concerning Behaviors
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Alcohol & Substance Use
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Anxiety, OCD, & Phobias
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ADHD
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Autism
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BIPOC Family Resources
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Depression & SAD
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Eating & Feeding Disorders
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Grief & Loss
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LGBTQ+ Resources
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Media & Technology
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Medications
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Aggression & Other Concerning Behaviors
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Resources
- Impairing Emotional Outbursts: Parents' Medication Guide (AACAP)
- Family Resources: Tips for Managing Your Child's Behavior (VMAP)
- Disruptive Behaviors & Aggression (Washington PALS)
- ODD: A Guide for Families (AACAP)
- Behavior Problems (Child Mind Institute)
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Caregiver Trainings
- FAST-Behavior Self-Guided Parenting Training Program (online videos from Washington's PALS/Seattle Children's)
- Behavioral and Emotional Skills Training (BEST) (Child Mind Institute)
- What is Parent Behavior Management Training? (Seattle Children's)
- Bonus Skill 2: Emotion Coaching With Big Feelings (Seattle Children's)
Alcohol & Substance Use
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Resources for Caregivers & Families
- Caregivers Guide: How to Talk to Your Child about Alcohol & Substance Abuse
- ParentUp & Video Library from ParentUp
- Tools for Parents and Caregivers (NACoA)
- Addiction Resources for Children, Teen, Parents and the Community (Hazeldon Betty Ford Foundation)
- Talking to Young Children About a Loved One's Substance Use (SAFE Project)
- Let's Talk Cannabis (VT Dept of Health)
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Resources for Teens
- My Life My Quit - We'll Guide You Through Your Quitting Journey
- Smoke Free Teen - Today is a Greta Day to Quit
- Cannabis & Youth (VT Dept of Health)
- T-Break: Take a Cannabis Tolerance Break - A Guide to help you on a cannabis tolerance break.
Anxiety, Phobias & OCD Resources
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Anxiety
- Recognizing Anxiety (MHA)
- Anxiety in Children (Child Mind Institute)
- Breaking Free of Anxiety: A Journey Through SPACE (Yale Child Study Center)
- Understanding Anxiety: Resources for Families (VMAP)
- Anxiety Disorders: A Parents' Medication Guide (AACAP)
- Video-Guided FAST-A Workbook (Seattle Children's FAST Program)
- 10 Tips for Parenting Anxious Kids (Child Mind Institute)
- Supporting Your Child During a Needle Poke (video available in multiple languages)
- Self Guided Management Tools for Anxiety: Ages 13-17 (Boston Children's Hospital)
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OCD & Phobias
- Needle Phobia (CHC)
- Caregivers Guide: OCD
- International OCD Foundation (IOCDF)
- OCD New Hampshire
- SPACE Treatment Model
- The Parents' Role in OCD Treatment (Child Mind Institute)
- Supportive Parenting for Children and Youth with Anxiety and OCD (Live, four-week online workshop led by Catherine Burns, PhD)
ADHD
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General Resources
- A Self-Confidence Toolkit for Parents: How to Counteract ADHD Criticism for Your Child (webinar from ADDITUDE)
- ADHD Resources (Essex Pediatrics)
- For Families: What is ADHD? (VMAP)
- ADHD: A Parents' Medication Guide (AACAP)
- Parenting a Child with ADHD (CHADD)
- ADHD Parenting (ADDitude)
- Social Thinking.com - Social Thinking Connects Academin Learning to Social Learning
- Understood.org - Your Path to Thriving Starts Here
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Parent Management Training
- FAST-Behavior Self-Guided Parenting Training Program (online videos from Washingtons PALS/Seattle Children's)
- Behavioral and Emotional Skills Training (BEST)℠ (Child Mind Institute)
- What is Parent Behavioral Training (video from Seattle Children's Hospital)
- 1-2-3 Magic - 3-Step Discipline for Calm, Effective and Happy Parenting
- Thriving with ADHD
- Everyday Parenting: The ABCs of Child Rearing
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Executive Functioning
- Demystifying Executive Functions(SocialThinking.com)
- Executive Functioning Resources for Kids (Child Mind Institute)
- A Guide to Executive Function (Center on the Developing Child - Harvard University)
- The Time Tracker Program (Cognitive Connections)
- 6 Tools for Kids With Executive Functioning Issues to Do Well in School (Child Mind Institute Video)
- Organizational Skills Training for Parents (FREE webinar from Stanford Medicine)
- Activities Guide: Enhancing and Practicing Executive Function Skills with Children from Infancy to Adolescence (Center on the Developing Child - Harvard University)
Autism
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Autism Resources
- De-Escalating Challenging Behaviors: A CPI Training for Parents and Caregivers
- Autism Spectrum Disorder: Parents Medication Guide (AACAP)
- Lurie Center for Autism: Parent & Caregiver Workshops (Mass General)
- My Child is Waiting for an Autism Evaluation (VT Dept. of Health)
- Autism Resources (Vanderbilt Kennedy Center)
- Kids Rehab Gym - Physical & Occupational Therapy
- Stern Center for Language & Learning - Helping Every Learner Thrive in School and Beyond
- SocialThinking.com - Social Thinking Connects Academic Learning to Social Learning
- Sleep Hygiene Tips for Autistic Youth
- Role Play Videos for Social Skills (UCLA PEERS Clinic)
- Boden: The Dinosaur Expert - social story for kids with autism. It can be used to reveal a diagnosis to a child, or to support a child's understanding of the diagnosis.
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Videos for Caregivers
- Diagnosing Autism: What Families Need to Know (Jeremiah Dickerson, MD)
- Navigating the Road to Supports with Your Child (Molly Bumpas, CCC-SLP, BCBA)
- Social Exchange: Supporting Language and Communication (Laura Bonazinga Bouyea, CCC-SLP)
- Regulation and Sensory Processing (Kimmy Krebs, OTD, OTR/L)
BIPOC Family Resources
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- BIPOC Mental Health (Mental Health America)
- VT Directory of BIPOC Mental Healthcare Providers
Depression & SAD
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- Recognizing Depression (MHA)
- Parent's Guide to Medication: Depression (AACAP)
- Caregivers Guide: Having "The SAD's"
- Treatment for Depression (Child Mind Institute)
- What to Do if You Think Your Teenager Is Depressed (Child Mind Institute)
Eating & Feeding Disorders
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General Resources
- F.E.A.S.T. of Knowledge 2025 (Conference for Caregivers: March 23rd, 2025)
- Parent Toolkit (NEDA)
- Eating Disorders and Suicide (NEDA)
- Teen & Caregiver Handout: What are Eating Disorders? (VMAP)
- What Are the Different Kinds of Eating Disorders? (Child Mind Institute)
- Eating Disorder Resources (Washington PALS)
- WithAll - Eating Disorder Prevention & Recovery
- Parents Survive to Thrive Guide - A resource guide for parents of a child with an eating disorder
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Finding Treatment
- Regional Mental Health Providers with Eating Disorder Experience (PDF)
- Registered Dietitians with Eating Disorder Experience in the VT Region (PDF)
- Regional Eating Disorder Programs with Intensive Outpatient Programs and Partial Hospitalization Programs (PDF)
- Adolescent Residential Eating Disorder Centers (PDF)
- Regional Outpatient Adolescent Eating Disorder Services: Western NH/Northern MA/Eastern NY (PDF)
- The Kahm Center for Eating Disorders - Eating Disorder Treatment in Vermont
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Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)
- What is ARFID? (Child Mind Institute)
- ARFID Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder: A Guide for Parents and Carers (2019), by Rachel Bryant-Waugh
- FBI Kids - ARFID Resources
LGBTQ+ Resources
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- Outright VT - Building a Vermont where all LGBTQ+ youth have hope, equity, power!
- Vermont Diversity Health Project (Pride Center of VT)
- Handling With Care: A Toolkit for Parents & Caregivers of LGBTQ+ Youth (Outright VT)
- Crisis Flyer for LGBTQ+ Youth(Outright VT)
- LGBTQ+ Resources & Supports (Outright VT)
- Coming Out: Information for Parents of LGBTQ Teens (AAP)
- Protecting LGBTQ+ Youth from Firearm Suicide
- Trans Lifeline - Direct emotional and financial support for trans people in crisis
- 2024 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People in Vermont
Media & Technology
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Technology & Media Use
- Family Media Plan (AAP)
- Caregivers Guide: Technology Use for Children
- Caregivers Guide: Technology Use for Teens
- Guides and Technology Agreement Templates from Better Screen Time
- Common Sense Media - Ratings and Reviews Parents Trust
- Common Sense Media: Family Media Agreement templates
- Webinar: Media Balance & Your Family's Plan | AAP
- The 5 Cs of Media Use (AAP)
- Sleep Quality & Social Media (AAP)
- Wait Until 8th - We empower parents to say yes to waiting for the smartphone
- How to Raise a Healthy Gamer: End Power Struggles, Break Bad Screen Habits, and Transform Your Relationship with Your Kids (book)
- Talk, Trust, and Trade-Offs: How and Why Teens Use AI Companions (Common Sense Media)
- Artificial Intelligence: What Kids Already Know that Parents Don’t
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Cyberbullying
- How to Prevent Cyberbullying: A Guide for Parents, Caregivers & Youth
- Cyberbullying: How to Help Prevent It (AAP)
- How to Help Kids Deal With Cyberbullying (Child Mind Institute)
- 10 Steps to Help Your Child Prevent and Address Cyberbullying (American Psychiatric Association)
Medications
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- Learning How to Swallow a Pill (Mass General)
- What should I do if my child’s ADHD medication is out of stock during the shortage? (healthychildren.org)
Mental Health Resources for Youth
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- you are OKAY.org - Life is complicated but finding support shouldn't be
Parenting & Community Supports
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Parenting Classes & Resources
- Caregivers Guide: Special Time with Children
- Caregivers Guide: Special Time with Teens
- Behavior Basics: Special Time Video (Seattle Children's)
- Positive Parenting, Thriving Kids Videos (Child Mind Institute)
- Talking With and Listening to Our Children Video (offered in multiple languages from Vermont Language Justice Project)
- While You Wait for Services: Tips for Families (VMAP)
- Breakthrough Parenting: A 10 week (zoom) Class for Caregivers
- We've All Got Big Feelings (Podcast Episode)
- Caregiver Mental Health Education Series
- Parenting Children with Challenging Behaviors (Synchrosaic On-Demand Workshop)
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Co-Parenting & Divorce Resources
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Family & Community Resources
- Dad Guild - Dads helping Dads be Dads
- Help Me Grow VT - Vermont's go-to resource for connecting families to services and supports
- Caregivers Guide: Family Support Resources
- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Vermont - Together for Mental Health
- Family Support Programs (PCAVT)
- Vermont Family Network - Strong Families. Strong Futures.
Perinatal Resources
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Resources & Support
- Resource Guide for Those Affected by the Government Shutdown (PSI)
- Postpartum Support International (PSI)
- Mothertobaby - evidence-based information on the benefit or risk of medications and other exposures during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.
- National Maternal Mental Health Hotline
- Empty Arms Vermont - Support for individuals and families following the loss of a baby
- Help Me Grow Vermont - Vermont’s go-to resource for connecting families to services and supports
- Parenting Support Groups at Winston Prouty
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Action Plans for Depression/Anxiety & Sleep
- Sleep Hygiene: Tips for Pregnant and Postpartum Individuals (2021)
- Taking Care of Yourself: Resources for Pregnant and Postpartum Women (2020)
- Action Plan for Mood Changes during Pregnancy or After Giving Birth/Self-care plan (2019)
- How to Talk to Your Health Care Provider - Having a baby is always challenging every person deserves support
- Antidepressants for Perinatal People
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Other Resources for Perinatal People
Psychosis
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Coordinated Specialty Care is the gold standard treatment of emerging psychosis; however, this model is not currently available in Vermont.
Below are some additional resources to support caregivers who have a child experiencing psychosis:
- Psychosis: First Aid Guidelines for Loved Ones (UCSF)
- The NAMI HelpLine
- Watching for Signs of Psychosis in Teens (Child Mind Institute)
- Back to School: Toolkits to Support the Full Inclusion of Students with Early Psychosis in Higher Education
- Psychosis (Schizophrenia) in Children and Youth (Mental Health America)
- Understanding A First Episode Of Psychosis Young Adult: Get the Facts (SAMHSA)
- Psychosis (NAMI)
- Understanding Voices
- Hearing Voices Network USA
Puberty & Healthy Relationships
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- You-ology: A Puberty Guide for Every Body (AAP)
- Great Conversations: classes for preteens, teens and their families on puberty, sexuality, communication, decision-making, emotional regulation, consent and healthy relationships
- Vermont Network: Resources for a Violence-Free Vermont
- Relationship Status Booklet: A resource for teens and caregivers of teens on healthy relationships (VT Network)
- Ten Tasks of Adolescent Development (MIT)
School Related Resources & School Avoidance
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- Caregivers Guide: School Avoidance
- Overcoming Entrenched School Refusal (SPACE)
- School Refusal - FAST Caregiver Handout (Seattle Children's)
- School Avoidance Alliance
- School Avoidance: Tips for Concerned Parents (AAP)
- When Kids Refuse to Go to School (Child Mind Institute)
- School Avoidance & Refusal: Root Causes and Strategies for Parents and Educators Podcast
- Anxiety in the Classroom: Educators and Health Care Professionals Must Work Together (McLean)
Sleep
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- Smart Solutions for Safe and Sound Sleep | American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
- How to Encourage Good Sleep Habits in Kids (Child Mind Institute video)
- Fast-B Sleep Guide (Washington PALS)
- Sleep Hygiene Tips for Autistic Youth
- Sleep Hygiene Tips Ages 0-4
- Sleep Hygiene Tips Ages 5-12
- Sleep Hygiene Tips Ages 13-21
- Sleep Disorders: Parent’s Medication Guide (AACAP)
Social Skills & Social Emotional Learning
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- Caregivers Guide: Social Skills Resources
- SocialThinking.com
- Kid & Teen Virtual Connection Making (All Brains Belong VT)
- Stern Center Social Thinking Groups
- Role Play Videos for Social Skills (UCLA PEERS Clinic)
- Friends & Socializing (Child Mind Institute)
- Champlain Center for Play Therapy & Family Counseling Groups
- 50 Conversation Starters: Questions
- Soul Strength TEEN
- SPROUT: digital, evidence-based, and free recommender system to help caregivers find tailored strategies for kids!
Stress Reduction & Management
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- The Power of Mindfulness (Child Mind Institute)
- CNUSD Virtual Calming Room
- Relaxation Therapy Tip Sheet: Helping a Child Learn Skills to Regulate (Washington PALS)
- Healthy Minds, Thriving Kids (Child Mind Institute)
- Coping Skills & Strategies based in DBT (Now Matters Now)
Suicidality, Safety Planning & Cultivating Hope:
For additional resources, check out the new Suicide Care page
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Suicidality & Safety Planning
- Preventing Suicide (MHA)
- Facing Suicide VT
- Supporting Safety: Family Handout (VMAP)
- Family Resource Center: Suicide & Self Harm (Child Mind Institute)
- Crisis Prevention Plan Aid for Families (Washington PALS)
- What should I do if my child is thinking about suicide? (AAP)
- Youth Self Poisoning Parent Factsheet (Northern New England Poison Center)
- Youth & Suicide Series Part 1- You Have To Ask. (The Social Work Lens Podcast)
- Firearm Safety
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Self-Harming Behaviors
- Help for Cutting and Other Self-Injury (Child Mind Institute)
- American Academy of Pediatrics: How to Help When You Believe a Child is Engaging in Self-Harm
- Calm Harm App: This is a FREE app that is based in DBT skills and aimed at helping teens to learn strategies to resist the urge to self-harm.
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Gun Safety
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Resource to Support Caregivers
- Resources for Parents & Caregivers (from the Zero Suicide Institute and Parents-to-Parents, with support from the Four Pines Fund)
- Speaking of Suicide For suicidal individuals, loved ones, survivors, & others who care
- Now Matters Now
Trauma
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General Resources
- Understanding Trauma (MHA)
- Helping Children Cope After a Traumatic Event (Child Mind Institute)
- How Trauma Affects Kids in School (Child Mind Institute)
- First Approach Skills Training Trauma (FAST-T): Child Workbook (Seattle Children's)
- First Approach Skills Training Trauma (FAST-T): Teen Workbook (Seattle Children's)
- Trauma Information for Youths & Parents/Caregivers (Seattle Childrens Hospital)
- The National Child Traumatic Stress Network
- Child Trauma Resources (VT DMH)
- Age-Related Reactions to a Traumatic Event (The National Child Traumatic Stress Network)
- Creating Supportive Environments When Scary Things Happen (The National Child Traumatic Stress Network)
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Abuse Prevention Resources
Young Adults
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- Entering Adulthood: Getting Help for Mental and Substance Use Disorders (SAMHSA)
- Young Adults (NAMI)
- Young Adults (Mental Health America)
