KARA Digital Toolkit: Free and Low Cost Tech for Traumatized Children and Teens

Free and low‑cost tools to help abused and neglected children and teens manage trauma‑related behavior problems, alongside caregivers and professionals.

Important: These tools support healing but do not replace professional therapy or safety planning.

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1. Youth Mental Health & Coping Apps

MindShift CBT (Anxiety Canada)

• Focus: Anxiety, worry, panic, avoidance.

• Features: Thought records, fear ladders, coping cards, calm‑breathing exercises.

• Best for: Middle‑school and high‑school youth struggling with anxiety, school avoidance, or court‑related stress.

• Link: https://www.anxietycanada.com/resources/mindshift-cbt/

  

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Calm Harm

• Focus: Self‑harm urges, intense emotions.

• Features: DBT‑inspired activities (Comfort, Distract, Express, Release, Breathe) timed to ride out urges.

• Best for: Youth who cut or self‑harm, especially in foster care or juvenile justice.

• Link: https://calmharm.co.uk/

Sanvello (freemium)

• Focus: Stress, anxiety, depression, trauma‑related symptoms.

• Features: CBT tools, mood tracking, guided journeys, community support; paid tiers add coaching/therapy.

• Best for: Older teens and young adults (including youth aging out of foster care) who need daily coping structure.

• Link: https://www.sanvello.com/

Woebot

• Focus: Everyday CBT and emotional coaching via chatbot.

• Features: Short conversations that teach skills like reframing thoughts, identifying triggers, and practicing gratitude.

• Best for: Youth who prefer texting/chatting over talking; use with a trusted adult for safety.

• Link: https://woebothealth.com/

PTSD Coach (VA/DoD – for older teens with support)

• Focus: Coping with trauma reminders, anger, sleep problems, and hyperarousal.

• Features: Psychoeducation, coping tools, symptom tracking, crisis resources.

• Best for: Older teens with significant trauma exposure, ideally under clinician or advocate guidance.

• Link: https://www.ptsd.va.gov/appvid/mobile/ptsdcoach.asp

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2. Curated App Lists for Kids and Teens

Childhelp – Teen Mental Health Apps

• Description: A vetted list of mental health apps for teens, including anxiety, self‑harm, and mood tools.

• Use: Share as a one‑stop link with youth, parents, teachers, and CASAs.

• Link: https://childhelphotline.org/teen-apps/

“10 FREE Mental Health Apps for Kids and Teens” (Student Mental Health Toolkit)

• Description: Brief, plain‑language descriptions of apps for younger children and adolescents (e.g., TogetherAI, ClearFear, Moshi Kids).

• Use: Great for caregivers and schools with limited tech knowledge; KARA can pull 3–5 favorites to highlight.

• Link (PDF): https://studentmentalhealthtoolkit.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/DownloadableResource_MentalHealthAppsforKidsandTeens.pdf

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3. Caregiver & Educator Trauma Training

Childhood Trauma: Understanding, Supporting, and Preventing (web modules)

• Host: Early Childhood Collective / OneOp.

• Description: Free, web‑based modules on understanding trauma, recognizing signs, and responding supportively.

• Audience: Teachers, early childhood providers, foster parents, CASAs, social workers.

• Link: https://earlychildhoodcollective.illinois.edu/bundles/trauma-neglect/

Child Sexual Abuse Fact Sheet (NCTSN)

• Description: Concise guide to signs of child sexual abuse and how to respond, geared to parents, teachers, and caregivers.

• Use: Attach to trainings, CASA orientations, and KARA blog posts.

• Link: https://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/resources/child_sexual_abuse_fact_sheet_parents_teachers_caregivers.pdf

Child Welfare Information Gateway – Trauma and Child Welfare Resources

• Description: Extensive free library of manuals, tip sheets, and toolkits on trauma‑informed child welfare practice.

• Use: For professionals and advocates building deeper knowledge; KARA can highlight specific documents in posts.

• Link (home): https://www.childwelfare.gov

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4. School‑Based Tools & Reporting

StudentSafe‑type Wellbeing Platforms

• Description: School tools that integrate attendance, behavior, and wellbeing to flag students in distress; several vendors exist.

• KARA role: Encourage districts to use such tools in trauma‑informed ways, not purely for discipline.

Anonymous Digital Reporting (School or Community Forms)

• Description: Simple online forms or apps that let students report abuse, bullying, or unsafe situations anonymously.

• KARA role: Promote the idea of “safe reporting” and help districts design responses that prioritize safety and support, not punishment.

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5. Policy‑Level Tech Initiatives

Zero Abuse Project – AI‑Assisted Predator Detection

• Description: An emerging AI tool to analyze patterns and help uncover serial offenders and institutional cover‑ups.

• KARA role: Educate lawmakers and institutions about this effort and push for responsible adoption with strong privacy protections.

• Link: https://zeroabuseproject.org

 

Important: Digital tools and apps can help children and teens practice coping skills, but they do not replace professional therapy, medical care, or emergency services. KARA encourages families and systems to use these tools alongside trauma‑informed clinicians, educators, and advocates, not instead of them. If a child is in immediate danger, call 911 or the appropriate emergency number.

If a child is in immediate danger, or you think serious harm could happen in the next moments or hours, call 911 first.

After immediate safety is addressed, KARA’s READ MORE BELOW provides how to report and get help in the U.S.

 

 

If a child is in immediate danger, or you think serious harm could happen in the next moments or hours, call 911 first.

After immediate safety is addressed, here’s how to report and get help in the U.S.

National numbers for reporting and help

• Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline

  • Call or text: 1‑800‑4‑A‑CHILD (1‑800‑422‑4453)

  • Website: https://childhelphotline.org

  • 24/7, confidential, with professional crisis counselors in 170+ languages.

  • They provide crisis support, answer questions, and connect you to the appropriate local child protective services (CPS) agency.

• State and county CPS hotlines

  • Every state has its own hotline (for example: Texas 1‑800‑252‑5400; Florida 1‑800‑962‑2873; Illinois 1‑800‑25‑ABUSE; Pennsylvania ChildLine 1‑800‑932‑0313).

  • The Child Welfare Information Gateway maintains a state‑by‑state list of CPS reporting numbers.

• Minnesota‑specific guidance (for you / KARA)

  • The Minnesota Children’s Alliance advises:

    • If the child is in immediate danger, call 911.

    • Otherwise, contact your county social service / human services agency to report suspected abuse or neglect.

    • If you’re unsure who to call, you can always use Childhelp (1‑800‑422‑4453) and they will route you.

Sexual abuse, violence, trafficking: specialized hotlines

These do not replace CPS reporting, but they offer specialized support and guidance:

• Child sexual abuse (general)

  • Same CPS/Childhelp contacts as above:

    • Local CPS / county social services.

    • Childhelp: 1‑800‑422‑4453.

  • Stop It Now also points to Childhelp and state CPS numbers for child sexual abuse.

• Sexual assault / rape (children and adults)

  • RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline

    • Call: 1‑800‑656‑HOPE (1‑800‑656‑4673)

    • Online chat: https://hotline.rainn.org

    • 24/7 support, information, and local referral.

• Child sexual exploitation / online abuse

  • National Center for Missing & Exploited Children – CyberTipline

    • Call: 1‑800‑843‑5678

    • Online: https://report.cybertip.org

    • For child sexual abuse material, online grooming, trafficking, and exploitation.

• Human trafficking (including child sex and labor trafficking)

  • National Human Trafficking Hotline

    • Call: 1‑888‑373‑7888

    • Text: 233733 (“BeFree”)

    • Chat: https://humantraffickinghotline.org

• Domestic violence / family violence

  • National Domestic Violence Hotline

    • Call: 1‑800‑799‑SAFE (1‑800‑799‑7233)

    • Text: “START” to 88788

    • Chat: https://thehotline.org

All of these services will also tell you when and how to report to CPS or law enforcement in your area.

When to use 911 vs. hotlines vs. CPS

• Call 911 immediately when:

  • A child is being attacked or sexually assaulted now.

  • You believe a child could be killed or seriously injured soon.

  • A child has visible serious injuries or urgent medical needs.

  • A child is missing, has been kidnapped, or is being held by a violent person.

• Call your state/county CPS hotline or local human services agency when:

  • You suspect ongoing abuse or neglect by a parent, caregiver, or household member but it is not an immediate life‑threatening emergency.

  • You’ve seen patterns of neglect, exposure to domestic violence, or sexual abuse and need the state to investigate.

• Call or text Childhelp (1‑800‑422‑4453) when:

  • You’re unsure who to call, have questions about what counts as abuse or neglect, or want help making a report.

  • You are a child or youth wanting to talk to someone before or after a report.

• Use specialized hotlines (RAINN, trafficking, domestic violence) when:

  • You or the child also need trauma‑informed support, safety planning, or guidance in addition to formal reporting.

 

KARA / KIDS AT RISK ACTION / INVISIBLE CHILDREN

 

 

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