Resources to Support Youth and Families During the COVID-19 Emergency
Updated 2/23/2023
These can be difficult times for young people and those who work with them. Learn more about the respiratory illness coronavirus COVID-19 here. Below are resources on topics affecting youth and how supportive adults can help.
NEW! Fact Sheet: COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Transition Roadmap
Based on current COVID-19 trends, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is planning for the federal Public Health Emergency (PHE) for COVID-19, declared under Section 319 of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act, to expire at the end of the day on May 11, 2023. Addressing COVID-19 remains a significant public health priority, and HHS will work closely with partners, including state, local, Tribal, and territorial agencies, industry, and advocates, to ensure an orderly transition. This fact sheet shares what will and will not be affected by the expiration of the PHE.
Resources by Topic
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a webpage on recommendations for COVID-19 vaccinations for children and teens.
- The CDC has a printable fact sheet for parents (PDF, 1 page) that explains the benefits of a COVID-19 vaccine for their children, safety information, and what to expect during and after vaccination.
- The CDC has a webpage with answers to commonly asked questions about COVID-19 vaccination.
- The CDC has a webpage with information for busting common vaccine myths, including myths about menstrual cycles and infertility.
- The CDC webpages Key Things to Know about COVID-19 Vaccines and About COVID-19 Vaccines have been updated to include the recommendation that adolescents aged 12 and older get vaccinated.
- The CDC webpage Pediatric Healthcare Professionals COVID-19 Vaccination Toolkit provides materials to help healthcare providers give parents clear and accurate information about COVID-19 vaccines. The toolkit includes answers to common questions, an explanation of how mRNA vaccines work, and printable materials to give to parents.
- The CDC has has posted FAQs on the Pfizer-BioNTech product page for providers with information about consent, prescreening questions, and other issues related to the vaccination of minors.
- The CDC webpage How to talk to your patients about COVID-19 vaccination provides materials, including a sample letter, to help healthcare providers encourage their patients to get a COVID-19 vaccine. It includes the new recommendation that everyone aged 12 and up get a COVID-19 vaccination.
- The CDC webpage Community-Based Organizations COVID-19 Vaccine Toolkit has been updated to include information and resources on COVID-19 vaccination for adolescents aged 12 and older.
- HHS Office of Child Care has a webpage on coronavirus resources regarding child care.
- ED's National Center of Safe Supportive Learning Environments has a webpage to help K-12 schools, districts, and institutions of higher education respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The ongoing COVID-19 public health crisis looms large, creating deep and disparate consequences for young people and their families. The Center for Promise's nationally representative survey of high school youth reveals their perceptions of the pandemic’s impact on their learning and their lives. The findings suggest that students are experiencing a collective trauma, and that they and their families would benefit from immediate and ongoing support.
- The U.S. Department of Education Office of Safe and Supportive Schools (OSSS) and its REMS TA Center has a webpage with guidance, resources, training, and tools in one centralized location on COVID-19 and infectious disease planning activities.
- The U.S. Department of Education Office of Safe and Supportive Schools (OSSS) and its REMS TA Center has a Community of Practice (CoP), a virtual space for education agencies to collaborate and learn from the experiences of others in the field as well as share resources, tools, questions, and information specific to COVID-19.
- The U.S. Department of Education Office of Safe and Supportive Schools (OSSS) and its REMS TA Center has a COVID-19 publication entitled “Ensuring Continuity of Teaching and Learning During Prolonged Absences, Dismissals, and Closures” (PDF, 11 pages), with information on continuity of operations annexes, key considerations for continuity of teaching and learning, and educator tools to support distance education .
- The U.S. Department of Education has a webpage with resources for at-home learning, elementary and secondary education, and higher education institutions.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has guidance for schools as well as checklists for teachers and parents.
- The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) has developed a series of technical assistance resources and frequently asked questions to address grants management questions related to COVID-19 to help state and local workforce leaders, and other stakeholders and partners to assist the public workforce system during this crisis.
- The DOL Division of Youth Services conducted a "WIOA Youth Program COVID-19 Session" that answered questions, shared resources, and passed along best practices that were submitted in advance.
- The DOL WorkforceGPS.org has a coronavirus webpage with employment resources, including related to WIOA waivers.
- The DOL has an unemployment insurance webpage, which includes guidance on flexibilities during the coronavirus pandemic.
- The White House website has webpages on the Child Tax Credit, which will provide 3,000 to $3,600 per child for nearly all working families. Information is available in English and Spanish. Find out more in the fact sheet.
- The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has a non-filer online sign-up tool to help low-income families register for monthly Child Tax Credit payments.
- The Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs developed a guide on the YE4C website for young adults on how to find out if they qualify for an economic impact payment, what to do if they don’t get one automatically, and where to get answers: Finances and COVID-19: A Guide for Young Adults.
- The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation created the Receiving Economic Impact Payment webpage and video designed to encourage unbanked people to open a bank account without going into a bank branch, as they receive the economic impact payment.
- The Social Security Administration has created a guide for SSI recipients related to COVID-19 economic impact payments.
- The IRS has a webpage to support dissemination about the CARES Act and Economic Impact Payments.
- The IRS has a coronavirus webpage with information about Economic Impact Payments.
- The IRS has a webpage on filing federal taxes for free.
- The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has an infographic and webpage that share information for student loan borrowers about recent changes made to repayment terms due to the pandemic.
- The CFPB has a coronavirus webpage with resources on protecting finances during the coronavirus pandemic.
- The CFPB has resources on student loans during the coronavirus pandemic, tips to stay on top of finances, tips for online and mobile banking, and help avoiding scams related to coronavirus.
- The CFPB has a blog post with resources on COVID-19 economic stimulus relief
- The CFPB has a webpage with a video on what non-tax filers need to know about economic impact payments.
- Studentaid.gov has a webpage for coronavirus-related information for students, borrowers, and parents.
- The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a coronavirus webpage, which includes information on Child Nutrition Programs, Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs, and USDA Foods Programs.
- The mental health impacts of the pandemic have been particularly severe for marginalized young people, including youth with disabilities, Black, Latinx, rural and indigenous youth, LGBTQ+ youth, and youth from low-income families. The Surgeon General’s Advisory on Protecting Youth Mental Health outlines actionable steps for young people and their families and caregivers, schools, health leaders, community organizations, funders, media and technology companies, employers, and governments to protect youth mental health.
- HHS, through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), will invest $100 million to expand dedicated testing and mitigation resources for people with mental health and substance use disorders.
- The National Academy of Sciences provides guidance that identifies school-based strategies for addressing the mental health and well-being challenges among youth that arose during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The CDC Foundation funded the Georgia Institute of Technology Center for Inclusive Design and Innovation to adapt and create accessible versions of CDC's COVID-19 guidance.
- The TA subgroup of the Early Childhood Health and Well-Being Leadership group collected a published a list of COVID-19 TA resources on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Office of Early Childhood Development website. Agencies across the Federal government have collected a series of resources to support school-age children and children in out-of-school-time settings during the COVID-19 pandemic with: Resources for Addressing Trauma and Building Resilience in School-Age Children and Out-of-School-Time Settings. Resources are categorized by audience and topics cover social-emotional and behavioral support, building resilience and addressing trauma, and staff wellness.
- The Transitions to Adulthood Center for Research hosted a webinar that describes methods to help support college students with mental health conditions who have been affected by disruptions in school due to COVID-19.
- The U.S. Agency for International Development and YouthPower.org co-hosted a webinar for young people: "Fighting the Unseen Impacts of COVID-19: Tools and Strategies for Promoting Mental Health and Wellbeing in Ourselves and Other Young People During the Pandemic."
- The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) co-hosted the archived webinar: Substance Use Disorder Services in the Days of a Pandemic: You Need A Bigger Boat!
- The CDC has a resource on Talking with Children about Coronavirus Disease 2019.
- The CDC has a resource for caring for children and keeping them healthy during the coronavirus pandemic.
- The CDC has resources on Mental Health and Coping, including People Helping Children.
- SAMHSA has a training and technical assistance program on supportive practices for mental health practitioners and other resources.
- The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) has a Parent/Caregiver Guide to Helping Families Cope.
- SAMHSA has a resource on Coping with Stress During Infectious Disease Outbreaks (PDF, 4 pages).
- The Census Bureau has a website that provides COVID-19 demographic and economic information, datasets, and tools to help guide the nation as it recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic by providing economic and demographic data.
- SAMHSA has a resource to support youth and families who are Responding to COVID-19 Anxiety & Return to Work/School
- HHS, in partnership with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), will invest $80 million to support state and local COVID-19 testing and mitigation measures among people experiencing homelessness, residents of congregate settings including group homes, and encampments.
- HHS, in partnership with the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Federal Bureau of Prisons, will invest $169 million to advance testing and mitigation efforts in federal congregate settings.
- The IWGYP developed a resource youth.gov for supportive adults to help youth cope with isolation during the pandmic. Two young adults and one researcher share the challenges of isolation facing youth during the pandemic and identify specific steps supportive adults can take to help youth cope. Video and Audio: Lessons for Supportive Adults on Youth Isolation.
- The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation has compiled information on youth.gov about available streams of funding for human services providers, educational institutions, and individuals and families to access broadband and devices.
- The Science of Learning & Development Alliance has interviewed education leaders to learn how this science can be used to navigate this pandemic and its implications for young people, their communities, and the systems that surround them. Read the interview with Karen Pittman, Co-Founder, President, and CEO of the Forum for Youth Investment.
- The University of Maryland School of Social Work has developed an online resource that provides state-by-state information on COVID-19 telehealth Medicaid expansion, a youth- and family-friendly guide to Zoom, COVID-19 resource by topic, and more.
- The CDC has guidance for Schools, Workplaces, & Community Locations.
- HHS has a webpage that provides key COVID-19-related guidance and information for human services program providers and stakeholders, particularly state and local government agencies and faith and community-based organizations.
- The American Youth Policy Forum has an information hub that provides weekly updates by youth population (as well as supports for parents) to facilitate collating relevant resources, recognizing that many young people fall into multiple categories.
- HHS, through the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), will invest $550 million in the Family Violence Prevention and Services Program to support state and tribal programs for detecting, diagnosing, and mitigating infections for adults, children, and youth experiencing domestic violence and dating violence.
- The Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence has an "Askable Adult" campaign that recently shared messaging about being 'askable' adults, who are committed to having strong, effective, and affirming relationships with youth using positive communication to develop trust and connectedness.
- The National Domestic Violence Hotline has a website for staying safe during the coronavirus pandemic.
Resources by IWGYP Partner
- The IWGYP developed a resource on the youth.gov website for supportive adults to help youth cope with isolation during the pandemic. Two young adults and one researcher share the challenges of isolation facing youth during the pandemic and identify specific steps supportive adults can take to help youth cope. Video and Audio: Lessons for Supportive Adults on Youth Isolation.
- The IWGYP developed a guide on the YE4C website for young adults on how to find out if they qualify for an economic impact payment, what to do if they don’t get one automatically, and where to get answers: Finances and COVID-19: A Guide for Young Adults.
- HHS has a fact sheet on the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Transition Roadmap.
- HHS, through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), will invest $100 million to expand dedicated testing and mitigation resources for people with mental health and substance use disorders.
- HHS, in partnership with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), will invest $80 million to support state and local COVID-19 testing and mitigation measures among people experiencing homelessness, residents of congregate settings including group homes, and encampments.
- HHS, in partnership with the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Federal Bureau of Prisons, will invest $169 million to advance testing and mitigation efforts in federal congregate settings.
- HHS, through the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), will invest $550 million in the Family Violence Prevention and Services Program to support state and tribal programs for detecting, diagnosing, and mitigating infections for adults, children, and youth experiencing domestic violence and dating violence.
- The CDC has a webpage on recommendations for COVID-19 vaccinations for children and teens.
- The CDC has a printable fact sheet for parents (PDF, 1 page) that explains the benefits of a COVID-19 vaccine for their children, safety information, and what to expect during and after vaccination.
- The CDC has a webpage with answers to commonly asked questions about COVID-19 vaccination.
- The CDC has a webpage with information for busting common vaccine myths, including myths about menstrual cycles and infertility.
- The CDC webpages Key Things to Know about COVID-19 Vaccines and About COVID-19 Vaccines have been updated to include the recommendation that adolescents aged 12 and older get vaccinated.
- The CDC webpage Pediatric Healthcare Professionals COVID-19 Vaccination Toolkit provides materials to help healthcare providers give parents clear and accurate information about COVID-19 vaccines. The toolkit includes answers to common questions, an explanation of how mRNA vaccines work, and printable materials to give to parents.
- The CDC has has posted FAQs on the Pfizer-BioNTech product page for providers with information about consent, prescreening questions, and other issues related to the vaccination of minors.
- The CDC webpage How to talk to your patients about COVID-19 vaccination provides materials, including a sample letter, to help healthcare providers encourage their patients to get a COVID-19 vaccine. It includes the new recommendation that everyone aged 12 and up get a COVID-19 vaccination.
- The CDC webpage Community-Based Organizations COVID-19 Vaccine Toolkit has been updated to include information and resources on COVID-19 vaccination for adolescents aged 12 and older.
- The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) has compiled information on youth.gov about available streams of funding for human services providers, educational institutions, and individuals and families to access broadband and devices.
- The TA subgroup of the Early Childhood Health and Well-Being Leadership group collected a published a list of COVID-19 TA resources on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Office of Early Childhood Development website. Agencies across the Federal government have collected a series of resources to support school-age children and children in out-of-school-time settings during the COVID-19 pandemic with: Resources for Addressing Trauma and Building Resilience in School-Age Children and Out-of-School-Time Settings. Resources are categorized by audience and topics cover social-emotional and behavioral support, building resilience and addressing trauma, and staff wellness.
- ASPE has a webpage that provides key COVID-19-related guidance and information for human services program providers and stakeholders, particularly state and local government agencies and faith and community-based organizations.
- The Office of Child Care has a webpage on coronavirus resources regarding child care.
- The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) co-hosted the archived webinar: Substance Use Disorder Services in the Days of a Pandemic: You Need A Bigger Boat!
- SAMHA has a training and technical assistance program on supportive practices for mental health practitioners and other resources.
- SAMHSA has a resource on Coping with Stress During Infectious Disease Outbreaks (PDF, 4 pages).
- SAMHSA's National Child Traumatic Stress Network has a Parent/Caregiver Guide to Helping Families Cope.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has guidance for schools as well as checklists for teachers and parents.
- The CDC Foundation funded the Georgia Institute of Technology Center for Inclusive Design and Innovation to adapt and create accessible versions of CDC's COVID-19 guidance.
- The CDC has a resource on Talking with Children about Coronavirus Disease 2019.
- The CDC has a resource for caring for children and keeping them healthy during the coronavirus pandemic.
- The CDC has resources on Mental Health and Coping, including People Helping Children.
- The CDC has guidance for Schools, Workplaces, & Community Locations.
- ED's National Center of Safe Supportive Learning Environments has a webpage to help K-12 schools, districts, and institutions of higher education respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- ED has a webpage with resources for at-home learning, elementary and secondary education, and higher education institutions.
- The Office of Safe and Supportive Schools (OSSS) and its REMS TA Center has a webpage with guidance, resources, training, and tools in one centralized location on COVID-19 and infectious disease planning activities.
- The OSSS and its REMS TA Center has a Community of Practice (CoP), a virtual space for education agencies to collaborate and learn from the experiences of others in the field as well as share resources, tools, questions, and information specific to COVID-19.
- The OSSS and its REMS TA Center has a COVID-19 publication entitled “Ensuring Continuity of Teaching and Learning During Prolonged Absences, Dismissals, and Closures” (PDF, 11 pages), with information on continuity of operations annexes, key considerations for continuity of teaching and learning, and educator tools to support distance education .
- Studentaid.gov has a webpage for coronavirus-related information for students, borrowers, and parents.
- The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) has developed a series of technical assistance resources and frequently asked questions to address grants management questions related to COVID-19 to help state and local workforce leaders, and other stakeholders and partners to assist the public workforce system during this crisis.
- The DOL Division of Youth Services conducted a "WIOA Youth Program COVID-19 Session" that answered questions, shared resources, and passed along best practices that were submitted in advance.
- The DOL has an unemployment insurance webpage, which includes guidance on flexibilities during the coronavirus pandemic.
- WorkforceGPS.org has a coronavirus webpage with employment resources, including related to WIOA waivers.
- The Census Bureau has a website that provides COVID-19 demographic and economic information, datasets, and tools to help guide the nation as it recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic by providing economic and demographic data.
- The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) created a non-filer online sign-up tool to help low-income families register for monthly Child Tax Credit payments.
- The IRS has a webpage to support dissemination about the CARES Act and Economic Impact Payments.
- The IRS has a coronavirus webpage with information about Economic Impact Payments.
- The IRS has a webpage on filing federal taxes for free.
- The FDIC created the Receiving Economic Impact Payment webpage and video designed to encourage unbanked people to open a bank account without going into a bank branch, as they receive the economic impact payment.
- SSA created a guide for SSI recipients related to COVID-19 economic impact payments.
- CFPB has an infographic and webpage that share information for student loan borrowers about recent changes made to repayment terms due to the pandemic.
- CFPB has a coronavirus webpage with resources on protecting finances during the coronavirus pandemic.
- CFPB has resources on student loans during the coronavirus pandemic, tips to stay on top of finances, tips for online and mobile banking, and help avoiding scams related to coronavirus.
- CFPB has a blog post with resources on COVID-19 economic stimulus relief
- CFPB has a webpage with a video on what non-tax filers need to know about economic impact payments.
- The USDA has a coronavirus webpage, which includes information on Child Nutrition Programs, Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs, and USDA Foods Programs.
- USAID and YouthPower.org co-hosted a webinar for young people: "Fighting the Unseen Impacts of COVID-19: Tools and Strategies for Promoting Mental Health and Wellbeing in Ourselves and Other Young People During the Pandemic."
- The National Academy of Sciences provides guidance that identifies school-based strategies for addressing the mental health and well-being challenges among youth that arose during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The ongoing COVID-19 public health crisis looms large, creating deep and disparate consequences for young people and their families. The Center for Promise's nationally representative survey of high school youth reveals their perceptions of the pandemic’s impact on their learning and their lives. The findings suggest that students are experiencing a collective trauma, and that they and their families would benefit from immediate and ongoing support.
- The University of Maryland School of Social Work has developed an online resource that provides state-by-state information on COVID-19 telehealth Medicaid expansion, a youth- and family-friendly guide to Zoom, COVID-19 resource by topic, and more.
- The Transitions to Adulthood Center for Research hosted a webinar that describes methods to help support college students with mental health conditions who have been affected by disruptions in school due to COVID-19.
- The American Youth Policy Forum has an information hub that provides weekly updates by youth population (as well as supports for parents) to facilitate collating relevant resources, recognizing that many young people fall into multiple categories.
- The Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence has an "Askable Adult" campaign that recently shared messaging about being 'askable' adults, who are committed to having strong, effective, and affirming relationships with youth using positive communication to develop trust and connectedness.
- The National Domestic Violence Hotline has a website for staying safe during the coronavirus pandemic.
- The Science of Learning & Development Alliance has interviewed education leaders to learn how this science can be used to navigate this pandemic and its implications for young people, their communities, and the systems that surround them. Read the interview with Karen Pittman, Co-Founder, President, and CEO of the Forum for Youth Investment.