Mental Health and Wellness

Each school has a dedicated counselor. School counselors focus on academic, career, and social-emotional needs. By creating solid and effective guidance programs, school counselors enhance the learning process and help create a positive school culture for academic achievement.

If you or your child would like to talk with a school counselor, you can:

Call or email your school counselor by calling the school or locating their contact information on the BPS website.

Crisis Response Services

For medical/mental health emergencies, call 911.

DSHS Child Protective Services: 1-866-829-2153

For immediate non-emergent support

24-hour Crisis Line: 1-800-584-3587

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: call, text or chat 988

Online crisis chat: imhurting.org

Crisis Text Line: text HOME to 741741.

Trevor Project for LGBTQ Youth: Chat, call or text

Teen Link (6-10 p.m./7 days a week- a helpline for teens by teens): 1-866-833-6546

Below are some additional resources on important topics.

Laura Cardinal, LICSW
Director of Mental Health Services

Laura Burke, LMHC
Mental Health Specialist

Jacy Johnson, LMFT
Mental Health Specialist

Jessica Raymond, LICSW
Mental Health Specialist

Anna Rittmueller, LICSW
Mental Health Specialist

Clover Martin
Administrative Assistant
360-676-6455

Request a counselor

Go to Health Services

Community Resources

The BPS Family Engagement webpage has additional community agencies and resources, organized by topic.

Single Entry Access to Services (SEAS) If you have questions or concerns about a child, you can contact family resource navigators. They will help you figure out what is needed, connect you with resources, and get you pointed in the right direction.

The Whatcom Resource Information Collaborative is a locally based, community governed guide to the services and information needed to navigate life in Whatcom County. Opportunity Council is the steward of the resource directory.

211 is a comprehensive source of information about local resources and services.

Mental Health Providers

Psychology Today Mental Health Provider Directory – Allows user to search by location, specialty, insurance, type of therapy, etc.

211 is a comprehensive source of information about local resources and services.

Catholic Community Services: 360-676-2164

Compass Health: 360-922-6670 or 1-844-822-7609

SeaMar Behavioral Health Child & Family Services: 360-398-5444

Unity Care Behavioral Health: 360-676-6177

Lummi Behavioral Health: 360-312-2019

Seattle Children’s Mental Health Referral Service for Children and Teens Families can call 1-833-303-5437, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., to connect with a referral specialist for children and teens 17 and younger from across Washington.

Suicide Prevention & Crisis Response Services

Prevention Resources

M.A.D. H.O.P.E. is a collaborative program that includes the Whatcom County Health Department, Bellingham Public School District, the Whatcom Family and Community Network and the Whatcom Prevention Coalition, and is aimed at offering hope through positive action.

The Suicide Prevention Resource Center provides many resources for school staff and mental health providers.

University of Washington Forefront Suicide Prevention Program LEARN Model

Washington State Department of Health, Youth Suicide Prevention

211 System is an information referral service that assists with providing resources in your community (call 211 or visit their website)

Mental Health First Aid is a skills-based training course that teaches participants about mental health and substance-use issues.

Crisis Response Services

For mental health emergencies call 911.

You can also access the Compass Health Mobile Crisis Outreach Team (MCOT) at 1-800-584-3578 to talk to a local mental health/crisis responder. You can also ask providers to come meet with you.

For immediate non-emergent support:

24-hour Crisis Line: 1-800-584-3578

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: call, text or chat 988

Online crisis chat: imhurting.org

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

Trevor Project for LGBTQ Youth: Call 1-866-488-7386 or text START to 678-678.

Trans Lifeline: 1-877-565-8860

Teen Link (6-10 p.m./7 days a week- a helpline for teens by teens): 1-866-833-6546

Seattle Children's Psychiatric Urgent Care (Telehealth and in-person options)

Resources: Anxiety and School Avoidance

Mental health resources for parents and caregivers

School avoidance: Tips for concerned parents

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics: "School avoidance (sometimes called school refusal or school phobia) occurs in as many as 5% of children. Kids may outright refuse to attend school or create reasons why they should not go. They may miss a lot of school, complaining of not feeling well, with vague, unexplainable symptoms. Many children who try to avoid going to school have anxiety-related symptoms over which they have no conscious control. They may experience headaches, stomachaches, hyperventilation, nausea or dizziness—symptoms that happen most often on school days, and are usually absent on weekends. When these children are examined by a doctor, no physical illnesses are detected or diagnosed."

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