NORTH DAKOTA ( KXNET ) — There are many back-to-school health and well-being practices for families to stay strong, and North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) is hoping to share resources that can help guide kids through the coming school year.

The first is a webinar called “Helping Kids Prepare for Back-to-School Stress.” Since August is Teen Mental Health Month, it’s a good time to address the challenges they may have as they get ready for the new school year.

The webinar is hosted by HHS, and will be on Tuesday, August 20 from 12-2 p.m. It’ll have valuable insights and practical strategies to support kids during the transition. Pre-registration is encouraged, but the webinar is free and open to everyone.

The second thing is routine immunizations , as kids can’t do school well if they’re sick. Back-to-school visits and being up-to-date with immunizations are important. If kids are uninsured or underinsured, the Vaccines for Children program can help with payments, visit this website for more information.

Students in grades K through six need MMR, polio, chicken pox, DTap, and hepatitis B vaccines. Middle schoolers need meningitis and Tdap vaccines, and students going into high school need the meningitis boosters.

The third thing is help with child care . Programs are offered that could help pay a portion of child care costs, depending on eligibility. You can learn more here . Another program, the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), will help pay a portion of costs for working families or families in training or education programs.

The Working Parents Child Care Relief pilot program is another resource available for parents with young kids — it’s a cost-sharing program that provides funds matched with employer benefits for families with kids under the age of three.

Young parents (up to the age of 21) can use the Crossroads Program , which will help pay a portion of child care and transportation costs so parents can continue their education.

The fourth thing is help with food . Families can apply for free or reduced-price meals through the school. Families do not need to be participating in SNAP, TANF, or FDIR to qualify — however if families are receiving benefits from them, kids can get free meals regardless of household income.

Families can apply for SNAP and TANF here , but families who want to apply for FDPIR should contact their Tribal Food Distribution Program.

Another resource is the Mental Health Program Directory , which can be used to find tailored services by location and other details. It includes program information, names, addresses, and phone numbers.

A sixth resource includes preventive care through the ND Medicaid Health Tracks Benefit — a benefit that covers well-child checks, hearing and vision screenings, immunizations, dental care, behavioral health screenings, and other health services who kids under 20 who qualify. To make an appointment, parents can contact their medical provider or their local public health unit .

The final resource is Parents Lead — which has several resources for parents, caregivers, and professionals who work with kids to support them.

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