This resource aims to support the mental health of service providers working with older adults. Working with older adults in the middle of a pandemic makes service providers particularly vulnerable to burnout and compassion fatigue. This resource looks at:

The global enforcement of social distancing measures that began earlier this year has eliminated many common sources of entertainment. How then have individuals been keeping themselves engaged during this time? This article outlines the increased participation in online gaming and gambling, how these opportunities have changed as a result of COVID-19 and how these activities have specifically impacted youth. The article also explores strategies to stay safe during this time.

Prior to the pandemic, the newly opened Kenora Youth Wellness Hub had put in place a robust suite of in-person services which included primary care, sexual health, mental health, substance use, educational and employment supports, cultural and recreational programming, and service navigation support. Social distancing requirements and group size limitations meant that the hub had to close its’ doors and find creative ways to support the youth in this critical time.

The Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS) is a brief mental health screener that can be used by health professionals and researchers, to reliably identify dysfunctional anxiety associated with COVID-19 and symptom severity. 

Family education and support is a significant factor in an individual's recovery from a first episode of psychosis. With COVID-19 restrictions in place, many have experienced isolation which has increased stressors among families who are supporting loved ones.

See how CMHA Thunder Bay's Early Psychosis Intervention Program is connecting with families during these restrictions to help reduce the feelings of isolation, provide resources for coping with increased stress, and providing further information related to the pandemic and illness. 

Covid-19 and Gambling in Ontario -- by Nigel E Turner, Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Gambling Issues

During the pandemic, the Assertive Community Treatment Team (ACTT) at CMHA-Kenora was not able to safely see all clients in the office. Some clients may also have had challenges in self-isolating and/or sharing information required for COVID-19 screening. 

See how CMHA-Kenora's ACTT Team adapted their service to create a way to see clients safely while still maintaining both privacy and security during psychiatric consults. 

Before COVID-19, patients accessing the Georgian Bay Family Health Team's Collingwood After-Hours Clinic would wait to be seen in the corridor outside the clinic. Social distancing requirements made this problematic, so services needed to be adapted. See how the After-Hours Clinic adapted their service design to allow patients to access medical care while remaining in their own safe environment. 

The H-CARDD program was developed to address disparities in health status and health care access faced by individuals with developmental disabilities in Ontario, Canada. Individuals with developmental disabilities often have complex health care needs, experience difficulty in accessing appropriate services, and tend to encounter health care providers with little knowledge of how to support them.