The StrengthenME phoneline and website offers free stress management and resiliency resources to anyone in Maine experiencing stress reactions to the COVID-19 Pandemic. New workforce trainings, workshops and group support are available free of charge, click here for more information. StrengthenME is Maine’s behavioral health and resiliency response to the COVID-19 Pandemic and is a collaboration of community organizations and aligned agencies offering free stress management, wellness and resiliency resources to anyone experiencing stress reactions to the Pandemic. View the website or call (207) 221-8198 for more information.
Results from the 2023 Disaster Behavioral Health, Responder Safety and Health Survey
Results from the 2022 Disaster Behavioral Health, Responder Safety and Health Survey
Results from the 2021 Disaster Behavioral Health, Responder Safety and Health Survey
COVID-19 and Beyond
- Organizational and Individual Stress Management – This resource defines stress and delineates aspects of stress that negatively impact our lives, including the cycle of stress reactions, particularly at an individual and organization level to help support peers and employees in light of stressful or traumatic incidents.
- Stress Management and the Challenge of Balance – This resource highlights the importance of establishing a maintaining a work-life balance, which was a much more complicated process for frontline healthcare workers, first responders and other essential workers in the COVID pandemic. In the aftermath of the pandemic it is vital to re-examine this balance and improve self-awareness and assessment skills of symptoms of stress. This resource offers additional tips on stress management, work-life balance and recognizing triggers of stress.
SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Materials
- Coronavirus (COVID-19) – At this web page, SAMHSA provides links to information and resources related to funding to cope with the COVID-19 outbreak, operations for current SAMHSA grants, regulations, and guidance for mental and substance use disorder treatment practitioners and providers.
- Feeling Stressed or Anxious About the COVID-19 Pandemic? – This SAMHSA flyer provides information and tips for coping during a pandemic. Suggestions for reducing stress and anxiety are listed as well as resources for additional assistance.
- Tips for Managing Stress During the COVID-19 Pandemic Wallet Card – This SAMHSA wallet card provides stress reduction tips and techniques in a compact, easy-to-use format. Resources for additional assistance are also listed
- Talking With Children During Infectious Disease Outbreaks – In this tip sheet for parents and other caregivers and teachers, SAMHSA explains how infectious disease outbreaks may affect children and adolescents. Suggestions are provided for supporting children and adolescents in coping with an outbreak, and for talking with children and teens of various ages. This tip sheet is also available in Spanish.
- Flyer – Use these principles of Psychological First Aid (PFA) when working to help people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic
- Brochure – Tips for Healthcare Professionals: COPING WITH STRESS AND COMPASSION FATIGUE
- Healthcare Professionals: Coping With Stress & Compassion Fatigue
Mental Health Technology Transfer Center Network (MHTTC)
- Responding to COVID-19: highlights products and resources that can be useful when coping with the effects of widespread public health crises.
- Provider Wellbeing During a Public Health Crisis
- Supportive Practices for Mental Health Professionals During Pandemic-related Social Distancing
- https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2021.679397/full
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9691130/
- https://www.ncbhs.org/blog/mental-wellness-tips-first-responders
- https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/first-responders-and-mental-health-when-heroes-need-rescuing
- https://www.acep.org/corona/covid-19-field-guide/personal-well-being-and-resilience/burnout-self-care-and-covid-19-exposure-for-first-responders#:~:text=Tips%20for%20First%20Responder%20Self,news%20stories%2C%20including%20social%20media.
Recorded Webinars
- Recorded webinar – “Substance Use Disorder Services in the Days of a Pandemic: You Need A Bigger Boat!” – Provided by: The Great Lakes ATTC, MHTTC and PTTC, funded by SAMHSA
Addiction Technology Transfer Center Network (ATTC) Resources
- ATTC Pandemic Response Resources – SAMHSA recognizes the challenges posed by the current COVID-19 situation and is providing guidance and resources to assist individuals, providers, communities, and states across the country.
- Telehealth Learning Series – The Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) Network, the Center for Excellence on Protected Health Information (CoE-PHI), the National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers, and the Center for the Application of Substance Abuse Technologies (CASAT) at the University of Nevada – Reno (UNR) are facilitating a FREE, national online discussion and resource sharing opportunity for substance use disorder (SUD) treatment providers and peer support specialists faced with transitioning their services to the use of telephone and videoconferencing methods in response to COVID-19 social distancing guidelines
Serious Mental Illness (SMI) Adviser Resources
SMI Adviser Coronavirus Resources
- Resources on COVID-19 and Serious Mental Illness
- Education Activities about COVID-19
- COVID-19 Resources
Recorded Webinars
Center of Excellence for Protected Health Information – Focus-PHI
While the CoE-PHI develops tools and resources to increase healthcare organization and provider awareness about OCR and SAMHSA COVID-19 Guidance and Resources (and what they can do to protect patient privacy while providing SUD and MH telehealth services), we suggest reviewing:
- SAMHSA’s COVID-19 Guidance and Resources
- HHS Office of Civil Rights’ Notification of Enforcement Discretion for Telehealth Remote Communications During the COVID- 19 Nationwide Public Health Emergency
Recorded Webinars
Vulnerable Populations
- https://store.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/d7/priv/sma14-4884.pdf
- https://n-din.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/26_NDIN_TS_VulnerablePopulations.pdf
- https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/hsb/disaster/atriskguidance.pdf
- https://emergency.cdc.gov/workbook/pdf/ph_workbookFINAL.pdf
Community
- https://extension.psu.edu/a-community-approach-to-disaster-preparedness-and-response
- https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/toolkits/emergency-preparedness/1/community-needs
- https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/dtac/srb-low-ses_2.pdf
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6737815/
- https://knowledge.aidr.org.au/resources/handbook-community-engagement/
CredibleMind
US CDC
- COVID-19 Videos in American Sign Language
- Resources for Refugee Resettlement Service Providers
- Healthcare Personnel & First Responders: Cope with Stress and Build Resilience During COVID-19
American Association on Health and Disability
Mental Health First Aid