By Dianne Anderson

With the mad rush to keep up with festivities, bundles for the best online deals, and the blur of dazzling lights and delectables –  it can be a tough time of year.

But more than likely than not, many parents are in survival mode, scraping together a few small presents, keeping a roof overhead and the lights on. Festivities are an afterthought, and even the little kids are stressed.

At a time when it’s nearly impossible to get help with school counselors, a new easy download app on iPhone or Android has instant access to a mental health professional, 24/7.

Jesus Martinez of the California Association of African-American Superintendents and Administrators is excited about a new tool, available right now for parents and children.

One mom he recently helped unexpectedly gained custody of two young family members, and was dealing with a difficult teen. Overwhelmed and unsure where to turn, she found relief with on-demand access to counselors.

Martinez said the app gives parents tool they need any day of the week, especially to learn more about the resources available in their local communities.

“With these tools, we can access something immediately and it can also lead us to something greater in our community that we don’t know about. With Solune and Brightlife, it’s another tool in the parent’s belt. I, and other parents can easily access [it] no matter school days, summer times vacation or winter break, we can get to it any day of the week,” he said in the recent webinar, Mental Health Resources for the Holiday Season.

One-on-one video chats and on-demand tools are part of the state of California’s Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative, with over $4 billion to boost mental health support for young people and access for all Californians through platforms like BrightLife Kids and Soluna.

Students 13 to 25 can anonymously get the app with no insurance or referrals through Soluna, a CalHOPE program by Kooth Digital Health. Even the youngest kids, 0-12, BrightLife Kids, a CalHOPE program by Brightline, can access free behavioral health coaching.

Locally in San Bernardino, Edwin Johnson sees mental health impact in the community, especially this time of year.

In serving over 350 students weekly in several schools in San Bernardino County each week, he sees high stress, and stronger during the holidays as many local households struggle financially.

Johnson’s program has a staff of 16, and also works at High Desert and Central juvenile halls where youth have an outlet for creativity through his programs, and many are rapping the same tune.

They don’t know if they are going to be out in the streets anytime soon.

He feels that much of the uncertainty of mental health can be traced back to their economic status.

“A lot of these kids when they come to our site, you can see the depression, a lot is coming from their impoverished background, families barely able to make it. You can hear it in their music,” said Johnson, founder of CHORDS youth program.

He said the arts and music give them an outlet to talk through their problems. They are drawing their lives, their neighborhoods, and it’s a way for them to process what they’re going through.

But he is also concerned about hearing and seeing increasing signs of gang life.

“Some of the questions we ask is why? There’s no money in it, but they say that it’s our only family. The family we have, they don’t support us or talk to us. We’re on our own,” he said.

Kids are mostly taking care of their siblings with little social interaction as mom and dad work two or three jobs.  He said many kids he sees are dealing with depression.

In recent weeks, he has been encouraging students to draw and write letters to people that they may want to reconnect with.

“For our kids, we have them draw and write letters in calligraphy to family members, maybe an apology for things that they want to do better,” he said.

Last week, a state webinar highlighted one National Alliance on Mental Illness study showing that 64% of people with mental health issues feel worse during this time of year. And, about 1 in 5 adults and 1 in 6 children aged 6-17 are dealing with mental health issues each year.

In California, they report about 1 in 7 adults and 1 in 14 children with mental health issues have problems in daily functioning at home, school, or in the community.

In Long Beach at Pools of Hope, Pat Dixon sees it all – the hungry, the disabled, the unhoused, and the elderly — and a steady stream of people in need flowing through her doors each week.

It’s a lot of emotion to carry, not just for the people seeking help, but for those offering it.

She sees the community going without some of the most basic resources, but even those with jobs, homes and some financial stability is not a guarantee of being stress-free.

Both of her nieces work in areas of mental health therapy, and she said their phones rang constantly after the election. People are anxious about the future, next year, or the next four years, will bring.

But for Dixon, staying mentally healthy during the holidays means staying grounded in gratitude. Her strategy is simply focusing on her faith and on the work that needs to be done.

This year, she said their team effort went all out for holiday cheer.

“We just gave out 1,300 toys at our annual toy and food giveaway. We gave away over 200 turkeys and big bags of food generously, thanks to our community partners,” she said, adding they had great support from Mayor Rex Richardson, Spark of Love Toy Drive, Supervisor Janice Hahn, and their neighborhood association. “

Many tireless volunteers showed up and showed out, but she said their nonprofit always has room for more helpers looking to lend a hand.

“We have our food pantry every Saturday at 11 a.m.,” Dixon says. “If people want to help with our aquatics program, just contact us.”

Giving back is the ultimate remedy for the holiday blues, for herself, and for her community.

“There’s no better way to spread holiday cheer than to give back,” she said. “We wanted to kick off the holidays in a big way this year by giving back and hopefully, putting smiles on the faces of children in our community.”

For more information, see https://www.hellobrightline.com/brightlifekids

To help or volunteer, see https://caaquatictherapy.com/