Mental Health Professional Implementation Guide
What is a Mental Health Comfort Kit?
Comfort kits are small collections of items and resources designed to help in difficult situations. Kits are easy to carry and include instructions about how each item can be used. This kit is intended to be distributed by a mental health counselor or someone trained in traumatic response. Youth receive a kit based upon their personal experience and need. After the initial intervention, these are meant to be take-home kits for the recipient to use throughout their recovery.
Instructional Video
Prefer to watch or listen instead of read?
This short video (5:48) is designed for mental health professionals and other adults trained in trauma response. It offers a quick and helpful overview of our Comfort Kits; what’s inside, why they matter, and how they support youth in moments of need.
How is the Kit Use?
Know a Community or Youth in Crisis?
Email CATCH with questions, if you need a restock or if you find a situation where a community can use these kits for their healing. Email: info@catchiscommunity.org
Comfort Kit Implementation Support
Kit Content Explanation
The kit items and their purpose are defined on the “Kit Content” side of the Comfort Kit Postcard found in the plastic sleeve stored in the cinch bag. The postcard is written for caregivers so they can continue to support their loved one.
Candy mint ingredients are listed on the postcard for allergy concerns.
Unsafe Environment
If the youth fears sharing the NIMH flyer and Comfort kit postcard content with an unpredictable caregiver; Collateral is in a separate plastic sleeve AND offered virtually through the QR code so it can be physically removed. If you remove the plastic sleeve from the kit, make sure the healing notebook, identifying feelings poster, mints and colored pencil stay with the kit.
Caregiver Resources
CATCH continues to evolve our trauma resource page for caregivers. The front of the Comfort Kit postcard contains a QR code that leads to this page on our website.
Multilingual Support
The QR codes on each of these printed materials provide a translation of the materials as follows:
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Flyer: English and Spanish
Comfort Kit Postcard: (“Kit Content” side) English, Spanish, Korean, Mongolian, and Somalian.
Historically, we’ve translated the material based upon the translations offered by local area school systems. We may be able to add additional translations, reach out to info@catchiscommunity.org to see.
Explore all of CATCH’S Resources.
Mental health tools work best when young people have supportive adults around them. Explore CATCH’s Resource Hub for practical tools, trusted information, expert guidance, and real-life perspectives to help support children, teens, and families.
Funding Partners
2025-2026 Comfort Kit Funding Partners
CATCH provides Comfort Kits to young people in crisis thanks to generous financial support from the Northfield Township, Sisters of the Living Word, the Oberweiler Foundation, and Rotary Club of Northbrook.
Historical Funding Partners
- Northfield Township
- Rotary Club of Northbrook
- Rotary District 6440
