Liberty Counseling
Safety Concerns
If you are concerned that you or someone else might hurt themselves, there are people who can help!
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You do not need to know someone's phone number or address to use these resources, you just need to know the person's name and where they attend school or work.
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Emergency Services - 911
Emergency services can help in any emergency situation. If you are concerned about a friend's safety or will lose sleep tonight worrying about what they might do, please tell an adult immediately and call 911 together. Even if you are not sure where they live or their phone number, emergency services can still help.
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Southwest Washington Crisis Line 1 (800) 626-8137
Staff at the SW Washington Crisis line are trained professionals who can help anyone who may be in crisis. They can
also provide recommendations to others who may know of someone in a crisis situation. A service that this organization also provides is the Youth Mobile Crisis Intervention team. When any youth in Clark County, under 18 years old, are in crisis and require immediate assessment, Crisis Line can send professionals to meet the youth at their home or school between 10 am and 10 pm.
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National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1(800) 273-8255
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides professional crisis intervention and recommendations 24/7. You can also chat with a professional through their website suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
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Trevor Project 1(866) 488-7386
The Trevor Project provides suicide and self-harm help for LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning) youth. They are available 24/7 through phone, text, and chat. Their website is thetrevorproject.org and it also includes many resources and helpful information for LGBTQ youth and others looking to learn more about this population.
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Self-harm is any behavior in which someone is intentionally hurting themselves, often to get relief from some big emotions. This behavior can become addictive and difficult to stop without support. The mental health community typically does not see self-harming as an indicator of suicidal thoughts. There are many people who self-harm as a form of coping, but who do not have thoughts of suicide, however, there are also people who are suicidal and also self-harm. If you self-harm or know someone who does, please speak to your school counselor, a therapist in the community, your primary doctor, or visit NAMI.org for more support.
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In 2015, 683,000 cases of abuse and neglect were reported across the country. If you or someone you know is being neglected or abused and is under 18 years old and/or cannot care for themselves, please call 1 (866) 363-4276 or tell your school counselor. All school counselors are mandated reporters. This means that when they think someone is being neglected or abused they have to call to get them more help. Below are the major types of child abuse and neglect. From more information, please visit childwelfare.gov.
Physical Abuse
Physical abuse is nonaccidental physical injury (ranging from minor bruises to severe fractures or death) as a result of punching, beating, kicking, biting, shaking, throwing, stabbing, choking, hitting (with a hand, stick, strap, or other object), burning, or otherwise harming a child, that is inflicted by a parent, caregiver, or other person who has responsibility for the child. Such injury is considered abuse regardless of whether the caregiver intended to hurt the child.
Physical discipline, such as spanking or paddling, is not considered abuse as long as it is reasonable and causes no bodily injury to the child.
Neglect
Neglect is the failure of a parent, guardian, or other caregiver to provide for a child’s basic needs. Neglect may be:
• Physical (e.g., failure to provide necessary food or shelter, or lack of appropriate supervision)
• Medical (e.g., failure to provide necessary medical or mental health treatment)
• Educational (e.g., failure to educate a child or attend to special education needs)
• Emotional (e.g., inattention to a child’s emotional needs, failure to provide psychological care, or permitting the child to use alcohol or other drugs)
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Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse includes activities by a parent or caregiver such as sextual acts with a child, indecent exposure, and exploitation through prostitution or the production of pornographic materials.
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Emotional Abuse
Emotional abuse (or psychological abuse) is a pattern of behavior that impairs a child’s emotional development or sense of self worth. This may include constant criticism, threats, or rejection, as well as withholding love, support, or guidance. Emotional abuse is almost always present when other types of maltreatment are identified.
Abandonment
Abandonment is now defined in many states as a form of neglect. In general, a child is considered to be abandoned when the parent’s identity or whereabouts are unknown, the child has been left alone in circumstances where the child suffers serious harm, or the parent has failed to maintain contact with the child or provide reasonable support for a specified period of time.
Substance Abuse
Substance abuse is an element of the definition of child abuse or neglect in many states. Circumstances that are considered abuse or neglect in some states include the following:
• Prenatal exposure of a child to harm due to the mother’s use of an illegal drug or other substance
• Manufacture of methamphetamine in the presence of a child
• Selling, distributing, or giving illegal drugs or alcohol to a child
• Use of a controlled substance by a caregiver that impairs the caregiver’s ability to adequately care for the child (includes driving while impaired with a child in the car)
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