Stepping Up Our Response

Dear Access Institute Community,  
 
Throughout the first month of the “Shelter in Place” order, Access Institute responded to the needs of the hundreds of people served by its programs. We’re ensuring that everyone continues to have access to their mental health care. Now, we are stepping up that care as the needs for emotional and psychological support become even more critical. We know that we serve vulnerable groups of individuals, families, children, and seniors, so it’s no surprise to find that approximately 85% of them lost their jobs, lost income, or someone in their household lost employment or income. Many of the rest are working, but are employed in low-wage jobs where they are exposed to the virus on a daily basis. We have observed these direct impacts on the psychological and emotional health of our patients, including: increased symptoms of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. For most of these individuals, the stresses related to the COVID-19 Pandemic (fear of illness, economic hardship, social isolation) have exacerbated previous mental health challenges. Those who previously suffered traumatic life events (i.e. loss of employment or housing, a life-threatening illness or injury, loss of a parent or primary caregiver, sexual assault, or domestic violence) are more vulnerable to adverse mental health effects brought on by the Pandemic.

 In response to the COVID-19 Pandemic and the “Shelter-in-Place” order, Access Institute has augmented its services to address the acute needs of our community.
 
Key enhancements to services include:

• The elimination of fees and copayments for those who lost jobs due to the Pandemic;
• Additional sessions of individual therapy;
• The provision of additional case management services to assist in applications for health insurance; unemployment benefits; federal, state and local grants; and other social supports;
• The introduction of online support groups, free of charge, to patients currently in treatment at Access Institute, to applicants for treatment who are on the waiting list, and to the general public.

 
These enhancements in service will continue for as long as necessary during the Pandemic. 

In addition, we continue to advocate for a psychologically healthy response to the Pandemic and encourage everyone to pay attention to their levels of stress and monitor signs of anxiety and depression during these times of uncertainty. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you need additional support.

Remember to follow these preventive steps:

1. Severely restrict news intake and avoid sensational stories. The level of misinformation in the news and on social media is overwhelming and dangerous to mental health. If you notice your stress level increasing as you consume the news, that’s a sign that you need to avoid reading/watching disturbing content, and look for more positive and hopeful stories. 
2. Maintain a self-care routine that includes daily outdoor exercise. Remember that it is safe to go outside and that taking breaks from work for walks and exercise supports mental well-being.
3. Stay connected to friends and family. Due to restrictions on socializing, we need to find creative ways to stay connected. Explore those and ask friends and family members what they are doing to stay connected. Be sure to check in on those who you know are more isolated and are showing signs of anxiety and depression.
4. Practice these breathing and relaxation techniques. These are easy to do, and can be incorporated into a daily routine. All of them are proven to help reduce stress and will help you stay in your body and in the present moment. This also means letting go of efforts to control the things you cannot and focusing that energy on what you can take care of in your immediate environment.
5. Have some fun. Take time to read, play games, watch movies, and explore creative projects. Meaningful and engaged activity is a vital part of life and more important during times of social stress.

We are grateful for your support. All of us here at Access Institute have been moved by the many ways our community has come together and that so many have reached out to us to offer their time, creativity, and financial support. In spite of all the uncertainty we are facing as a society, I’m more confident than ever in the strength of the Access Institute community and know that we will emerge from this experience stronger than ever.

Warm regards,
Bart Magee, Ph.D.  
Executive Director