With the new school year now underway, state leaders are trying to improve awareness of services for children experiencing mental health crises. Connecticut has urgent crisis centers in Hartford, New Haven, Waterbury and New London, as well as a mobile crisis intervention program available by ca lling United Way at 211. But Behavioral Health Advocate Howard Sovronsky said many residents and educators still don’t know about them. He and other members of the Transforming Children’s Behavioral Health Policy and Planning Committee are launching a marketing campaign to try to change that. Lisa Paradis, whose daughter has severe behavioral health challenges, told reporters during a press conference this week that her experience with one of the urgent crisis centers had been “life-changing.” “After our first visit there, we were able to, within a few hours, get her regulated. She was happy when we left,” Paradis said. “We were given services, we were given referrals for services … and true to their word, they followed up.” Lisa Paradis speaks at a press conference to share her experience bringing her daughter to one of Connecticut’s urgent crisis centers. Sep. 2, 2026. Credit: Theo Peck-Suzuki / CT Mirror Laine Taylor, chief medical officer at The Village, said big transitions like the start of a new school year can often be challenging for children. There’s a shift in expectations, stress from schoolwork and pressure to fit in with peers. All of that can have implications for a child’s mental health. “When big life changes occur, it causes a lot of angst,” Taylor said. Here’s what parents should know. What to do if a child needs care Urgent crisis centers operate as walk-in clinics, meaning there’s no need to make an appointment. The centers are equipped to help with a range of issues, including but not limited to suicide or self-harm, feelings of depression or anxiety, out-of-control behaviors and substance use.  According to the Tow Youth Justice Institute, the centers exist to divert parents and children from going to the emergency room, which can be slow and often traumatizing. Each of the four centers has 72 daily slots. United Way also offers mental health crisis support to anyone who calls 211 or 988, a suicide and crisis hotline. Callers may be referred to youth mobile crisis intervention where appropriate. Early signs to look for Taylor said even before problems become apparent, creating space to check in with one’s kids is important. “Just to take a beat and … be able to spend time with one another with no expectations, that alone actually opens the door to them being more likely to talk about these things that are hard,” Taylor said. At the same time, Taylor said kids themselves often don’t realize something is wrong at first. “Until they really start to have explicit, scary thoughts, they may not even realize that there’s changes,” she said. She said it’s important to “pay attention to your child’s sleeping patterns, how your child is eating. Are they still being [as] social as they were once before? Are they still motivated to … go to their sports activities?” “Those kinds of basic changes in routine, those are your indicators that your kid might be going through something, and a reason to start to talk to them,” Taylor said. What to do if you’re concerned Taylor said parents with questions can always call an urgent crisis center, 211 or 988 to ask for advice. “You could call mobile crisis [at 211] and be like, ‘Hey this what I’m noticing. Can you guys help me?’” Taylor said. “You don’t have to be at such a high acute space in order to utilize these resources.” ...read more read less