One of the benefits of being part of an amazing national organization is the easy access to us from trusted and sound sources. The following pages on the MHA National web site have a multitude (but not overwhelming) pages to help you navigate the current health situation with the Coronavirus/COVID-19.
- COVID-19 Information And Mental Health Resources
- Managing Stress and Anxiety related to COVID-19
- Coronavirus And Mental Health: Statement From Paul Gionfriddo, President And CEO Of Mental Health America
As mentioned in the pages cited above, the CDC and SAMHSA have some great information as well:
- From the CDC — Key Facts: A succinct guide of five tips. Know the facts about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and help stop the spread of rumors.
- From SAMHSA — Taking Care of Your Behavioral Health During an Infectious Disease Outbreak — Tips for Social Distancing, Quarantine, and Isolation: This fact sheet explains social distancing, quarantine, and isolation in the event of an infectious disease outbreak. It discusses feelings and thoughts that may arise during this time and suggests ways to cope and support oneself during such an experience.
As updates, restrictions, and new information is released, we encourage you to reference these sites first:
- The CDC’s Main page on the Coronavirus (COVID-19) – The United State’s Center for Disease Control’s primary web site for this pandemic.
- The WHO’s information on the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak — The World Health Organization’s treasure trove of facts, fact sheets, links, up-to-date news and press releases.
- Indiana State’s Department of Health site — Indiana 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Hotlines and Texting Options:
With specific focus on Mental Health, Indiana’s Department of Mental Health and Addiction (DMHA) recommends that Hoosiers feeling distress or anxiety due to the pandemic call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA’s) Disaster Distress Helpline at 800-985-5990. This hotline provides live crisis counseling and is toll-free, multi-lingual and confidential. A text option is also available: Text “TalkWithUs” to 66746 to connect with a trained crisis counselor.
The Crisis Text Line connects every texter with a Crisis Counselor, a real-life human being trained to bring texters from a hot moment to a cool calm through active listening and collaborative problem solving. Text “MHA” or “Home” to 741741.
And if you have a hard time navigating the information and want to talk to someone local (and are not in a crisis situation), feel free to contact our office… we’re here for you!
