CITIES THRIVE COALITION NATIONAL COVID-19 MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES

• SUBSTANCE ABUSE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION (SAMHSA):
  • COVID-19 Homepage
    • Disaster Distress Hotline
    • Training and Technical Assistance
    • FAQs: Provision of Methadone and Buprenorphine for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder in the COVID-19 Emergency: In response to the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-

19) pandemic, SAMHSA is providing answers to Frequently Asked Questions regarding the provision of methadone and buprenorphine for the treatment of Opioid Use Disorder for new and existing patients.

• • • COVID-19 Guidance for Opioid Treatment Programs: SAMHSA is offering guidance on pharmacotherapy for opioid use disorder availability in circumstances in which patients may be exposed to highly contagious infectious agents (such as COVID-19).
    • Use of Telemedicine While Providing Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT): Under the Ryan Haight Act of 2008, where controlled substances are prescribed by means of the Internet, the general requirement is that the prescribing Practitioner must have conducted at least one in-person medical evaluation of the patient. U.S.C. 829(e). However, the Act provides an exception to this requirement. 21 U.S.C. 829 (e)(3)(A).
    • TAP 34: Disaster Planning Handbook for Behavioral Health Treatment Programs: This handbook offers guidance in creating a disaster preparedness and recovery plan for programs that provide treatment for mental illness and substance use disorders. It describes the planning process, preparing for a disaster, roles and responsibilities, training, and testing.
    • COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Response and 42 CFR Part 2 Guidance: In response to the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic, SAMHSA is providing COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Response and 42 CFR Part 2 guidance to ensure that substance use disorder treatment services are uninterrupted during this public health emergency.
    • TIP 42: Substance Abuse Treatment for Persons with Co-Occurring Disorders: This updated (March 2020) TIP is intended to provide addiction counselors and other providers, supervisors, and administrators with the latest science in the screening, assessment, diagnosis, and management of co-occurring disorders.
    • Tips for Social Distancing, Quarantine, and Isolation during an Infectious Disease Outbreak: In the event of an infectious disease outbreak, local officials may require the public to take measures to limit and control the spread of the disease. This tip sheet provides information about social distancing, quarantine, and isolation.

• The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH):
  • Covid-19 Sharable Resources

• CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES (CMS):
  • Medicare Telemedicine Health Care Provider Fact Sheet

• UNITED NATIONS:
  • COVID-19 and Mental Health Impacts

• WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO):
  • Mental Health and Psychological Considerations During COVID-19
  • Helping Children Cope with Stress

• CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL (CDC):
  • COVID-19 Manage Stress and Anxiety

COVID-19 ORGANIZATIONAL RESOURCES – MENTAL HEALTH:

• Mental Health America - Mental Health And COVID-19: Information And Resources
• National Alliance on Mental Illness - Updates On The Coronavirus
• National Council on Behavioral Health - Resources and Tools for Addressing Coronavirus (COVID-19)
• American Psychiatric Association – Center for Workplace Mental Health Covid-19 Response
• CitiesRise – Local Mental Health Resources
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention – Mental Health and Covid-19
• Well Being Trust – Covid-19 Mental Health Resources
• PsychHub - COVID-19 Mental Health Resource Hub

COVID-19 ORGANIZATIONAL RESOURCES – GENERAL:

• National League of Cities COVID-19 Response
• United States Conference of Mayors COVID-19 Response
• National Association of Counties COVID-19 Response
•  Trust for America’s Health – Resource Portal
• United States of Care – Covid-19 Response
• The New Deal – Coronavirus Policy Resources Database
• Local Housing Solutions - COVID-19
• Cities for Health – Covid-19 Resources

COVID-19 SUPPLIES RESOURCES:

• National PPE Coalition
• Project N-95

COVID-19 DATA TRACKING DASHBOARDS:

• Johns Hopkins: Johns Hopkins Interactive Tracking Dashboard
• Johns Hopkins: Interactive County by County Tracking Dashboard
• Splunk: Splunk Dashboard for Coronavirus Tracking

•  Tableau: COVID-19 dashboard, data resources and public health response information (Tableau)

• Elucd: National Public Perception Dashboard on COVID-19
• SAS: 2019 Novel Coronavirus Dashboards (SAS)

COVID-19 RELATED FEDERAL GRANTS:

Bureau of Justice Assistance: FY 2020 Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding Program

• Eligibility: States, U.S. Territories, the District of Columbia, units of local government, and federally recognized tribal governments that were identified as eligible for funding under the Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 State and Local Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program are eligible to apply under the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding (CESF) Program solicitation

• Purpose: The Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding (CESF) Program will provide funding to assist eligible states, local units of government, and tribes in preventing, preparing for, and responding to the coronavirus. Allowable projects and purchases include, but are not limited to, overtime, equipment (including law enforcement and medical personal protective equipment), hiring, supplies (such as gloves, masks, sanitizer), training, travel expenses, and addressing the medical needs of inmates in state, local, and tribal prisons, jails, and detention centers.

Hospital Associations COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Activities

• Eligibility: Eligible entities include 53 hospital associations in all states, the District of Columbia, New York City, and Puerto Rico.

• Purpose: The purpose of this NOFO is to support the urgent preparedness and response needs of hospitals, health systems, and physicians and nurses on the front lines of the COVID-19 outbreak in order to help prepare them to identify, isolate, assess, transport, and treat patients with or persons under investigation for COVID-19 or other special pathogens. This NOFO will provide targeted awards to 53 hospital associations in all states, the District of Columbia, New York City, and Puerto Rico. Funding will be distributed to hospital associations using a formula specific to COVID-19, which takes into account criteria such as at-risk populations and other vulnerabilities associated with this pandemic (e.g., population density; size of populations with increased risk for mortality from COVID-19, such as older adults and individuals with comorbid health conditions; and health care capacity). Hospital associations will then distribute funds to hospitals and related health care entities within their state or jurisdiction, which may be used to train staff to implement pandemic preparedness plans to respond to COVID-19; procure supplies and equipment (with attention to supply chain shortages); rapidly ramp up infection control and triage training for health care professionals, especially considering growing supply chain shortages; retrofit separate areas to screen and treat large numbers of persons with suspected COVID-19 infections; implement expanded telemedicine and telehealth capabilities, and; increase the numbers of patient care beds to provide surge capacity using temporary structures, such as temporary hospitals that are deployed in a pandemic.

National Endowment for the Arts- NEA Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, FY2020

• Eligibility: County governments, State governments, Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Private institutions of higher education, City or township governments, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
• Purpose: The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act recognizes that the nonprofit arts industry is an important sector of America’s economy. The National Endowment for the Arts will award funds to nonprofit arts organizations across the country to help these entities and their employees endure the economic hardships caused by the forced closure of their operations due to the spread of COVID-19. As part of this important investment, the Arts Endowment has designed a plan to expedite the distribution of critical funds to the national, regional, state, and local levels to help retain as many jobs as possible, as quickly as possible. These funds are intended to help save jobs in the arts sector and keep the doors open to the thousands of organizations that add value to America’s economy and the creative life of our communities. This program will be carried out through one-time grants to eligible nonprofit organizations including arts organizations, local arts agencies, statewide assemblies of local arts agencies, arts service organizations, units of state or local government, federally recognized tribal communities or tribes, and a wide range of other organizations that can help advance the goals of the Arts Endowment and this program. Grants will be made either to organizations for their own operations, or to designated local arts agencies, eligible to sub grant, for sub granting programs to eligible nonprofit organizations (see “Sub granting Funds”).

Scientists Sound Alarm on Looming Mental Health Crisis from Covid-19

• In a series of papers, public and mental health specialists are calling attention to how the Covid-19 crisis is likely to impact psychological well-being

• In one paper, scientists outline research showing that diagnoses of depression and anxiety surged after other crises such as the 9/11 attacks and the SARS epidemic of 2002-2003

• In another paper, researchers highlight that the current pandemic could lead to an increased risk of suicide due to economic stress, isolation from distancing measures, and the surge in firearm sales in the U.S.

• In addition, the authors behind a third paper are calling for the creation of an international consortium to help address the many mental health challenges that are likely to now emerge due to Covid-19

• Both papers call for increased access to mental health treatment via telemedicine, and emphasize the need for physical — rather than social — distancing

John Auerbach (Trust for America’s Health) and Ben Miller (Well Being Trust) Examine How COVID-19 Exposes the Cracks in Our Already Fragile Mental Health System

• The editorial discusses how the current state of affairs is having a negative effect on the mental well- being of our country’s residents. It also highlights the policy gaps in our current system that inhibit the vital conditions for well-being and resiliency.

• In addition, it touches on how we should also quickly prepare to address the mental toll the pandemic is taking on individuals and communities across the country

• You can access it here