Union Specific Resources
Trauma Benefit for PEF members
SUNY Parks at Work Community Online Academy offers a variety of online classes in education, fitness, work from home, and more.
General Resources
Work from Home and Be Home without Work During Times of Uncertainty: Striking a Balance between Work Productivity and Life at Home - Discussion Course Sponsored by the Professional Development Office
YMCA Fitness in the Park - Virtual
United Way of Buffalo and Erie County
Mindtools COVID-19 Support
Coronavirus kitchen: What to stock, cook if you face a 14-day quarantine. A registered dietitian nutritionist shares self-quarantine tips and shares recipes.
Ten tips for working from home with your children
Aunt Bertha’s network connects people seeking help and verified social care providers that serve them.
Quarantine Community Resources
Financial Resources
Consumer Credit Counseling Service Offers Free “Financial Checkups”
NEW Zoom Virtual Workshop - Budgeting During Financial Uncertainty on 8/19/2020 Please register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_u12I1sJCSaS7IfMkqLg6pg
Protecting Your Financial Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic Webinar Sponsored by CCCS of Buffalo
Mental Health Resources
Get ready for Back to School 2020 with Mental Health America - Mental Health America (MHA) has developed its 2020 Back to School Toolkit with this and more in mind to help students, parents, and school personnel navigate the uncharted waters of COVID-19.
The NYS Office of Mental Health is providing a first-in-the-nation program to help New Yorkers affected by the pandemic. The program, called Coping Circles, consists of free six-week support group sessions, facilitated by volunteer licensed mental health professionals, that are available to all New Yorkers ages 18 and up. Most Circles are open to the general public but if there is demand, Specialized Circles will be available for healthcare workers and first responders, survivors of COVID-19 infections, those who have experienced job loss due to COVID-19, and those who have experienced loss of a loved one to COVID-19. New Yorkers interested in participating in a Coping Circle can learn more hby visiting NYS COVID-19 Coping Circles.
SUNY Mental Health Resource Page - offers 2 ew peograms for students, staff, and faculty.
The first is a Crisis Text Line for students, faculty, and staff who are dealing with emotional challenges. Members of the SUNY community can access the confidential text line 24/7 by texting Got5U to 741-741 for help. The text line can be used to help alleviate depression, anxiety, stress, and suicidal thoughts. It also provides a way for people to talk about substance use, relationship issues, domestic violence, and school stressors, as well stress and anxiety related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The second resource is online Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) training, designed to teach participants how to recognize someone who may be in emotional distress or having suicidal thoughts, and how to appropriately engage and connect that person to resources that can help. Anyone can practice QPR in any setting, and it is appropriate in all relationships. QPR does not require clinical training, only a willingness to listen, care, and help. Members of the SUNY community may register by going to http://www.qprtraining.com/setup.php and entering “SUNY” as the organizational code.
Mental Health Advocates of WNY They are a local non-profit organization.
American Psychological Association provides COVID-19 informaiton at
https://www.apa.org/practice/programs/dmhi/research-information/pandemics and
https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2020/03/mental-health-care-covid-19
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) provides a helpful COVID-19 and mental health resource guide
Feeling Stressed About Coronavirus (COVID-19)? See Office of Mental Health COVID-19 Resources and Managing Anxiety in an Anxiety-Provoking Situation
Strategies that can help people mitigate anxiety as they are social distancing and subject to constant pandemic updates. In a series of webinars beginning March 25, CEI experts will address ways of maintaining emotional health, regulating emotions, and developing resilience using emotional intelligence strategies.
New York Times provides an update and informaiton
SUNY Stony Brook Wellness in the Workplace Facebook Group
When’s the last time you had a good laugh? Not just a little giggle, but the kind of laugh that makes your abdomen hurt or even tears form in your eyes? Not only does laughter make you feel good, but it is proven to have positive effects on your mental health, immune system and even vascular function. Visit Henry Ford for more.
Without a doubt, many of us are feeling anxious as we navigate the uncertainty of COVID-19. We're feeling it too, and we wanted to share some of the tools we're using to take care of our minds and stay grounded. All of the resources on this page are free of charge — please share with anyone who might benefit. Enjoy this curation of content hand-picked to support your mental and emotional wellness through this time. And check back soon as we'll be updating these resources regularly.
Quarantining yourself at home can play an important role in preventing the spread of infectious diseases. But this doesn’t mean that coping with the disruption in your normal routine is easy. Taking care of your mental health is essential, even if your time in quarantine is relatively brief in the grand scheme of things. Visit VeryWellMind for more.
Grief Yoga Classes and Events
Centor for Loss Pandemic Information
‘FACE COVID’ is a set of practical steps and an e-book for responding effectively to the Corona crisis, using the principles of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). Here’s a quick summary of the key steps, and in the pages that follow we’ll explore them all in more depth:
F = Focus on what’s in your control
A = Acknowledge your thoughts & feelings
C = Come back into your body
E = Engage in what you’re doing
C = Committed action
O = Opening up
V = Values
I = Identify resources
D = Disinfect & distance
That Discomfort You’re Feeling Is Grief. David Kessler is the world’s foremost expert on grief. He co-wrote with Elisabeth Kübler-Ross. Kessler shared his thoughts on why it’s important to acknowledge the grief you may be feeling, how to manage it, and how he believes we will find meaning in it. The conversation is lightly edited for clarity. One particularly troubling aspect of this pandemic is the open-endedness of it. Visit the converation for more, or vist https://grief.com/
There is a Free pop up group daily at 1PM, for those in grief during this challenging time. It is for anyone in grief who has had a loved one die. So many who depended on in-person grief groups are suddenly left with little support. Grief is already isolating even when we are not disconnect. Please let other know about this new resource.
Department of Labor Resources
Labor Standards (LS) (518) 457-9000. A LS investigator will answer questions related to workers protection:
Paid sick leave due to coronavirus
Division of Immigrant Policies and Affairs (DIPA) for the DOL. 1-(877)-466-9757
DOL is hiring dozens of people to better serve the public in these difficult times
New York State Pay Chart Covid-19
Legal Resources
The Center for Elder Law & Justice is a resource for anyone who is struggling with legal questions related to COVID-19. Individuals who are caring for a sick family member, or dealing with a personal illness may have concerns about employment, paid leave, disability, or health insurance. Our Free Legal Advice Helpline is currently open for individuals of all ages to speak directly with an attorney. The Helpline is open Monday through Friday from 9am-11am, and the number is 1-844-481-0973.
Our blog on “What New Yorkers Should Know During COVID-19” is updated daily with the most current information regarding New York State regulations, resources, and closures.
Center for Elder Law & Justice
438 Main Street, Suite 1200
Buffalo, NY 14202
(716) 853-3087 ext. 277
www.elderjusticeny.org
Health Insurance Benefits
Empire Plan - LiveHealth Online Telehealth services through Empire BlueCross is available to members at no cost through December 31, 2020. To access LiveHealth Online, please visit empireblue.com/nys. See step-by-step instructions for assistance. For additional assistance, please call 1-877-7-NYSHIP and press 2. Visit the Beacon Lens at beaconlens.com for advice and tips on managing stress and anxiety due to coronavirus.
New York State Telehealth FAQ's
Resources for Children
250+ Creative Ways to Keep Your Family Sane During the COVID-19 Crisis
This book, authored by Manuela Molina and created to support and reassure children under the age of 7, regarding the COVID-19. This book is an invitation for families to discuss the full range of emotions arising from the current situation. It is important to point out that this resource does not seek to be a source of scientific information, but rather a tool based on fantasy. My recommendation is to print this material so children can draw on it. Remember that emotions are processed through repetitive play and stories read multiple times. Share COVIBOOK and help ease kiddo's anxiety all over the world.
https://www.breakoutedu.com/funathome
ABC Mouse is offering free subscriptions. Go to www.readingiq.com/redeem AND/OR www.adventureacademy.com/redeem
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
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