The American Psychological Association (APA) joined a coalition of the nation's leading mental health advocacy groups and health insurance companies to launch a COVID-19 Mental Health Resource Hubopens in new window, a package of free digital resources to help individuals and health care providers manage stress and anxiety and address mental health needs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Resource Hubopens in new window is a collaboration among several leaders in the mental health community, including Psych Hub, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, American Psychological Association, Mental Health America, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness; government partners the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health; national healthcare payors Aetna, a CVS Health company, Anthem, Inc., Beacon Health Options, Centene Corporation, Cigna, Humana, Optum, and UnitedHealthcare; and academic partners Columbia University Department of Psychiatry and UCLA Division of Population Behavioral Health.
"Our country is facing a potentially historic mental health crisis. The psychological impact of this pandemic is just as great as the epidemiological gravity to human lives," said APA CEO Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD. "This situation calls for all sectors of business, nonprofits and health care to work together to support individuals and communities across America."
The COVID-19 Mental Health Resource Hub was designed to provide resources to support the mental wellness of individuals, health care professionals and others working on the front lines in communities across the country. "Health care providers and support staff are at the vanguard of this fight and may feel strained by the needs of those who rely on their care," added Evans. "We believe psychology can play a critical role in supporting frontline workers."
A recent Kaiser Family Foundation pollopens in new window revealed that nearly half (45%) say that worry and stress related to coronavirus is affecting their mental health. About one in five (19%) say the situation has had a "major impact" on their mental health. According to a March 2020 McKinsey surveyopens in new window, 63 percent of respondents reported feeling anxious or depressed in the past week, and 80 percent of respondents reported experiencing moderate to high distress related to COVID-19.
"The COVID-19 pandemic is impacting the mental health of every American," said former U.S. Representative Patrick J. Kennedy, founder of The Kennedy Forum and co-founder of Psych Hub, an online platform of digital education on mental health, substance use, and suicide prevention topics. "We hope that by pushing these free tools out as widely as possible, we can empower individuals, families, and health providers to prioritize mental health and take necessary actions when needed. Connectedness and support for one another will get us through this."
The COVID-19 Mental Health Resource Hub is a free resource for the public and health care providers.
