Mental Health Resources for Difficult Times
Thank you to everyone who joined us on April 28 for our Queer Town Hall focused on Trauma Informed-Care and mental health in the queer and trans communities of color.
As our panelists discussed, COVID-19 and its stressors have exponentially impacted communities of color, especially in Black and LatinX communities. It’s important we know and understand how a national epidemic affects certain communities, in addition to highlighting resources we can access and how we can combat this pandemic together.
To jump to resources, please see the bottom of this post.
As Basic Rights Oregon’s Program Director for Racial and Transgender Justice, I look forward to being able to support you even more as the days and weeks go on. Right now, here are some resources and information that you may find helpful in your own day-to-day lives so we can all stay healthy and connected.
Trauma-Informed Care
We led off with Trauma-Informed Care and the importance of being Trauma-Informed both as individuals and communities. Trauma can happen at any time in a person’s lifetime. However, Kaiser Permanente found in a 1995-1997 study that most individuals experience traumatic events in their childhoods that impact them in adulthood, through chronic illnesses, mental health, addiction, and the way we learn.
Learn more about trauma-informed care:
National Child Traumatic Stress Network
SAMSA-HRSA Center for Integrated Health Solutions
Center For Mental Health Services: Engaging Women in Trauma-Informed Peer Support
Taking Action
Mental health has been discussed on national and local news lately because we are starting to see the impacts of isolation and social distancing, particularly in communities of color. COVID-19 has impacted our natural way of communicating, since we are no longer able to sing together, hug, or simply be together in a group. This is a huge stressor for us.
In order to stay emotionally healthy and connected, I have found it helpful to use a Wellness Recovery Action Planning/WRAP. WRAP is a personalized plan for anyone who is in recovery from mental health or addiction, in addition to folks with chronic illnesses and youth. To learn more about developing your own WRAP plan, visit The Copeland Center website.
Peer Support
We also talked about peer support and how it’s helpful to talk with people who have shared life experiences when you’re feeling down, lonely or vulnerable during this time of social distancing. Peer support has its roots in California and Oregon as a support mechanism to help those in mental health/emotional/altered state crisis. Over the last thirty years, peer support has moved from being completely volunteer-led to a newly designated para-profession. Most states now have statewide certifications designating people as a Certified Peer Support Specialist, Forensic Peer Support Specialist, and Youth Certified Peer Support Specialist. Oregon has a robust peer support community. You can find more information on peer support here at SAMSHA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration).
One of the most effective ways of utilizing peer support is engaging in Intentional Peer Support, which encourages learning, co-creating, and developing new ways of understanding one another. To learn more about Intentional Peer Support, visit the Intentional Peer Support organization and its founder, Shery Mead.
Support for Domestic Violence Victims
In addition to trauma-informed care and peer support, we discussed how domestic violence victims are under increasing stress due to COVID-19. For many, they are living with and even more dependent on the person inflicting violence upon them. Bradley Angle is still providing support services currently, and if you need urgent help, please call (503) 235-5333. If you are in life-threatening danger please call 911. For more information on Bradley Angle programs, visit https://bradleyangle.org/get-help/programs/
We look forward to seeing you at our next Queer Town Hall on YouTube Live. In the meantime, for weekly updates on behavioral health resources during COVID-19 that are culturally-specific you can find more information at Multnomah County’s website.
You can also visit Basic Rights Oregon’s website for more general COVID-19 resources.
I’m always available if you ever want to reach out! You can email me at iden@basicrights.org
Take care and be well,
Iden
Online Supports:
Inclusive therapists who are Black, Indigenous and People of Color: https://bit.ly/2yX7sY6
FullFlight Therapy provides somatic trauma healing: https://www.fullflightwellness.com/
Peer Support and Therapy: https://mindsolutionsusa.com/
Resources for developing a Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP): https://mentalhealthrecovery.com/wrap-is/
Mountainside Recovery Center hosts a weekly Virtual LGBTQ Recovery Support Group, every Monday at 8pm EST: https://mountainside.com/about-us/events/virtual-lgbtq-recovery-support-group
The Gender Phluid Collective holds online support groups for Black and POC LGBTQ communities: https://thegpcollective.wixsite.com/thegpcsd
Wellbriety provides support groups for Indigenous folks: http://www.wellbriety.com/map.html
The Network/La Red provides LGBTQ Domestic Violence Online Support Groups: http://tnlr.org/en/
Gay & Sober Meetings: https://www.gayandsober.org/meetings
Brave Space LLC provides counseling, group meetings, and other resources: https://www.bravespacellc.com/
Trevor Space is an online community for LGBTQ youth: https://www.trevorspace.org/
First Responders Online Support Groups: https://firstrespondersomaha.org/mental-emotional-well-being/
Lifelines:
Bradley Angle is still providing services for domestic violence victims at (503) 235-5333.
For more information on Bradley Angle programs, visit https://bradleyangle.org/get-help/programs/
The Trevor Project also offers a hotline for LGBTQ youth: 1-866-488-7386
Trans Lifeline is a trans-led organization which provides a hotline as well as community resources. 877-565-8860
Lines for Life is a local organization dedicated to preventing suicide and substance abuse. They operate a lifeline at 800-273-8255
YouthLine is a part of Lines for Life. Call (877)968-8491, text “Teen2Teen” to 839-863, chat https://oregonyouthline.org/
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
Clackamas County Senior Loneliness Line: 503-200-1633
SAGE National LGBT Elder Hotline: 877-360-5428
NAMI Oregon also operates a resource helpline for folks with mental illness and their family members, in addition to support groups: Helpline: 800-343-6264 or 503-230-8009
Frontline workers can call the Frontline Helpline at: 1-866-676-7500
Veterans can call a veteran-specific helpline: 1-800-273-8255 & press 1, or text 838255
The Crisis Text Line allows people in crisis to speak with a trained crisis counselor by texting “Start” or “Help” to 741-741.