Mar 28, 2024

Mental Health Support During COVID-19

These resources have been contributed and curated by over 100 leaders in Minnesota and upper Midwest healthcare systems, mental health agencies, county and state agencies, and others. The group’s goal is to quickly organize and mobilize support for our physicians, nurses, and other staff on the frontlines of COVID-19 crisis response.

How Systems Can Help Their Workers: Planning & Development Infrastructure

• Click here for advice about Managing Healthcare Workers’ Stress Associated with the COVID-19 Virus Outbreak from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs
• Click here for a Behavioral Health Emergency Plan Template for Health Care Organizations from the Missouri Department of Mental Health. (Template begins on page 30.)
• Click here for ASPR TRACIE Modules: Disaster Behavioral Health for Healthcare Workers.
• Click here for findings of a study on the Framework for “Psychological” Consequences for Disaster Preparedness and Response.

How Systems Can Help Their Workers: Training

Psychological First Aid

• Click here for a primer on Psychological First Aid.
• Click here for instructions for training staff on Psychological First Aid.
• Click here for a guide to conducting Psychological First Aid.
• Click here for a mobile app to help in delivering Psychological First Aid: PFA Mobile.
• Two free online training sources: PFA Online from National Child Traumatic Stress Network
  and PFA Training from John Hopkins University
• And a PFA tutorial from the University of Minnesota

How Systems Can Help Their Workers: Counseling and Referrals

Hotlines

• NEW - COVID Cares: Offering 20-minute sessions with a mental health professionally, available specifically for frontline COVID-19 workers. Click here for info.
• Minnesota Warmline: 877-404-3190 or text “support” to 85511
• Crisis Text Line: Text “MN” to 741741
• Minnesota Mobile Mental Health Crisis Line: Call **CRISIS (**274747)
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

Referral Resource

• Fasttracker MN, linking people to mental health and substance use services.

Support Groups

• Click here to learn about NAMI peer and family support groups

How Workers Can Get Help Themselves: Tips

• Click here for mental health tips for emergency responders from the CDC.
• Click here for additional advice on stress and coping during the COVID-19 outbreak from the CDC.
• Click here for mental health coping strategies during COVID-19 from NAMI.
• Click here for guidelines on supporting mental well-being during COVID-19 from the MN Department of Health.
• Click here for resources for managing COVID-19 anxiety from the Anxiety and Depression Association of America.
• Click here for guidance on managing anxiety and environment during COVID-19 from Magellan Health.
• Click here for an ebook about responding effectively to the COVID-19 crisis from Coronado Student and Family Enrichment.
• Click here for at-a-glance information about health care provider mental well-being during COVID-19 from the University of Colorado.
• Click here for resources to support coping from the Suicide Prevention Resource Center.

How Workers Can Get Help Themselves: Free Apps for Healthcare

• Click here for the Ten Percent Happier app, offering free membership for 6 months. Code: HEALTHCARE
• Click here for the Headspace app which provides guided meditation for providers and others.
• Click here for the Insight Timer app of guided meditations for sleep, anxiety and stress.
• Click here for the down dog yoga apps for health care providers.

How Workers Can Get Help Themselves: Podcasts/Blogs

• Click here for the Make it OK Campaign’s Depression & Social Distancing Podcast.
• Click here for the Coronavirus Sanity Guide podcasts from Ten Percent Happier.
• Click here for The Happiness Lab’s podcast episodes on maintaining well-being during the COVID-19 outbreak.