The following is courtesy of the Washington State Department of Health. Schools can share the following resources with their families and educators to help them identify and understand behavioral health impacts during the COVID-19 pandemic and to give them strategies and resources for reducing those impacts.

Toolbox for Families
The COVID-19 Behavioral Health Toolbox for Families provides tips on how to navigate some of the emotional responses that families may experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. The toolbox provides general information about common emotional reactions of children, teens, and families during disasters. Families, parents, caregivers, and educators can use this information to help children, teens, and families recover from disasters and grow stronger.

Group Impact Reference Guide
The Behavioral Health Group Impact Reference Guide describes behavioral health impacts and recommendations for some occupations and social roles that could be more heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. This guide is intended for incident response organizations and planners, organizations that support or employ these groups, and organizations responding to or helping to mitigate the behavioral health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The guide contains sections specifically for those working with educators and families and children.

Additional Resources

Washington Listens

Anyone feeling stressed, anxious, or lonely due to COVID-19 can call WA Listens at 1-833-681-0211 to speak with a support specialist. The program is in partnership with Crisis Connections, tribes, and behavioral health providers around the state who are staffing the support line, as well as providing outreach throughout their communities to better support individuals and families as we experience challenges and angst that have come from the pandemic. 

Infographics
These infographics may help communicate with families:

• Helping kids to wear cloth face coverings 
• Supporting kids and teens during coronavirus
• Dealing with grief or loss
• Staying home does not have to mean being lonely
• Building coping skills in stressful times
• You’re not in this alone
• Suicide warning signs

The state COVID-19 response website also has the following audio, video, and visual resources:

• Suicide prevention
• Healthy Coping Strategies/It’s Okay to Ask for Help