Free mental health resources in California: New apps and community solutions

By Genoa Barrow | OBSERVER Senior Staff Writer If you, or someone you know, has mental health concerns and needs help or wants to be involved in finding community solutions, Senior Staff Writer Genoa Barrow has compiled a brief list of resources. She will continue to update the list throughout her special series, “Head Space: Exploring the Mental Health Needs of Today’s Black Men.” The state of California offers families free mental health resources at their fingertips with two new apps. Both are part of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s $4.7 billion Master Plan for Kids’ Mental Health. Brightline Kids aims to be a “parenting partner” and offers support building social-emotional skills and dealing with behavioral or mental health challenges like low self-esteem, ADHD, anxiety, and depression. Live coaching available. For more information, visit hellobrightline.com. Soluna offers confidential support for 13- to 25-year-olds. Users can chat with a professional coach, use interactive tools to destress, or explore quizzes, videos, and forums. Visit solunaapp.com. Born out of the 2018 killing of Stephon Clark by Sacramento police, Safe Black Space provides a chance for Black people to deal with rage, shock, fear, and sadness. Services community healing circles designed to address emotional and psychological...