Resources for the General Public

Colorado Psychiatric Society
COVID-19 Resource List for the General Public

UPDATED May 12, 2021

 

Key Resources


CDC Website on COVID-19


Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment COVID-19


Governor’s Facebook Page. Also see the
November 2020 COVID-19 Response Update from the Office of Governor Jared Polis (download)


COVID-19
REGION 8 HHS and FEMA COVID-19 RESOURCE DOCUMENT.pdf (download) (6-15-20)


HHS Protect Public Data Hub

 

Self-care Resources

9News - Warrior Way: Prioritizing women's mental health during COVID - Features CPS Member Patricia Westmoreland on ways to manage stress during the pandemic (4-7-21) 
DakotaCarter.com - A Tale of Two Pandemics: Solutions for Mental Health Challenges in the Era of COVID-19 - Blog post by CPS Member Dakota Carter - includes 5 solutions that we as individuals can take to mitigate our stress and fight back against mental health challenges we are facing at this moment (4-15-21) 
CNN - Reduce risk of severe Covid with regular activity, study says. Here's how to get in 22 minutes of exercise daily (4-13-21) 
UC Santa Cruz - 3 Minutes Moving - a collection of 3 minute videos to help people add movement to their desk-bound day (check out Seaweed Spine)
TED - The 7 types of rest that every person needs (1-6-21) 
NYT - The Other Side of Languishing Is Flourishing. Here’s How to Get There - Research shows that the pandemic took a toll on our overall well-being and left many of us drained. Here are seven simple steps to get you thriving again (5-4-21). Also see NYT - There’s a Name for the Blah You’re Feeling: It’s Called Languishing - The neglected middle child of mental health can dull your motivation and focus — and it may be the dominant emotion of 2021 (4-19-21)
Greater Good Magazine - How Pandemic Fatigue Made Us Antisocial COVID-19 took a toll on our relationships. Understanding why might help us come back together (3-30-21)
5280 - Why It Won’t Be Easy for Us All to Feel Connected Again as the Pandemic Winds Down The past 12 months highlighted how important relational connection is for our mental health. Here's how you can prioritize it in the wake of COVID-19 (3-16-21)
The Atlantic - Late-Stage Pandemic Is Messing With Your Brain We have been doing this so long, we’re forgetting how to be normal (3-8-21)
HuffPost - 11 Mental Health Resources To Help You Through The COVID-19 Pandemic Therapists share some free or inexpensive tools to use when coping with coronavirus stress (3-8-21)
NYT - It’s OK to Grieve for the Small Losses of a Lost Year Disenfranchised Grief in a Year of Pandemic Losses (3-15-21)
KevinMD - The overlooked factors driving weight gain in the pandemic (3-20-21)

Calm - 8 Practical Strategies for Work-From-Home Resilience

Stanford - Stanford researchers identify four causes for ‘Zoom fatigue’ and their simple fixes (2-23-21) and Stanford-  “Zoom Exhaustion and Fatigue Scale” questionnaire

NYT -‘Nobody Has Openings’: Mental Health Providers Struggle to Meet Demand With anxiety and depression on the rise during the pandemic, it has been challenging for people to get the help they need (2-17-21)

CNN - The rise of the fake commute, and why it's good for your mental health (1-18-21)

Huffpost - 10 Ways Therapists Are Practicing Self-Care In 2021 Here's how mental health experts are staying healthy, reducing stress and anxiety, and prioritizing themselves after the hell of 2020 (1-7-2021)

Vox - How to make this winter not totally suck, according to psychologists This one idea may help you conquer pandemic winter (12-21-20)

Colorado Mental Wellness Network - #IsolationHacks - very brief videos (under 30 seconds) posted daily with tips and examples of how to practice self care

USA Today - That feeling you can't name? It's called emotional exhaustion - The second part of the article includes useful suggestions for setting boundaries and replenishing your “tank.” (1-12-2021)

CDC - Holidays and Stress - Being away from family and friends during the holidays can be hard. When you talk with your friends and family about plans, it’s okay if you decide to stay home and remain apart from others. Doing what’s best for you includes eating healthy foods and getting enough sleep. Take care of your body and stay active to lessen fatigue, anxiety, and sadness (12-14-20)

TED Ideas - Feeling lonely this holiday season? You can still make it special — some practical advice (12-17-20). Also see HuffPost - 11 Little Things To Do When You're Feeling Lonely During The Holidays - The coronavirus pandemic is causing isolation from family and friends this year. Here's how to cope if your mental health is suffering (12-14-20)

Washington Post - For many with eating disorders, pandemic set off ‘cascade of problems.’ Here’s how to get help (12-14-20)

Washington Post - How to keep your sadness from turning into depression (11-29-20)

Mayo Clinic - Discover Gratitude  - Join Mayo Clinic Health System for a free, month-long self-guided virtual program to help you improve your mental well-being through daily journaling

The American Psychiatric Association knows there has been concern about the election and in particular the prospect of violence or unrest following the outcome. We live in turbulent times as Americans must manage everything that is happening around us: from the COVID-19 pandemic, the economy, unrest caused by police brutality and general anxiety surrounding the election. To bring attention this, the APA has posted a blog with resources at  https://tinyurl.com/yxefbtw3.

NYT - How to Deal With Quarantine-Induced Social Anxiety - Yes, you can enjoy socializing again. But it might take a little effort (11-12-2020)

FACE COVID”​ (Dr. Russ Harris, author of The Happiness Trap) - Practical steps based on Acceptance & Commitment Therapy
F = Focus on what’s in your control
A = Acknowledge your thoughts & feelings
C = Come back into your body
E = Engage in what you’re doing

C = Committed action
O = Opening up
V = Values
I = Identify resources
D = Disinfect & distance

Rad Resilience - Nikita Gupta Workshop Self-Care Toolkit (download)

Washington Post - Adaptability may be your most essential skill in the covid-19 world. Here's how to cultivate it. (5-26-20)

HuffPost - 8 Tricks Sleep Experts Use When 2020 Anxiety Keeps Them Awake - The COVID-19 pandemic, election, racial injustice and more have made this year hell. Here's how the pros get rest during it all (10-20-20)

NYT - What Scandinavians Can Teach Us About Embracing Winter - In the pandemic, rather than feeling depressed that the arrival of cold weather will mean you’ll be isolated indoors, try adopting a positive winter mind-set (10-15-20)

MSN - Feel like you’re losing control of life? Psychiatrist shares her advice (5 min video) (10-14-20)

NPR - Sleepless Nights, Hair Loss and Cracked Teeth: Pandemic Stress Takes Its Toll (10-14-20)

Washington Post -  Losing your motivation to exercise as the pandemic drags on? Here’s how to get it back (5/12/20)

Take a Self-Compassion Break

Headspace - Headspace Plus is now FREE for every unemployed person in the US. An app for users to discover meditation and mindfulness tools to help feel less stressed, more resilient, and kinder to yourself.

Stuck at Home? How to Find Awe and Beauty Indoors - During quarantine, you can gain a sense of perspective by discovering what's wondrous in the clutter of your home.

That Discomfort You’re Feeling Is Grief

“Virtual room of Refuge” - lots of different options offered, such as meditation, music, humor, stretches…
Teen Vogue - How to Talk to People Who Won't Wear Face Masks Shame won't work. Empathy is a smarter approach: Acknowledge what people dislike about masks, instead of telling them to stop whining (7-8-20)
Washington Post - The pandemic is ruining our sleep. Experts say ‘coronasomnia’ could imperil public health (9-3-20)
For Like Minds - Coronavirus Peer Support Group - online peer support community dedicated to the recovery and wellness of people living with or supporting someone with mental illness, substance use, or a stressful life event.
KOAA - Getting help with the stress of uncertainty during a pandemic with CPS Member John Fleming, MD (7-23-20)
Today - How to mentally cope if you're living with your parents again during the pandemic Here's how to handle tensions and arguments between parents and young adult children who have moved back home during the coronavirus pandemic (7-20-20)
NYT - 8 Tips for Writing a Thoughtful Condolence Note Trying to find the words for a condolence note — for someone who’s lost a job or a loved one? (7-17-20)
Eating Recovery Center - Four Square Breathing Meditation (8:30 min video) - detailed instructions of one method of four square breathing
HuffPost - 9 Things Sleep Doctors Would Never Do At Night Before Going To Bed - Experts reveal which bedtime habits to avoid if you want to feel rested in the morning (11-4-20)

Elemental - Your ‘Surge Capacity’ Is Depleted — It’s Why You Feel Awful Here’s how to pull yourself out of despair and live your life (8-16-20)

Washington Post - Time to ditch ‘toxic positivity,’ experts say: ‘It’s okay not to be okay’ (8-19-20)

NYT - Is the Lockdown Making You Depressed, or Are You Just Bored? We shouldn’t pathologize normal unpleasant emotions — which doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do something about them - by psychiatrist Richard Friedman who spoke at the CPS Spring Meeting (8-21-20)

NYT - When can I see my grandkids (or, for that matter, my grandparents or aging parents)? (5-20-20)

NYT - Tired of WFH neck or back pain? These three stretches may help.

CNN - Smoking weed and coronavirus: Even occasional use raises risk of COVID-19 complications

WebMD - The Importance of Physical Activity During the Pandemic - Consider “activity snacks” where you can sneak in movement throughout the day.

NYT - Five-Minute Coronavirus Stress Resets How to get unstuck from your anxiety (8-6-20)

Yale Medicine - Taking Your 'Mental Health' Temperature During COVID-19 Strong emotions during the pandemic are normal, but some may find that their reactions grow worse over t Yale doctors offer strategies for coping. Also see free app highlighted in article - COVID Coach includes mindfulness exercises, mood trackers, and other tools.

CNBC - Covid-19 isn’t going away — 6 ways to stay calmer and happier long-term

MHA - Mental Health and COVID-19 Information and Resources

Montefiore-Einstein Virtual Support Center - Coping and Emotional Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic - See the Wellness and Self-Care, Emotional Health and Coping, and Minorities pages.

PsychNews -Psychological First Aid in Time of COVID-19 - including the COVID Coach app, created for everyone to support self-care and overall mental health during the pandemic (8-4-20)

KevinMD - Pandemic dysphoria and pandemic paralysis: How to get through it (8-17-20)

NBC - COVID-19 losses and uncertainty have led to a mental health crisis. Here's how to help. Nearly one-third of Americans are experiencing symptoms of depression or anxiety. Recognizing when and how to help is key to getting assistance (8-2-20)

KHN - Nearly Half Of Americans Delayed Medical Care Due To Pandemic

HuffPost - How To Create A Morning Routine That Reduces Anxiety And Stress The self-care rituals you practice in the morning can improve your mental health for the rest of the day (9-16-20)

NYT - What My Sled Dogs Taught Me About Planning for the Unknown (9-23-20)

HealthFlix - a series of free online classes from international leaders in health, wellbeing, psychology and lifestyle, designed to help us all cope in this time of global crisis and beyond.

University of Michigan Dept of Psychiatry - Importance of Physical Activity and Exercise during the COVID-19 Pandemic

USA TODAY's Staying Apart, Together - How to not feel powerless in the fight against COVID (7-11-20) Texting a friend who lives alone is doing something. Ordering takeout from a local restaurant is something. Donating to a food bank or a mutual aid fund is something. Video chatting with your grandparents is something.

MHCD - Watch a five-minute guided meditation led by CPS member Dr. Carl Clark. For closed captioning in English, press the small CC button in the lower right-hand corner of the video screen.

University of Colorado - Mind The Brain Podcast with CPS Member Dr. Neill Epperson, Chair of the Department of Psychiatry - Sleep and Stress During COVID-19 (7-16-20). You can listen to episodes by clicking “full story” and “listen” in each written version of the podcasts.

University of Colorado - Mind The Brain Podcast with CPS Member Dr. Neill Epperson, Chair of the Department of Psychiatry - Reversing the Cycle of Depression Through Action (6-30-20). Drs. Neill Epperson and Sona Dimidjian discuss behavioral activation and how it can be helpful when struggling with depression. You can listen to episodes by clicking “full story” and “listen” in each written version of the podcasts.

VA - New FREE COVID Coach app available - If you’re feeling worried or anxious about your health, safety, loved ones, finances or uncertainty about the future, you are not alone. The new COVID Coach app can help you learn about self-care and improve your mental health during this difficult time.

Mental Health Colorado - FREE resources for self-care

Working Remotely During COVID-19: Your Mental Health & Well-Being - The Center for Workplace Mental Health, an APA Foundation initiative, has a new employer resource on maintaining your mental health and well-being while working remotely, what to do if you have a mental health condition, and tips for managers and HR professionals on staying connected and supporting employees during this challenging time.

12 Ideas for Writing Through the Pandemic With The New York Times A dozen writing projects — including journals, poems, comics and more.

Kevin MD - During this terrible pandemic, let’s make compassion go viral

How COVID-19 Layoffs Broke My Confidence, and How Starting a Greenhouse Brought It Back (6-16-20)

The Atlantic - The Three Equations for a Happy Life, Even During a Pandemic “How to Build a Life” is a new column that aims to give you the tools you need to construct a life that feels whole and meaningful.

Ten Percent Happier - Free Access to Ten Percent Happier app for Warehouse Employees, Teachers, Healthcare, Grocery, and Food Delivery Workers

Resilient Colorado - Mindful Minute Cards a collection of printable cards (click the link to print cards front and back) to guide you in brief mindfulness practices.

The Chronicle of Philanthropy - ‘Be Gentle’: How to Stay Healthy Emotionally During Social Isolation (6-2-20)

Feeling hopeless? There are things you can do to create and maintain hope in a post-coronavirus world (6-16-20)

 

Colorado Specific Resources

CPR - Colorado Matters - April 27, 2021: Pandemic PTSD: Understanding Stress & Looking For Solutions - 49 minute audio episode (also available in segments, segment 4 is 15 mins and focuses on coping during the pandemic). What does your pandemic stress look like, if you close your eyes and imagine it? On a special Colorado Matters, we explore how anxiety has increased in the past year, even to the levels of becoming post-traumatic stress disorder. We look toward solutions for coping and overcoming (4-27-21)

CPR - A Mass Shooting During A Pandemic Means More Trauma And Stress. Here’s One Psychologist’s Advice For How To Cope (3-24-21)

The Gazette - Colorado Springs-area children, teens suffer mentally from pandemic pressures (3-21-21)

Colorado Springs Indy - Youth suicide in El Paso County increased by 34 percent in 2020 (3-31-21) 

The Colorado Sun - Coronavirus has taught Colorado school kids one key lesson: resilience They have faced continued uncertainty, lost out on sporting events and missed time with friends. Through it all, kids have learned how to cope - Some kids are doing well (3-5-21)

Fox31 -Kids’ mental health ER visits up during pandemic (3.5 min video and article) Some kids are struggling (3-3-21)

The Colorado Sun -The coronavirus’ toll in Colorado: A year of bottomless grief and relentless division - One out of every 1,000 Coloradans alive at the beginning of the pandemic fell victim to it (3-1-21)

CPR News - In Gunnison, Neighbors Step Up To Support Each Other Amid A Mental Health Crisis Only Made Worse By The Pandemic (3-9-21)

303 Magazine - A Denver Nonprofit is Using Fishing to Connect Men with Mental Health Resources (2-12-21)

CPR - Coloradans Will Not Need ID To Receive COVID Vaccine In Colorado, COVID-19 vaccine providers cannot require people to have proof of identification in order to be inoculated - ​​​Colorado providers can still ask people to give their name, age and address, but those requests cannot dictate whether or not the person will be vaccinated (1-19-21). Also see Center for Health Progress - COVID-19 Vaccine FAQ for Immigrants in Colorado in English or Spanish.

Denverite - Denver got nearly $22 million in federal money for emergency rental assistance. Here’s how you can start applying for some of it - The money will be administered by the city’s Department of Housing Stability with help from local nonprofit organizations - call 311 and select option 6 (1-26-21)

The Colorado Sun - “Hug tent” allows for safe family embraces at Colorado home for the elderly - The tent set up outside Juniper Village at Louisville allowed family members to connect through a 4-millimeter-thick clear plastic barrier (2-5-21)

HCFP - Non-Emergent Medical Transportation (NEMT) - NEMT is a Health First Colorado benefit for Colorado Medicaid members who don't have transportation to medical appointments. It can be used to help patients get vaccinated when they are eligible. NEMT is provided through one transportation broker, IntelliRide. Members and assistors can contact IntelliRide at 1-855-489-4999 or 303-398-2155 (State Relay: 711) or visit their website for more information.

CHI - The Pandemic Behind Bars - COVID-19, Vaccination, and the People in Colorado’s Prisons and Jails - More than 16,000 people have contracted COVID-19 as part of outbreaks at Colorado prisons, jails, and other detention facilities, according to an analysis of state and federal data by the Colorado Health Institute (CHI) (1-28-21)

CPR - On The Fence About COVID Vaccines? These Teens Want To Talk To You - Colorado high schoolers are combining empathy and scientific truth to produce videos aimed at persuading hesitant people to get vaccinated (2-3-21)

The Colorado Sun - Fentanyl overdoses are surging in Colorado as the powerful opioid is disguised as other drugs (2-4-21). Also see Fox31 - Warning: Fentanyl found in street drugs in Boulder County (2-8-21) and Denver7 - Boulder County Health warns about another batch of fentanyl-tainted drugs being sold on the street - Tainted drugs leading to increase in overdoses (2-6-21)

Colorado News Collaborative - What Can’t Be Washed Off: Psychiatrist Absorbs Her Patients’ Pain - Dr. Patricia Westmoreland, psychiatrist at The Medical Center of Aurora, says she, too, is rattled by the string of crises that recently have landed her patients in the hospital. Features CPS Past President Patricia Westmoreland (who previously authored the CPS COVID-19 Resource email articles) (12-11-20). This story is part of a statewide reporting project called On Edge, which aims to foster conversation about mental health in a state where stigma runs high.

9News - People are using Colorado Crisis Services 55% more in 2020 compared to 2017 - A 9Wants to Know analysis found more calls are abandoned and Coloradans are waiting longer to connect with a crisis service specialist since 2017 (12-8-20)

Governor Polis - Gov. Polis and medical and behavioral health officials update on COVID-19 and mental health practices - Watch minutes 22-29 to see presentation by Aimee Voth Siebert, Disaster Behavioral Health lead for CDPHE (12-18-20). Also see CDPHE - Mental health during the holidays.

PATIENTS - COVID-19 Updates & Resources (download) - Comprehensive list of resources, including general information, healthcare resources, information on community mental health centers, crisis services, mental health/substance use online support groups, low-income technology resources, food/housing/financial assistance and more.

Stay Healthy at Home Using Virtual Care - Governor Polis Telehealth Update - The state is making it easier for Coloradans to get care - visit https://healthathome.colorado.gov

CPHP - Comprehensive list of general resources for coping with the current COVID 19 situation in CO

303 Magazine - A Master Guide to Mental Health Resources In and Around Denver (6-18-20)

A Colorado Tenant’s Guide to COVID-19.

Also see NYT - 10 Steps to Take to Try to Prevent Your Own Eviction - Eviction protection programs created in response to the pandemic are expiring across the country. Some federal relief is about to expire. Local assistance is spotty. Congress may not act quickly. Here’s how to get help, or help yourself - The Covid-19 Eviction Defense Project in Denver estimates that 19 million to 23 million Americans are at risk of eviction by the end of September. But as harrowing as eviction is, it’s a process that plays out over weeks, at a minimum. And it may be possible to stop it. (7-11-20)

Food pantry schedule - A listing (download) of over 30 Denver food pantries with hours and contact information. Call 211 to locate additional resources or to confirm information is current.

CDPHE - NEW Statewide Resource: OnwardCO - One-stop resource for the people of Colorado impacted by job loss during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pikes Peak WorkForce Center - #upskill2020 - a variety of free, online, professional training available to help the careers of those whose jobs have been affected by COVID-19. Also see YouScience - aims to help people figure out what they really want to do by using 11 fun brain games to capture real measures of aptitudes (natural abilities most important to career choice)

The Colorado Sun - Opinion - Scientific innovation and trust in experts is our light at the end of the tunnel by Rep. Yadira Caraveo, a Colorado pediatrician (10-4-20)

Denver Workforce Services - RSVP for notifications about upcoming sessions of the “Now Hiring” webinar. If you’re looking for a job, tune in every Wednesday morning from 10am-10:30am to get tips and tricks on interviewing (via phone and online), resume assistance & social media help. Also includes information on new jobs, overview of Workforce Services, virtual job fairs, hiring events and more.

Rocky Mountain Welcome - COVID information in 19 languages specifically for immigrants and refugees in Colorado.

NYT - ‘Clearly, Coloradans have lapsed’: New virus cases are setting records in Colorado (11-2-20). Also see 9News - Here are the Colorado counties that are moving to tighter COVID-19 restrictions - A list of Colorado counties that have recently tightened restrictions due to an uptick in COVID-19 cases. Includes information on Denver’s Home by 10 curfew (updated 11-9-20). Also see the Colorado County COVID-19 dial dashboard (updated daily)

The Denver Foundation and the Colorado Health Institute - RSVP for the New Better: Ethical Leadership to Guide Our Pandemic Recovery Thursday, November 12, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (MST) - The panel discussion will focus on mental health and the impact of social isolation and anxiety brought about by physical distancing and how we will strive to create a new and better society following the COVID-19 pandemic.

5280 Magazine - "What It's Like to Experience Homelessness During a Global Pandemic" Life, loss, fear, and hope in one Denver homeless encampment as the novel coronavirus upended services for some of the city's most vulnerable citizens (10-2020). Also see Colorado Village Collaborative.

Colorado Health Foundation - 2020 Results - Key Takeaways from Conversations with 2,275 Coloradans - Coloradans' Views on COVID-19, Racial Equity and Major Health Issues Facing the State (9-9-20). Learn more at Pulse: The Colorado Health Foundation Poll .

Denver Post - Dating during COVID-19: What you need to know if you're single in Denver (9-17-20)

Governor Jared Polis -  Don’t forget to wear a mask today and wear it correctly!

Governor Polis - Dr. Fauci addresses Colorado - Governor Polis provided an update on the State’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and was joined by America's top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, M.D., National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Director (12-1-20)

Colorado Health Institute - Shifting Hotspots Show Progress, Challenges - See graphic of COVID-19 outbreaks in Colorado by size, date and setting (8-21-20)

Webinar - Colorado House Public Healthcare and Human Services Committee and several behavioral health experts from across the state discuss why behavioral health is so critical during COVID-19 and what this pandemic means for our state moving forward. Hosted by Colorado Representative Dafna Michaelson Jenet.

CDPHE - New guidance released to help schools respond to COVID-19 cases and outbreaks - This case and outbreak guidance, in addition to the school opening guidance, CDE’s toolkit for the 2020-21 school year, and guidance from local public health agencies will provide districts with the information they need to start the school year in a way that makes sense for their local communities. Includes A home checklist for parents and school staff to help parents and staff determine if they or their child should go to school.

 

Reopening and How to Stay Safe

Expansive Heart - The Dread of Returning to “Normal” Life as an HSP or highly sensitive person (4-6-21). Also see NYT - The Pandemic Shrank Our Social Circles. Let’s Keep It That Way - You don’t need to rekindle your friendship with your kid’s soccer teammate’s father if you don’t want to (4-23-21)  

NYT - Afterthoughts - 18 plans and proposals for when we emerge from the pandemic (4-29-21) 

Denver Post - Pandemic recovery: How to start exercising after a year living through a pandemic Getting a health assessment before starting an exercise program, especially for those who have had coronavirus, is advised (4-26-21)

Denver Post - Pandemic recovery: Here are some ways to protect your mental health while returning to post-pandemic life Take it easy when returning to public, social experiences. There’s no reason to rush (4-26-21)

NPR - Coronavirus FAQs: What Should I Do With My Vaccine Card? Is Choir Practice OK Now? (4-2-21) 

ABC News - After a dark and deadly year, COVID-19 vaccines bring renewal, hope to hard-hit nursing homes "It's a breath of fresh air," says a Missouri nursing home administrator (2-24-21)

CNN - Millions have a real fear of needles. Overcoming that is critical for the vaccine rollout  (1-13-2021)

NBC News - How to talk to your friends and family about Covid, vaccines and wearing masks - Experts who study the psychology of pandemics and human behavior say there are ways to prevent squabbles from fracturing relationships beyond repair (12-11-20)

CNBC - CDC now says wearing a mask protects the wearer, too (11-11-20). Also see CDC - Scientific Brief: Community Use of Cloth Masks to Control the Spread of SARS-CoV-2 (11-20-20)

CDC -  Options to Reduce Quarantine for Contacts of Persons with SARS-CoV-2 Infection Using Symptom Monitoring and Diagnostic Testing - this resource applies a scientific lens to choosing a length of quarantine based on risk. The graph may be especially helpful in illuminating the difference between 7, 10 and 14 days of quarantine, and the table below it clarifies how adding a negative test may increase confidence about reducing quarantine from 14 to 10 days (12-2-20)

KHN - Take It From an Expert: Fauci’s Hierarchy of Safety During COVID - interview with KHN Editor-in-Chief Elisabeth Rosenthal, Anthony Fauci (11-19-20). The full interview can be heard in a KHN ‘What the Health? podcast episode - What Would Dr. Fauci Do? (21 minute podcast and transcript)

JAMA - Risk of COVID-19 During Air Travel (10-1-20)

JAMA - Current and COVID-19 Challenges With Childhood and Adolescent Sleep (9-28-20)

KUNC - CDPHE Advises Getting Creative With Tricks And Treats This Halloween What’s the best way for your family to celebrate Halloween this year? The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is urging Coloradans to follow health and safety protocols now so as to avoid a COVID-19 spike at the end of the month (10-8-20)

Washington Post - CDC expands definition of who is a ‘close contact’ of an individual with covid-19 - The new guidance is likely to have the biggest impact on schools, workplaces and other group settings since more people are likely to be considered at risk (10-21-20)

APA Foundation - Virtual Town Hall: Mentally-Healthy Schools in Times of a Pandemic August 19th from 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm MT, free of charge - psychiatric experts will participate in a candid discussion about what to consider when choosing to return to the classroom, how to keep both students and staff safe and mentally healthy, how to notice changes in behavior that might indicate a need for support, and how communities can address barriers preventing youth from receiving mental health care.

The Mayo Clinic - COVID-19 safety tips for travel, restaurants, the gym, and more

KevinMD - In the rush to get back to school, let’s not forget teachers’ mental health (9-3-20)

NEJM - Challenges of “Return to Work” in an Ongoing Pandemic (6-18-20)

CDC Launches Natural Disasters and COVID-19 Response Website that includes information on preparedness and recovery during the COVID-19 response and what the general public can do to keep themselves safe.

CO Mask Mandate - Executive Order D 2020 138 is a mandatory statewide mask order that went into effect at midnight on July 16, 2020, and will be in effect for 30 days. It may be extended. Also see CPR - Colorado Mask Order: When Do I Need To Wear A Face Covering? (And More Mask Questions Answered) and CDPHE - Questions & answers about the mask order.

HuffPost - 5 Sneaky Signs Your Kid Is Anxious About Going Back To School From outbursts to changes in imaginative play, here's what to look for (8-6-20)

WebMD - Coronavirus in Context: Why "Caution Fatigue" May Be Causing More COVID Cases (8 minute video and transcript)

NYT - 5 Things We Know About Flying Right Now As passengers cautiously return to air travel, there are a few issues worth considering — from middle-seat policies to questions about virus transmission on airlines (8-20-20). Also see CDC page on Travel during the COVID-19 Pandemic (updated 8-26-20)

If you want to protest, how can you protect yourself from the coronavirus while doing so? An infectious-disease physician shares advice on how to demonstrate in crowds of thousands and do your part to limit the spread at the same time.

The Washington Post - Covid-19 etiquette: A comprehensive guide (9-10-20)

PsychNews - Asian American Hate Incidents: A Co-occurring Epidemic During COVID-19 (6-1-20) How to Handle an Attack or Threat - For People Who Feel at Risk and For Witnesses

Washington Post - What to know about the coronavirus and summertime activities (6-20-20) Is it possible to safely see friends again? How to have a judgment-free conversation about it. (5-28-20). Also see Washington Post: Four Concepts to Assess your Personal Risk as the U.S. Reopens (5-21-20), NEJM -“Is It Safe for Me to Go to Work?” Risk Stratification for Workers during the Covid-19 Pandemic (5-26-20), and CDC - People Who Are at Higher Risk for Severe Illness from COVID-19.

NPR - Is It Safe To Go To The Beach? Camp? Eat Out? Here's How To Evaluate The Risks (5-23-2020)

Westword - What If I Hate Masks? Top 20 COVID Covering Questions, Expert Answers (6-19-20)

NYT - How to Navigate Your Community Reopening? Remember the Four C’s - Close contact, confined spaces, crowds, choices — these are the considerations to ponder now. Also see this video on the Japanese model to Prevent the Spread: Avoid “Three Cs” to prevent infection.

KFF - What Options Exist If You’ve Lost Job-based Health Insurance? (Video) (6-17-20)

HuffPost -Why You’re Having Anxiety Over Lockdown Ending, And How To Cope As coronavirus restrictions lift and states begin to reopen, therapists say there are things you can do to manage your anxiety and stress about the transition. (6-10-20)

PBS - This chart can help you weigh coronavirus risks this summer

NYT - 5 Rules to Live By During a Pandemic

American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA). Back to Work Safely guidance for retail stores, restaurants, hair and nail salons, construction sites, small offices, gyms and workout facilities, in home services, and ride shares.

Here's what type of face mask you should be wearing, according to CDC (video and article) - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) gave more guidance Monday on the public’s use of cloth face masks in stopping the spread of COVID-19 (7-6-20)

The Atlantic - A Devastating New Stage of the Pandemic (6-25-20)

The Atlantic - Our Minds Aren’t Equipped for This Kind of Reopening As states ease restrictions on businesses, individuals face a psychological morass (7-6-20)

CDC - Resources in American Sign Language (videos)

Thinking Together: Don't Touch Your Face - Tips from a Habit Reversal Therapist!

Washington Post - Poor mental health and isolation can take a toll on your immune system. (3-31-20)

CDPHE - Guidance for Coloradans on Places of worship (updated 6-4-20) and Outdoor recreation (updated 6-6-20)

CDC - Protect Yourself When Running Errands

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released six "decision trees" to help businesses, workplaces, schools, camps, transit, and other communities decide whether it is safe to reopen

 

Resources for Families and Children

SAMHSA - Prevention Progress: Helping Communities Talk, Even During a Pandemic - resources for communities to communicate about underage drinking during the pandemic (4-1-21)  

JAMA - Adolescents’ Substance Use and Physical Activity Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic (5-3-2021)

JAMA - Youth-Initiated Mentoring as a Scalable Approach to Addressing Mental Health Problems During the COVID-19 Crisis (4-28-21)

NPR - The Viral TikTok That Explains Vaccine Science — And Makes You Laugh (4-1-21)

CDC - How to talk about COVID-19 vaccines with friends and family (3-18-21)

NYT - Surge of Student Suicides Pushes Las Vegas Schools to Reopen Firmly linking teen suicides to school closings is difficult, but rising mental health emergencies and suicide rates point to the toll the pandemic lockdown is taking (1-24-21)

CDC - New Toolkit for Pregnant People and New Parents - The CDC’s latest COVID-19 resource offers information on pregnancy, breastfeeding, and caring for infants during COVID-19 (2-8-21)

NYT - The Primal Scream, a series that examines the pandemic’s effect on working mothers in America. America’s Mothers Are in Crisis - Is anyone listening to them? Its not just the working from home, the record unemployment or the remote schooling. This is a mental health crisis too. Also see This isn’t burnout, it’s betrayal - a psychiatrist suggests ways moms can fight back when the system is stacked against them  - Includes suggestions on what to do including recognizing that these problems are systemic (2-4-21)

NPR - 'I Vaccinated Santa Claus,' Fauci Tells Kids (12-19-20)

Time - How to Talk to Your Kids About Celebrating the Holidays During COVID-19, According to Experts - Includes a reminder not to dismiss kids’ disappointment - “It’s very easy for us who are going through the global pandemic, dealing with financial stress and the uncertainty about our health, to judge and minimize our kids’ reactions. And that would be a mistake” (12-8-20) 

Essie Justice Group Lives on the Line: Women with Incarcerated Loved Ones and the Impact of COVID-19 Behind Bars (download) - Report explores the impact COVID-19 has had on women whose loved ones are incarcerated - Fifty-two percent of survey respondents reported that their incarcerated loved one has at least one “high-risk” underlying health condition, 33% noted that their loved one’s attorney meetings have been canceled due to the pandemic, and 62% said their loved ones were scared of losing their lives to COVID-19 while incarcerated. Also see CPR - ‘Of Course, It Feels Unsafe’: Colorado Prisons Face Staffing Crisis As Hundreds Of Guards, Inmates Sickened (12-17-20)

NYT - The Psychic Toll of a Pandemic Pregnancy - Women who had Covid while expecting experienced guilt, shame and unhealthy levels of stress  (12-14-20)

National Child Traumatic Stress Network: Parent/Caregiver Guide to Helping Families Cope With the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) – Common reactions by age group and the best ways to respond (download)

How To Care For Your Kids' Mental Health During The COVID-19 Pandemic (download)

Parenting amid COVID-19_ Expert tips on how to help kids at home (download)

The Smithsonian, in collaboration with Science for Global Goals, is providing a resource on COVID-19 to help young people understand the disease and how to keep safe, and it will address mental health concerns possibly caused by the pandemic. There are different versions for grade levels 3-8 and it is available in over 15 languages.

Consider these ways to reframe COVID-19 to speak with youth and manage stress and anxiety - short article by CCAPS member Chris Thurstone

New video from CCAPS and Smart CO: Tips for Parents about Healthy Behavior Modeling in Challenging Times -  In response to a surge in marijuana sales, the Colorado Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Society partnered with Smart Colorado to create a video with helpful tips for parents. See the interview with CAP Fellow Steven Solomon here.

HuffPost - Create A Mental Health Shelf – And 8 Other Tips To Calm Anxious Kids Children showed an increase in mental health issues during lockdown. Here's how parents can help (7-31-20)

If you want to protest, how can you protect yourself from the coronavirus while doing so? An infectious-disease physician shares advice on how to demonstrate in crowds of thousands and do your part to limit the spread at the same time.

APAF - Virtual Town Hall: What do Disruptive Behaviors Indicate? October 21st, 2020 from 6-7pm MT (8:00-9:00 pm ET). A discussion about what disruptive behaviors in youth mean, how to approach those behaviors as parents, school staff, and adults in communities, and how it relates to the School-to-Prison Pipeline. Also see What do Disruptive Behaviors Indicate? (download) a recently released resource that will guide the conversation.

HuffPost - How To Teach Kids To Cope With Uncertainty - COVID-19. The election. 2020 has brought one unknown after the next. So how can we raise kids who are experts at living with uncertainty? (11-06-20)

American Psychiatric Association Foundation - Register for Mentally-Healthy Families in Times of a Pandemic - December 2, 2020 from 6-7 pm MTY (8-9pm ET) - During this virtual town hall, our psychiatric experts will participate in a candid discussion to help parents and caregivers recognize common signs of stress, learn ways to manage stress, and explore examples of how you can plan stress relief activities for your family. This town hall also features a newly released resource on Notice. Talk. Act. at Home: Coping Skills (download) – a resource to help parents and caregivers stay mentally healthy through the public health emergency. Audience: The general public, including parents of younger children, caregivers of older adults, and others

Greater Good Magazine - Why Is the Pandemic So Hard on Young People? Research suggests that young people are more stressed, anxious, and depressed than other age groups during COVID-19 (11-30-20)

Washington Post - How to talk to loved ones when you’re worried about their mental health (12-1-20). Also see The Scholarly Kitchen - Guest Post — A Conversation about the Reality of Neurodiversity- a stigma-busting video discussion between two women in the publishing industry, one with dyslexia and the other with bipolar disorder. It includes reflection on how the pandemic has added further complexity to managing their neurodiversities, as well as valuable information about combatting shame, and advice to managers who supervise people with neurodiverse qualities (12-3-20)

Mass General Perinatal and Reproductive Psychiatry Program- Resource: A Woman’s Guide to Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period During the COVID-19 Pandemic

GoNoodle on YouTube - Melting Flow - Practice melting away that icky frozen feeling you get when you're scared, frustrated, or angry (3.5 min video)

JAMA - Current and COVID-19 Challenges With Childhood and Adolescent Sleep (9-28-20)

MedPage Today - Don't Bring COVID Home for the Holidays — Essential steps for college students to see family safely (11-2-20)

MedPage Today - CNN - Lifetime Experiences Help Older Adults Build Resilience to Pandemic Trauma (10-6-20). Also see The Journals of Gerontology - Age Differences in Risk and Resilience Factors in COVID-19-Related Stress (8-3-20, online ahead of print)

 

LA Times - Isolation, confusion: What the COVID-19 pandemic is like for people with dementia (8-18-20)

CDC - COVID-19 Parental Resources Kit Ensuring Children and Young People’s Social, Emotional, and Mental Well-being Includes resources by age group: Early Childhood (0-5y); Childhood (6-12y); Adolescence (13-17y); Young Adulthood (18-24y) (Updated 8-20-20)

 NYT - 5 Ways Families Can Prepare as Coronavirus Cases Surge - As winter approaches, we still need to be vigilant about taking precautions (10-19-20)

NYT - How to Help Your Child Wear a Mask There are ways you can help make wearing one more tolerable, like adjusting the straps for a better fit, sewing it onto a baseball cap or headband, or distracting children with bubble gum or toys while you slip it on. (8-19-20)

HuffPost -  7 Ways To Help Your Kids Practice Social Skills In Distance Learning Parents can teach their children these skills at home during the coronavirus pandemic. (7-31-2020)

HuffPost - 5 Questions Parents Should Ask Before A Coronavirus Pandemic Play Date (7-1-20)

Articles on reopening schools - Why a pediatric group is pushing to reopen schools this fall Guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics encourage “having students physically present in school.” Dr. Sean O’Leary, an author of that advice, explains why. Also see NPR - U.S. Pediatricians Call For In-Person School This Fall (6-29-20) and NYT - Research Shows Students Falling Months Behind During Virus Disruptions The abrupt switch to remote learning wiped out academic gains for many students in America, and widened racial and economic gaps. Catching up in the fall won’t be easy (6-5-20)

University of Colorado - Mind The Brain Podcast, moderated by CPS Member Dr. Neill Epperson, Chair of the Department of Psychiatry - What Brain Science Can Teach Us About Adolescent Stress and Resilience (7-22-20). You can listen to episodes by clicking “full story” and “listen” in each written version of the podcasts.

NYT - School’s Out. Parental Burnout Isn’t Going Away and Eight families on the brink of collapse share how they’ll fill their kids’ days. (6-23-20)

NPR - What Parents Can Learn From Child Care Centers That Stayed Open During Lockdowns (6-24-20)

KHN - How Families Are Keeping Halloween From Turning Into a COVID Nightmare Quotes Dr. Heather Isaacson, a Colorado pediatrician who served in a focus group for a CCAPS project (9-23-20)

CDPHE - Outdoor visitation guidance for residential care facilities

Letters Against Isolation - Send Self-Isolating Seniors Letters to Brighten Their Days!

NPR - How To Care For Older People In The Pandemic (And A Printable Guide!) (article, minibook download and 4 minute audio) (9-4-20)

NAMI COVID-19 Resource and Information Guide (La Guía COVID-19)

Four tips for parents and caregivers when talking to their children - video by COACT Colorado (a program of OBH, in collaboration with Children’s Hospital Colorado, Partners for Children’s Mental Health and the Kempe Center) on how to better understand what children are feeling during the pandemic and ways parents and caregivers can teach valuable coping skills during the crisis.

American Academy of Pediatrics - Talking to and Supporting Children During a Pandemic - This webinar discusses effective communication strategies for clinicians in general and specifically ways to talk to and support children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Strategies to help parents communicate with their children are also included.

NYT - As Playgrounds Start to Reopen, Here’s How to Keep Kids Safe (6-11-20)

The Hospitalist - COVID-19: Use these strategies to help parents with and without special needs children (6-5-20)

Bingo Card 1 and Bingo Card 2 for Youth - To encourage youth to do their part, CDPHE has put together stay-at-home BINGO cards to fill out and post in Instagram or Facebook Stories, using the hashtags #DoingMYPARTCO and #InActionHero.

Depression Center: Parent Support Through the Corona Virus – An online parenting support group to help parents in our community as they cope with the pandemic, home schooling, and other causes of anxiety. Archived videos available here.

Will the Pandemic Have a Lasting Effect on My Kids? - Research on wars, natural disasters, and other crises reveals how to protect our children’s mental health (5-18-2020)

4 Life Skills Parents Can Teach Kids Amid The Coronavirus Pandemic Yes, kids are missing out on so much right now. But they're also learning some pretty big life lessons during lockdown (04/23/2020)

While the stay-at-home order is critical for fighting COVID-19, it also can make an already unsafe situation even more volatile. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24 hours a day in more than 200 languages at 1-800-799-SAFE or text LOVEIS to 22522. This national hotline will connect you to local resources. They can help you plan to stay safe no matter what your situation is, even if you can't leave. Also see Violence Free Colorado list of Domestic Violence Programs in Colorado.

Explore the Outdoors! 8 Outdoor Activities That Are Good for Your Family’s Mind and Body

AACAP - How to Prepare for a Video Appointment with Your Mental Health Clinician (download)

Washington Post - 5 pieces of advice to help manage postpartum depression during coronavirus (5-25-20)

Times are Strange, but Uncertainty is Nothing New: Managing COVID-19 When You or a Loved One Has OCD by CPS’s Rachel Davis (6-16-20)

Supporting Individuals with Autism Through Uncertain Times (UNC Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute Autism Team) (download)

KHN - States Allow In-Person Nursing Home Visits As Families Charge Residents Die ‘Of Broken Hearts’ (7-13-20). Also see Social isolation: The COVID-19 pandemic's hidden health risk for older adults, and how to manage it (7-6-20); USA Today - Are you worried about your elderly parents? 8 tips to help seniors stay mentally acute in isolation (7-15-20); and AARP - 7 Ways to Boost Your Loved One's Morale During the Coronavirus Epidemic.

 

Activities for Adults, Families and Children

Washington Post - Creative coping - Pet chickens, pink hair, an old plane: Here’s what’s keeping readers going through the pandemic (3-29-21)

5280 - The Country’s First Drone Soccer League Takes Flight in Colorado (03-21)

Slate - All the Presidents’ Pets - A cat named Miss Pussy. A virulently racist parrot. A pair of possums, which were later eaten for dinner. All the best—and worst!—presidential pets in American history, ranked (1-31-21)

NYT - Why You Should Brave the ‘Bad’ Weather - My British upbringing taught me that socializing outdoors shouldn’t stop when rain falls and temperatures drop (11-7-20)

NYT - Why You Should Brave the ‘Bad’ Weather - My British upbringing taught me that socializing outdoors shouldn’t stop when rain falls and temperatures drop (11-7-20)

Orchestrating Change - feature-length documentary that tells the inspiring story of the only orchestra in the world created by and for people with mental illness. Watch the trailer or watch preview scenes, learn more and read reviews on the website.

Playbill - Schedule of Upcoming and Current Free Live Stream Broadcasts - a list of current and upcoming free live streams of stage productions (12-21-20)

USA Today - Worlds align this winter solstice: Look for Jupiter, Saturn in skies this December - “You’d have to go all the way back to just before dawn on March 4, 1226, to see a closer alignment between these objects visible in the night sky.” (12-3-20)


APA - Learn about Stigma, Prejudice and Discrimination Against People with Mental Illness -  new resource page designed for patients and families and the public at large, reviews the facts on stigma, including the various types and their harmful effects, and then shares ways to address it.
Also see Mental Health Colorado - “You’re not alone” are the three simple but powerful words that Denver Bronco Austin Fort wore on his cleats Sunday (12-6-20)

Also see NYT - I Achieved My Wildest Dreams. Then Depression Hit (5 min 30 sec video) I’d spent my life training for the Olympics, but I wasn’t prepared for what came next - Elite athletes and coaches should be trained to monitor mental health as much as physical injuries, argues Alexi Pappas, an Olympic runner who shares her own struggles with depression in a new video (12-7-20)

NYT - How to Have a Fully Remote Family Thanksgiving - Skipping travel this year to stop the spread of Covid-19? Here’s how to digitally reimagine the holiday, from meal prep to after-dinner activities (11-18-20)

Denver Post - There’s still one way you can see “The Nutcracker” in Colorado this Christmas season - Rocky Mountain PBS will broadcast “The Nutcracker” on Thursday, Nov. 26 – 7pm; Friday, Nov. 27 – 3pm; Friday, Dec. 18 – 9pm; Saturday, Dec. 19 – 1am; Thursday Dec. 24 – 7pm; Friday Dec. 25 – 12am. It will also be available via the RMPBS app (11-22-20). Also see Hip Hop Nutcracker Denver - Livestream + On Demand - Dec 22nd at 7pm.

National Geographic - How art helps us make sense of COVID-19's incomprehensible toll - As the United States reaches 250,000 deaths, people are finding creative and symbolic ways to come to terms with the tragic milestone (12-18-20)

Get your art fix by perusing over 400 art pieces at Denver Public Art, exploring Denver Art Museum's online archives or taking a virtual tour of the 2019 Natura Obscura exhibit at the Museum of Outdoor Arts.

My Pandemic Story – A Guided Activity Workbook for the World’s Children, Families, Teachers and Caregivers (download)

Denver Post - Colorado-themed coloring pages

Right Now I am Fine – coping coloring book for kids (download)

NYT - This opens a page where users can click to see windows from locations around the world, a calming portal to somewhere else.

Let Daniel Radcliffe read you (or your kids) a chapter from the first “Harry Potter” book.

Be The Change Coloring Co - Coloring book created by 4 high school students to teach kids about the coronavirus through the wise words of Al E. Gator, Sam the Snail, and Wally the Narwhal.

Take a virtual tour of the Louvre in Paris.

Street artist Banksy sprayed coronavirus art on the London Underground (7-15-20). Also see his tribute to Britain’s National Health Service workers with a painting that depicted a young child playing with a nurse superhero toy as Batman and Spider-Man lay abandoned nearby.

Denver Public Library’s 2020 Maker Challenge - Share what you're making at home with us and automatically enter to win a $50 gift card to an awesome local business! From April 3- August 8, a winner from each Denver Public Library branch will be randomly selected and notified at the end of each month.

Google Arts & Culture teamed up with over 500 museums and galleries around the world to bring anyone and everyone virtual tours and online exhibits of some of the most famous museums around the world

Project Gutenberg is a library of over 60,000 free eBooks. Choose among free epub and Kindle eBooks, download them or read them online. You will find the world's great literature here, with focus on older works for which U.S. copyright has expired.

NYT - Your 2020 Virtual Pride Guide

NYT - Marvel at this footage of 64,000 green turtles migrating in Australia.

NYT - Take a walk through nature with photographers at One Foot in Front of the Other - How A Daily Walk Helps Us Cope or tour the Brooklyn Bridge with the NYT architecture critic.

NYT’s Modern Love - Why Are All the Exes Texting? Not since The New York Post said I was dead have so many friends and lovers checked in on me.

The Academy for Lifelong Learning - Online Course for the general public - Experts Struggle and Decide: Contemporary Issues in Medical Ethics Starting September 15 and continuing for eight Tuesdays from 10 to 11:15 AM, experts from various fields - including CPS Members Jeremy Lazarus and Abraham Nussbaum - will examine in depth some of the most pressing issues in medical ethics.

NPR - Got A COVID Problem? These 7 Women Changemakers Have A Solution (10-16-20)

Santa Cruz Public Library - Art "Quilt" for Virtual Community - Make a piece of art in any medium, 2D or 3D, and submit a square image for inclusion by July 31st.

David Sedaris, Dressed Up With Nowhere to Go - David Sedaris, the author and humorist, has been in lockdown just like the rest of us. With two books in the works but all plans on hold, the writer is pacing New York City and destroying his friends on Fitbit, the physical-activity-recording device. (6-20-20)


 

Resources for Historically Marginalized Communities

NPR - Why Black And Latino People Still Lag On COVID Vaccines — And How To Fix It (4-26-21) 

MHA - Reimagining Self-Care For Black Folks (4-15-21) 

CPR - COVID-19 Forced Women And Mothers From The Workforce And Some Can’t Go Back (4-30-21)

NYT - In Vermont, Isolating Inmates Kept Covid at Bay, but at a Price - The state prison system is the only one in the nation where no one has died of Covid-19. But the strict lockdowns and quarantines that slowed the virus created their own problems (4-21-21)

CHI - Anti-Asian Racism is a Public Health Crisis - Early last year, as the novel coronavirus spread across the United States, so, too, did racist, xenophobic narratives blaming Asian people for the pandemic (4-8-21)

Denver Post - Racial disparities remain in Colorado’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign Latino and Black Coloradans have been vaccinated at disproportionately low rates compared to share of population (4-26-21)

LA Times - It’s not Tuskegee. Current medical racism fuels Black Americans’ vaccine hesitancy (3-25-21)

NEJM - Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy in BIPOC Communities — Toward Trustworthiness, Partnership, and Reciprocity (3-31-21) 

The Network for Public Health Law - Moving Past Disbelief in Systemic Racism to Understand What it Means For Health Equity - Five things we can do (3-23-21)

Seventeen - These Virtual Mental Health Resources for Black Women Can Make All the Difference Black lives matter, and so does Black mental health (3-13-21) 

Psychiatric Times - Suicides in Vulnerable Populations During the COVID-19 Pandemic (6 minute video) - Early data out of Maryland suggests that suicides during the initial COVID-19 wave actually dropped, compared to previous years. At the same time, Nestadt’s research also found that suicide rates among Black Marylanders rose sharply (1-19-21)

USA Today - Black trans people are struggling to find therapists after a tough year, but these non-profits are taking action - includes links to organizations that support the Black transgender community such as Fearless Femme 100, a project to provide free mental health care to QTBIPOC in response to the COVID-19 pandemic (1-27-21)

9News - 'A process of listening and hearing': Task force aims to address minorities' vaccine concerns - A statewide survey in September showed nearly 50% of Black and Latino Coloradans would not get the COVID-19 vaccine (1-20-21)

Reimagining Self-Care for Black Folks - Kelechi Ubozoh provides a space for discussing mental health for the Black community. She writes, "I am a Black woman in deep pain. I’m watching the ongoing violence against my community and knowing that we are also dying at higher rates from this virus. What can we do about promoting our own healing?" (6-4-20)

Servicios de la Raza (Denver) has a behavioral health clinic providing English and Spanish outpatient and substance abuse services for underserved and uninsured communities of color.

Denver Indian Health and Family Services (Denver, Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Douglas and Jefferson Counties) is Denver’s only Urban Indian Health Program that offers behavioral and mental health, substance abuse and integrated care to American Indian and Alaskan Native adults, families and children.

Asian Pacific Development Center (Aurora, service statewide) is home to a behavioral health clinic for Asian adults, adolescents, seniors and children. Current clients are from Bhutan, Burma, Cambodia, China, Japan, Korea, Laos, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam among other countries. This organization also offers resources for immigrants and refugees.

From the Heart Enterprises (Denver) – From The Heart Enterprises offers supportive mental health programs and resources for Black men, youth and families and engages through community events and educational seminars.

Therapy for Black Girls is an online search tool for providers and mental health resources for Black women.

KevinMD - Mental health among Asian American health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic (6-22-20)

Black Women’s Health Imperative - includes articles like Managing Your Mental Health During the Pandemic

Colorado Health Institute - Informal Caregivers — Especially Those from Communities Of Color — Are Getting Left Behind

CDC webpage on COVID-19 in Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups (6-25-20)

PsychHub - Race, Racism, & Mental Health Resources - comprehensive list of resources to help Black people and other people of color care for their mental health through the trauma of racism (06-2020)

HuffPost - This Is What Racial Trauma Does To The Body And Brain (7-1-20)

Support for Isolated Trans People - The Validation Station is a free text service which sends daily support to isolated trans people.

The COVID-19 Health Literacy Project was started by Pooja Chandrashekar, a first-year medical student at Harvard Medical School, and quickly expanded into a national coalition of over 150 medical students representing over 35 institutions and 34 languages. Here is a link to Covid-19 fact sheets in multiple languages https://covid19healthliteracyproject.com/#languages

AACAP - Racism Resource Library Includes Anti-Racism Resources for Kids (07-20)

KFF - Racial Disparities in COVID-19: Key Findings from Available Data and Analysis - Article addresses the disparate burden of COVID cases and deaths in minority populations as well as the disparities in access to testing (8-17-20)

Black Emotional and Mental Health (BEAM) - BEAM’s mission is to remove the barriers that Black people experience getting access to or staying connected with emotional health care and healing. Many of the following resources are from Mental Health Colorado - Resources for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Mental Health (click here to download the full list)

The Loveland Foundation - includes the Loveland Therapy Fund which provides financial assistance to Black women and girls nationally seeking therapy. Partners with Therapy for Black Girls and the National Queer and Trans therapist of Color Netork

National Queer and Trans Therapist of Color Network

Therapy for Black Men - directory of therapists for black men seeking therapy

Black Female Psychologist Creates First Ever Therapy Card Deck for Women of Color

Asian and Pacific Islander American health forum

Asian American Health Initiative - Some very helpful resources including info on the ECHO project, capacity building, food distribution, and COVID-19 testing. Also has resources and podcasts available in several Asian languages.

Asian American Psychological Association (AAPA) - COVID-19 Related Resources

One Sky Center - a National Resource Center for American Indian and Alaska Native Health, Education and Research.

WeRNative - For Native Youth, By Native Youth

Trevor Project - provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning (LGBTQ) young people under 25. Need help? Call 1-866-488-7386 24/7

GLSEN - works on LGBTQ issues in K-12 education - LGBTQ+ education. Great resources for educators, students, patients - could be helpful for C/A psychiatrists and adult psychiatrists with teachers as patients

Human Rights Campaign - the largest national lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer civil rights organization

NEJM - Lessons We’ve Learned — Covid-19 and the Undocumented Latinx Community (10-7-20)

Denverite - Why are Latinx residents in Denver still facing disproportionately higher COVID-19 infection and hospitalization rates? Latinx residents still make up more than half of all confirmed coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in the city — despite only comprising 30 percent of the population (10-9-20)

Denverite - Native American residents in Denver are seeing a spike in coronavirus cases - Health officials aren’t totally sure why, but pre-existing conditions and mistrust in government agencies could be part of the reason (12-01-20) 

The Colorado Sun - With coronavirus nixing gatherings, LGBTQ+ Coloradans seek new ways to foster belonging - LGBTQ+ people feel some impacts of the pandemic more sharply than the general population, but there have been silver linings to the shutdown (12-4-20) (simply close the box to access the article if you do not want to share your email)

KFF - Lower Flu Vaccination Rates Among Black, Hispanic, and Low-Income Seniors Suggest Challenges for COVID-19 Vaccination Efforts (10-6-20)

CNBC - Doctors Worry Coronavirus Pandemic May Hit LGBTQ People Harder than Most (10-29-20)

Envision:You - COVID-19 Behavioral Health Support Program - This program, in partnership with Caring for Denver Foundation, provides no-cost virtual telehealth services to support LGBTQ+ individuals with mental health, emotional and substance use issues, and interpersonal relationship concerns that have arisen due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

NYT - Developmental Disabilities Heighten Risk of Covid Death - People with intellectual disabilities and developmental disorders are three times more likely to die of Covid-19, compared with patients without the conditions, a new analysis found (11-12-20)

USNews - People With Down Syndrome Face Higher Risk of Severe COVID-19 (10-27-20)

 

Learn More about COVID-19

NYT - Trapped in the House With an Eating Disorder Anxiety, disrupted routines and loneliness are fueling people’s food issues as they hunker down during the Covid-19 crisis (3-31-21)

The Washington Post - A mental health crisis was spreading on college campuses. The pandemic has made it worse. Students at four schools reflect on the isolation, anxiety and trauma of the last year (3-30-21)

HuffPost - How COVID-19 Will Change Mental Health Care In The Future It's possible the coronavirus pandemic may have one positive impact after all (3-11-21)

CDC - What to Expect at Your Appointment to Get Vaccinated for COVID-19 (3-7-21)

NYT - The Science of Reasoning With Unreasonable People - Don’t try to change someone else’s mind. Instead, help them find their own motivation to change (1-31-20)

El Pais - A room, a bar and a classroom: how the coronavirus is spread through the air - The risk of contagion is highest in indoor spaces but can be reduced by applying all available measures to combat infection via aerosols. Here is an overview of the likelihood of infection in three everyday scenarios, based on the safety measures used and the length of exposure (updated link and article)

Our World in Data - Coronavirus (COVID-19) Vaccinations - A map that shows global vaccination rates.

Washington Post - Military-grade camera shows risks of airborne coronavirus spread - The Washington Post uses a military-grade infrared camera to demonstrate how nearly invisible particles spread like smoke through the air every time we speak or breathe (12-11-20)

JAMA - “This Level of Death, It’s New”—Health Care Workers in Their Own Words - If you need motivation to continue wearing a mask and social distancing, read this article, which collects the words of frontline healthcare workers about what they experience at work and includes a plea to the public to help out through simple behavioral strategies (12-17-20)

The Risks - Know Them - Avoid Them

The New Yorker - Advice for the workplace - Atul Gawande explains how businesses can minimize the virus’s spread when they reopen by copying what hospitals are doing with their employees.

Vanity Fair: If 80% of Americans Wore Masks, COVID-19 Infections Would Plummet, New Study Says

On Edge: A series on Colorado’s mental health in a time of crisis - The Colorado News Collaborative, led by Sentinel Colorado on this project, convened media outlets from across the state to focus on mental health and stress during uniquely troubled times. See Heightened anxiety, depression are testing Colorado’s already-frayed safety nets - As coronavirus makes another virulent run through Colorado, a silent epidemic of mental health challenges is feeding on the anxiety and isolation of the pandemic - Quotes CPS member Carl Clark (12-6-20)

World Health Organization Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) advice for the public: Myth busters

FEMA Rumor Control

COVID-19 Quiz Social distancing. Herd immunity. Flattening the curve. With so much information coming out daily about the coronavirus and COVID-19, it’s hard to keep up, but important to know the facts. Test your knowledge, and share this quiz with family, friends and colleagues.

National Geographic - CORONAVIRUS UPDATE: How to fight the COVID-19 'infodemic A guide to overcoming COVID-19 misinformation - False information about the pandemic is rampant, but seasoned defenders of climate science can offer tips for how to fight it (10-22-20)

9News - Researchers find nearly one in five COVID-19 survivors is diagnosed with a mental health disorder - Researchers from The University of Oxford found the results by comparing COVID-19 patients to people who have experienced other health events this year. Quotes CPS Past President Patricia Westmoreland (11-12-20). Also see KUNC - How COVID-19 Impacts Mental Health - COVID-19 Diagnosis Linked To Subsequent Mental Illness (25 min audio, Dr. Nordstrom featured at the beginning of the show through minute 6:20) -quotes CPS member Kimberly Nordstrom (11-19-20) 

NPR’s 1A - The Pandemic Is The Worst. What Can We Do To Keep Coping? (47 minute radio show) - episode on the psychological and emotional toll of COVID-19 with the U.K.’s Minister of Loneliness and NPR’s Shankar Vedantam (11-21-20)

TIA&TW - Modern Telepsychiatry and Depression (27 min video) - with CPS Member Jay Shore, MD (10-16-20)

NYT - How the Aging Immune System Makes Older People Vulnerable to Covid-19 (9-8-20)

NYT - How the Coronavirus Attacks the Brain It’s not just the lungs — the pathogen may enter brain cells, causing symptoms like delirium and confusion, scientists reported (9-8-20)

Washington Post - Your questions, answered - My father was a healthy, 96-year-old senior with a robust social life at his assisted-living home. Now, after 60 days of total isolation, he is a depressed, run-down, lonely shell of his former self with no quality of life and no end in sight. Is this really the best way to handle this pandemic in our senior communities? How can people help?”— Lynn (5/12/20)

3-D simulation helps show why distancing is so important

CDC - Use of Cloth Face Coverings to Help Slow the Spread of COVID-19

No-Sew Pleated Face Mask with Handkerchief and Hair Tie

Wall Street Journal - What to Put in a Covid-19 Emergency Home-Care Kit

Video using black paint to illustrate good handwashing

 

Substance Use Resources

In the Rooms: A Global Recovery Community - live meetings, discussion groups, and other tools to give recovering addicts a place to meet and socialize when they’re not in face-to-face meetings and help people from around the world connect with one another and help each other along their recovery journeys

ABC - Opioid overdoses 29% higher in 2020 than before the pandemic: Study (2-10-21)

Recovery Review - Loneliness in the pandemic: risky times (1-24-21)

Yahoo - How the pandemic may have changed AA and recovery culture — in surprisingly hopeful ways — forever (1-12-2021)

NIDA - How is COVID-19 impacting people in recovery or with a substance use disorder? Watch a short animation from the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Send a free recovery greeting card (part of OBH’s Lift The Label opioid anti-stigma campaign).

Washington Post - What was lost when covid forced addiction support groups online — and what was gained (11-23-20)

S.AF.E. Virtual Music Festival on May 8th - SAFE is a Colorado-based recovery community organization committed to showing people how to be healthy and mentally strong. S.AF.E. provides sober sections and sober tailgates at events that are not traditionally sober. You can also enjoy a 76 songs playlist.

Alcoholics Anonymous is hosting online meetings

The Washington Post - Alcoholics Anonymous, struggling to reach new members during the shutdown, expects a surge (6-12-20)

Virtual Narcotics Anonymous Meetings

PBS - Drug overdoses: The hidden epidemic in the pandemic (8 minute video and transcript) 7-5-20) Narcan can counteract an overdose . . . And the key is getting it into enough people's hands.

University of Colorado - Mind The Brain Podcast with CPS Member Dr. Neill Epperson, Chair of the Department of Psychiatry - Mind the Drink. You can listen to episodes by clicking “full story” and “listen” in each written version of the podcasts.

MHA - Do you feel like drugs or alcohol negatively affect your day-to-day life? Take a free, anonymous screening today.

The Colorado Sun - Coronavirus moved some substance treatment services online in Colorado — possibly permanently Private and group therapy sessions are now happening over Zoom. Clinicians in rural areas are connecting with clients over the phone. Even AA took 12-step programs online. For many, it's working well (8-21-20)

 

The references and documents compiled here have been provided by members of CPS and other sources. They are offered as samples for your reference only and are not intended to represent the best or only approach to any particular issue. CPS has not attempted to evaluate any posted material. Neither CPS nor the individuals briefly reviewing the materials make any guarantee with regard to the accuracy of any document, and they assume no responsibility or liability in connection with the use or misuse of any material. Copyright in posted materials belongs to the respective owners, whether or not a copyright notice appears on the screen displaying the materials.

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