LAist relies on reader support, not paywalls.
Freely accessible local news is vital. Please power our reporters and help keep us independent with a donation today.
LAUSD Opens Hotline To Help ‘Manage Fear, Anxiety And Other Challenges Related To COVID-19’
(Photo by Chrishna/Flickr CC)
Starting today, the Los Angeles Unified School District is adding another resource for the school community while campuses are closed: a hotline “students and families can call for help to manage fear, anxiety and other challenges related to COVID-19.”
The phone number is (213) 241-3840. That’s also the number for the district’s Student Health & Human Services division.
According to a district press release, “counselors and mental health professionals” will answer calls at that number from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, in both English and Spanish.
Los Angeles Unified Launches Mental Health Hotline To Help Students and Families - Their world has been turned upside down and we need to make sure students have the support they need. https://t.co/GGMliXdPAF pic.twitter.com/vUDkj4L4PQ
— Austin Beutner (@AustinLASchools) April 1, 2020
According to a message from LAUSD board member Jackie Goldberg, the hotline will take calls during spring break, too. Spring break starts on Monday, April 6 and goes until April 10.
“EVERYONE is under stress,” Goldberg wrote. “There is NO shame in asking for help if you need it! We all need to be physically and mentally healthy and strong to get through this.”
“The absence from school creates hardship – loss of stability and friendships, loss of learning and loss of a big part of our students’ social safety net,” Superintendent Austin Beutner wrote in the press release.
MORE HELP:
- Families can call (213) 443-1300 for help with things like how to get a device for distance learning
- Employees can call (213) 241-2700
- Both hotlines are staffed Monday-Saturday
SOME STRAIGHT TALK ABOUT COVID-19
We're all living through this extraordinary and frightening pandemic. The vast majority of our newsroom has been working from home (here's some advice on that) since March 11 to bring you calm, helpful reporting. We are answering your questions and taking more.
We're here to help. And if you can help support that effort financially, we'd be grateful.