MENTAL HEALTH and COVID-19
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health and substance use challenges and deaths by suicide had been on the rise. The far reaching and lingering impacts of COVID-19 have exacerbated these issues by increasing stress, fear, worry, and a sense of grief in both collective and uniquely individual ways. This page includes help resources, articles,and podcasts to help us understand these impacts and how we can help ourselves and our loved ones.
Help Resources
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Call or text 988 (chat available) for free and confidential emotional support if you're thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or are experiencing emotional distress. Available 24 hours a day 7 days a week across the United States. Veterans Crisis Line: Call 988 or text 838255; Options for Deaf and Hard of Hearing; Spanish language support available: Línea de Prevención del Suicidio y Crisis, llama tel: 1-888-628-9454 Lifeline ofrece 24/7, gratuito servicios en español, no es necesario hablar ingles si usted necesita ayuda. - Crisis Prevention & Response Team (CPRT) at Saint Vincent's Hospital, Harrison, NY
Available 24/7/365 by phone at 914-925-5959, the CPRT is an interdisciplinary mobile team of mental health professionals available to respond to any person in Westchester County who is experiencing, or is at risk of, a psychological crisis, and who requires mental health intervention. The team offers assessment, crisis intervention, supporting counseling, information and community resource referrals and follow-up. The mobile team is available to visit your home and other locations within Westchester County Monday through Sunday. Walk-in evaluations are available 24/7 at St. Vincent's Hospital in Harrison. Spanish services are available. - Greenburgh Police Department 914-989-1700
Call the Greenburgh Police Department at 914-989-1700 to connect with trained personnel who will assess for behavioral health crisis needs and enlist support from the Mobile Crisis Response Team of mental health professionals located onsite as well as appropriate emergency services to support the police response. - 911 Emergency Services
Call 911 in an emergency to get immediate assistance. Calls received in Westchester for non-emergency, behavioral health related support are diverted to the team at St. Vincent's Hospital which supports the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and Crisis Prevention and Response team who may enlist emergency services support as needed. - Westchester County Office for Women
Westchester County’s central resource for information concerning women and families – domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, sexual harassment, legal issues, employment, child care, education, equal pay, financial planning, women’s health, caregiving and aging. If the Office for Women cannot answer your questions, we will direct you to someone who can. Call 914-995-5972 from 9am-5pm. Ayuda en Espanol: 914-995-6581; after hours, call 914-995-2099. Sexual Assault Hotline open 24/7: (833) 220-2444. - Westchester County Family Justice Center
Get legal help for Order of Protection, custody, child support, immigration and other issues; support and resources for domestic violence shelter services, access public assistance and more. Call 914-995-1880 to talk with an advocate. - NYS Child Abuse Reporting
Call 1-800-342-3720 toll free hotline 24/7 to anonymously report suspected child abuse or maltreatment to NYS Office of Children and Family Services. If you believe a child is in immediate danger of being harmed, call the police at 911 or your local police department. - Mental Health Association of Westchester
MHA Westchester provides a variety of treatment and supportive services, as well as community mental health education. For mental health information, resources and referrals, call 914-345-0700, ext 7303 from 9am - 5pm, Monday through Friday, leave voice mail or email: help@mhawestchester.org anytime. - National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Westchester
Learn about mental health issues and resources. Get help navigating Westchester’s mental health system and get referrals for mental health services, dual diagnosis programs, support, housing, legal assistance, and more. Call or text the non-emergency Helpline (914) 592-5458 for support, educational materials, advocacy questions and concerns, to share your story, or with any other general question - NYS HOPEline
Call 1-877-8-HOPENY OR TEXT 467369 for 24/7 anonymous, confidential support for alcoholism, drug abuse and problem gambling through the NYS Office of Addiction Services and Supports. - SAMHSA National Helpline
Call 1-800-662-HELP (4357) for free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders. This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations. - LGBTQ+ Crisis and Support ResourcesIf you or someone you know is experiencing mental health distress and/or is in crisis, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) has compiled a list of LGBTQ+ crisis hotlines and support resources for youth and adults.
- Mental Health America's COVID-19 Resource Guide
A comprehensive resource guide for professionals, patients, parents, caregivers, etc., on rising anxiety linked to the COVID-19 health crisis. - Stress and Coping
A detailed guide to learn about daily life and coping with the COVID-19 health crisis. The CDC provides practical guidance on stress management, caring for children, safely running errands, visiting parks and advanced planning for your pets. - Suicide Loss Support Groups - AFSPAmerican Foundation for Suicide Prevention lists U.S. and international suicide bereavement support groups as a public service to loss survivors. AFSP does not recommend, endorse or fund any of the groups listed.
- WJCS Suicide Loss Support GroupHosted by Westchester Jewish Community Services, this is a welcoming and safe place for people who have experienced the suicide of a family member or close friend. The group currently meets virtually via Zoom on Thursdays, from 7-8:30 PM.
Have a Listen - Mental Health and Resilience Podcasts
- How to Stress Less and Have a Healthy Holiday Season
Dr. Michelle Loy, a NewYork-Presbyterian integrative medicine physician shares easy-to-follow wellness tips to keep you healthy this holiday season. - Navigating the New Normal: Tips on Easing Back into LifeNY-Presbyterian Hospital's Health Matters Podcast features Dr. Avital Falk, program director of the Intensive Treatment Program for OCD and Anxiety at the NewYork-Presbyterian Youth Anxiety Center, to offer guidance about how to deal with anxiety about returning to normal, and explain why we might be feeling some trepidation.
- Speaking of Psychology: Are we in a “loneliness pandemic”? With Louise Hawkley, PhD
Speaking of Psychology is a podcast by the American Psychological Association. In this episode, Louise Hawkley, PhD, principal research scientist in the Academic Research Centers, NORC at the University of Chicago,talks about the difference between being alone and being lonely, how loneliness can harm our health, whether we really are lonelier than ever these days, and how to identify and address the root causes of loneliness. - Speaking of Psychology - How to Choose Effective, Science-based Mental Health AppsSpeaking of Psychology is a podcast by the American Psychological Association. In this episode, Stephen Schueller, PhD, associate professor of psychological science and informatics at the University of California, Irvine and executive director of One Mind Psyberguide, discusses how to wade through the plethora of mental health apps to find ones that are effective and science-based.
- Surfacing: The Meaning in the Story by Mental Health Association of Westchester
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MHA's podcast shares the unique stories of individuals and their paths towards building resilience in order to inspire, connect, and heal. - Unlocking Us: Brene Brown with Oprah Winfrey and Dr. Bruce D. Perry on Trauma, Resilience and Healing
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Social science researcher, Brene Brown talks with Oprah Winfrey and Dr. Bruce Perry about their book, What Happened to You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing. We define trauma and talk about why big and small traumas activate our stress response systems and create emotional, physical, and social consequences, and how we can find the path to healing. - Hope Starts with Us - NAMI podcast
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Daniel H. Gillison Jr., CEO of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, brings important mental health topics to light, one conversation at a time to provide hope through sharing stories, breaking stigma, and sharing resources and practical advice.
Disclaimer
Disclaimer: The information provided on the Greenburgh Public Library (GPL) website or any other health-related information provided by GPL does not imply medical recommendation, endorsement, or approval by GPL. The GPL does not provide medical advice or interpretation of information. Information and materials provided are intended for use as general information and should not be used as a substitute for consultation with a health care provider.
Materials Selection: The Library has implemented a website to provide a friendly, useful access point to the Library’s resources and information on the internet; to provide research tools to help users find what they need quickly and efficiently; and to provide a set of preselected sites and resources that are reliable and safe for all library users.
The GPL librarians do not write health information, except to provide brief descriptions of the website links. Instead, GPL librarians find, select, and organize access to consumer health information that is current, relevant, accurate, and unbiased.
GPL Mental Health Program Resources
- Resilience Books & Audio Books at the Library A variety of books and audiobooks available at the library to support Resilience.
- 4.4.23 Resilience Film Screening & Discussion Handouts Handouts for 4.4.23 Resilience Film Screening and Discussion at Greenburgh Public Library
- Managing the Unpredictability of Life: Resilience as We Age 1.6.23 Presentation Presentation slides for the workshop organized by the Westchester County Geriatric Mental Health Collaborative, presented in-person and virtually at Greenburgh Public Library in partnership w/Mamaroneck & Ossining Public Libraries
- Community Mental Health Resources: How to Connect and What to Expect 9.28.22 Program Recording Program recording for GPL virtual program presented 9/28/22, in partnership with Westchester County Dept. of Community Mental Health, St. Vincent's Hospital, Westchester, Mental Health Association of Westchester, Town of Greenburgh Police Dept., and Westchester County Board of Legislators, Health Committee Chair, Jewell Williams Johnson highlighting developments which make it easier than ever to connect with compassionate, evidence-based mental health and related support in our Greenburgh and greater Westchester community.
Mental Health and Psychology Articles
Coping with a Disaster or Traumatic Event - Centers for Disease Control
How to Fight Pandemic Fatigue: 15 Self-Care Tips - NY-Presbyterian Hospital Health Matters
Anxiety and Coping with Coronavirus - Child Mind Institute
Coronavirus Has Upended Our World. It's OK To Grieve - NPR Health News
How To Get Therapy When You Can't Leave The House - NPR Life Kit
5 Signs Your Coronavirus Anxiety Has Gotten Serious and What to Do About It - CNN
How People with Autism Can Cope with the Pandemic - Psychology Today
The Virus Has Wrecked Some Families. It Has Brought Others Closer. - The New York Times
Seen and Heard - Teletherapy Takes Hold - Psychology Today
Cultivating gratitude in spite of COVID can salvage even a year as horrible as 2020 - USA Today - Opinion
Mindfulness and Meditation
- UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness
Free daily streams and recordings of mindfulness and compassion sessions from the partnership of the University of California San Diego Center for Mindfulness, The Sanford Institute for Empathy and Compassion, and the Compassion Institute. - Dartmouth College Student Wellness Center
Free online yoga and mindfulness classes and recordings offered by the Dartmouth College Student Wellness Center.