May Health Observance: Mental Health Month

May is Mental Health Month. See below for a roundup of some free, some subscription resources for mental and emotional health.

Wisdom Labs' Mental and Emotional Wellness Response Kit
- In the midst of the COVID-19 crisis your employees need relief from fear, uncertainty, and isolation. Wisdom Labs builds science-based solutions that address the difficulties your team is facing right now. To help alleviate the suffering we see all around us, we are offering our Wise@Work App and Virtual Communities Program for free for the next 90 days.

List of top 10 mindfulness apps for 2020 (some free, some not)
- Additional mention: the free Insight Timer

Yogi Times’ list of best online yoga streaming sites, some of which have free trials and free access during this crisis

From carriers:

CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield

Behavioral Health Resources

The coronavirus has put a great deal of stress on everyone. People with mental health issues feel this stress more than the rest of us. Not being able to see other people or stick to familiar routines only makes things worse. But there are some easy steps we can take to ease the pressure.

Get plenty of sleep, eat well and exercise regularly. These three things can improve our thinking and our emotions. But no matter what you do, having a plan for dealing with the extra stress of coronavirus is very important.

Here are a few resources to help get you started:

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) – this site includes a Coronavirus Information and Resources Guide, as well as tips for people with mental illness.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – this site provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, as well as prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) – this site provides a disaster distress line to help people deal with the emotional effects of major disasters.
A list of providers in the CareFirst region (Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia) who specialize in behavioral health support that you may contact directly. Note: there are tabs at the bottom of the spreadsheet for locations.
Log in to the Sharecare app for guided meditation and other stress management tools.

Kaiser Permanente

[DOWNLOAD] Kaiser Permanente May Monthly Health Topic - Mental Health and Wellness

Kaiser Permanente Telehealth | Video Visit | Mental & Behavioral Health Resources

Cigna

A webinar on facing stress related to COVID-19

With the worldwide concern over the coronavirus, employees are understandably anxious about their health, job, and family security. We realize these are difficult times and want to provide our clients with resources to help ease their employees’ minds.

That’s why Cigna created a webinar that we encourage clients to share with their employees. The on-demand webinar, Managing Anxiety: Coronavirus Fears & Concerns, offers helpful guidance on practical steps we all can take to protect our emotional health.