• About
    • History
    • Staff
    • Advisory Council
    • For Media
      • Press Releases
  • Areas of Focus
    • Clinical Transformation
      • Showing Clinical Transformation in Action: Stories of Change
      • Improving Behavioral Health Care in the Emergency Department and Upstream
      • A Necessary Conversation on Youth Suicide
    • Community Transformation
      • Well Being Alliance
      • Well Being Legacy
      • Well Being In the Nation (WIN) Network
    • Policy and Advocacy
      • Healing the Nation: Advancing Mental Health and Addiction Policy
      • Reports
        • 2019 Annual Report
        • Pain In The Nation
        • Projected Deaths of Despair During COVID-19
        • California’s Health Care Paradox
        • Advancing Adolescent Flourishing: Moving Policy Upstream
        • Evaluating State Mental Health and Addiction Parity Statutes
        • The Well Being Trust Toolbox
        • Social Media Use & Mental Well-Being Among Youth
        • Integrating Clinical and Mental Health: Challenges and Opportunities
        • Rapid Evidence Review: Interventions Aimed at Improving Teen Well Being
        • 2018 Annual Report
        • 2017 Annual Report
    • Social Engagement
    • Learning and Innovation
  • Healing The Nation
  • Resources
    • Mental Health Resources
    • Resources For Health Care Systems
    • Facts and Statistics
  • News
Supporting a Nation in Crisis: Solutions for Local Leaders to Improve Mental Health and Well-Being During and Post-COVID-19
Social Determinants of Mental Health in National Spotlight
January 27, 2020
Supporting a Nation in Crisis: Solutions for Local Leaders to Improve Mental Health and Well-Being During and Post-COVID-19
Health Affairs: The Five Most-Read GrantWatch Blog Posts Of 2019
January 28, 2020

New Mental Health Action Guide: Solutions to Improve Mental Health and Well-Being During and Post-COVID-19

January 28, 2020
Categories
  • Benjamin Miller
  • COVID-19
  • News
  • Policy and Advocacy
  • Tyler Norris
Tags
  • addiction
  • communities
  • covid-19
  • de Beaumont Foundation
  • local leaders
  • mental health
  • policy
  • policymakers
  • second curve
Mental Health Action Guide Offers Steps to Respond to COVID-19-related Mental Health Crisis
Supporting a Nation in Crisis: Solutions for Local Leaders to Improve Mental Health and Well-Being During and Post-COVID-19

For mental well-being support through COVID and beyond, visit the Resources Page.

The COVID-19 pandemic has devastated mental health and well-being among Americans. City and county leaders are on the front lines of the mental health crisis that began before COVID-19 and has been exacerbated by the grief, loneliness, and collective trauma incurred by the pandemic as well as ongoing racial injustice. But while this growing crisis is deep in magnitude, it is not surmountable — if we act now.

The de Beaumont Foundation and Well Being Trust released an action guide for local leaders that emphasizes the urgency of addressing the growing mental health and addiction issues in their communities resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. “Supporting a Nation in Crisis: Solutions for Local Leaders to Improve Mental Health and Well-Being During and Post-COVID-19,” released in August 2020, includes more than 60 evidence-based policies, practices, and programs that can prevent further loss of life and livelihood from the nation’s growing mental health crisis. The action steps are practical, many are low-cost or revenue-neutral, and include recommendations for both the immediate response to COVID-19 and the long-term recovery.

Tyler Norris, MDiv, president and CEO of Well Being Trust, said, “This guide is a call and resource for local leaders to be accountable for community outcomes around mental health and well-being. We need to shift from engaging in a collection of projects and initiatives, to implementing system changes, policy solutions and lasting investments that can save lives.”

Brian C. Castrucci, DrPH, president and CEO of the de Beaumont Foundation, said, “It’s widely recognized that mental health and substance misuse challenges are rising, but many of these issues existed long before the COVID-19 pandemic. To developing lasting policy solutions, we need to go to the root of these problems and think beyond treatment.”

Immediate recommendations cover areas including:

  • Reducing stigma about mental health
  • Bolstering the local workforce to address mental health
  • Supporting existing organizations providing mental health and substance misuse services
  • Reducing stress, fear and anxiety surrounding economic fallout from COVID-19
  • Augmenting the social safety net

Long-term recommendations can improve the vital community conditions for well-being. While many are not traditional mental health policies, they directly contribute to long-term promotion of health and well-being and prevention of disease and injury. These recommendations cover areas including:

  • Providing incentives to create safe, affordable housing
  • Addressing employees’ safety needs and financial concerns
  • Ensuring access to green space for all people

The report also provides recommendations for supporting populations uniquely affected by COVID-19 including health professionals and first responders; people of color; youth and families; older adults; undocumented immigrants; individuals who were formerly incarcerated; individuals with substance use disorders; and victims of f intimate partner violence, child abuse, and elder abuse.

To see all the recommendations and resources, read the full report.

Share

Related posts

February 25, 2021

35 New Organizations Joined Well Being Trust in the United Vision Collaboration


Read more
February 25, 2021

Unprecedented Mental Health Leadership Collaboration Expands to Welcome 35 New Organizations


Read more
February 19, 2021

Interfaith Radio – Working Together: Advocates Call for Access and Equity in Mental Health Care


Read more

ABOUT WELL BEING TRUST

Well Being Trust is a national foundation dedicated to advancing a vision of a nation where everyone is well—in mental, social and spiritual health.

QUICK LINKS

  • About
  • Staff
  • Reports
  • Healing the Nation
  • Mental Health Resources
  • Grantee Portal

STAY INFORMED!

Sign Up For Our Newsletter
© 2021 Well Being Trust. All Rights Reserved. | Notice of Nondiscrimination