COVID-19 Resources
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Washington State Employee Assistance Program is providing increased support to the employees, supervisors, leaders and organizations we serve. EAP is in full operation across the state, offering services via phone and telehealth platforms, and we are gearing up to meet increased need. We know that the emotional and mental health toll of this crisis will be significant and we are providing additional support and resources to help address the impacts of stress, fear, financial loss, illness, grief and loss, children out of school, and isolation created by social distancing.
We will regularly add new resources that specifically address COVID-19 impacts on emotional and mental health and well-being, including live and recorded webinars, handouts, and links to resources.
Webinars
EAP is offering webinars on a variety of COVID-19 related topics to support emotional and mental health and well-being. The listing of webinars can be found on the Webinars page.
Jump to the Handouts section
Jump to the Links section to scroll through the entire list, or select a specific subject area below:
Handouts
- Coping with Stress During an Infectious Disease Outbreak (WA State EAP)
- Tips for social distancing, quarantine, and isolation during an infectious disease outbreak (SAMHSA)
- Tips for caregivers, parents, and teachers during infectious disease outbreaks (SAMHSA)
- Coping with stress during the 2019-nCoV outbreak (WHO)
Links
Caring for Others
- Emergency Responders: Tips for taking care of yourself (CDC)
- Strategies to Help Frontline Health Care Workers during COVID-19 (Anxiety and Depression Association of America – ADAA)
- The Cost of Caring: 10 Ways to Prevent Compassion Fatigue (Good Therapy)
- How to Help Someone with Anxiety or Depression During COVID-19 (Mental Health First Aid)
- COVID 19: Tips for Dementia Caregivers (Alzheimer's Association)
- COVID-19: Supporting a Loved One who is Living with a Mental Health Disorder (Families for Depression Awareness)
Couples/Partnership/Marriage Resources
- How to Help Your Marriage/Relationship Survive Lockdown (Greater Good Science Center)
- Love in the Time of Coronavirus—6 Tips to Protect Your Marriage While Quarantined (Parade)
- 7 Tips to Survive Working from Home with your Spouse (CNN)
- A Research Based Approach to Relationships (Gottman Institute)
- How to Insure a Coronavirus Lockdown with Your Partner Doesn’t End in Divorce (Newsweek)
- How to Work From Home Without Losing It With Your Partner or Kids (MSN)
- Under One Roof: Home Together During the Coronavirus Pandemic (Psychology Today)
- Can Your Relationship Survive Too Much Togetherness? (Psychology Today)
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Info and Resources
- Effects of COVID-19 on the Mental Health of Indigenous Communities (Medical News Today)
- How U.S. Companies Can Support Employees of Color Through the Pandemic (Harvard Business Review, 5/22/20)
- Self Care Tips for Asian Americans Dealing with Racism Amid Coronavirus (HuffPost)
- Grief is a Social Justice Issue (What’s Your Grief)
- We Need an Equitable Response to Coronavirus: Tools and Resources (Center for Urban and Racial Equity)
- Effects of Coronavirus Outbreak on Marginalized Communities (Brookings Institution)
- COVID Crisis Will Likely Disproportionately Affect Communities of Color (Kaiser Family Foundation)
- Countering Coronavirus Stigma and Racism: Tips for Parents and Caregivers (National Association of School Psychologists – NASP)
- Stopping Racism Fueled by COVID Fear (Public Health Insider, from Seattle-King County Public Health)
- How Can We Stop Prejudice in a Pandemic? (Greater Good Science Center, UC Berkeley)
- COVID-19 Relief Fund for Undocumented Individuals in Washington State (Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, Washington Dream Coalition and partners)
- Connect with a Statewide Business Resource Group (BRG) community: groups in support of African Americans, Veterans, LGBTQ+, Latinos, People with disabilities and Immigrants (WA State Office of Financial Management)
- Zooming While Black (What Teleconferencing Taught Me About Race in the Workplace) (Sisters from AARP)
Domestic Violence Support
- Information on COVID-19 for survivors, communities, and DV/SA programs (FUTURES)
- Staying Safe During COVID-19 (National Domestic Violence Hotline)
Family and Parenting Resources
- Back to School Resources for Families and Educators (Child Mind Institute)
- Coronavirus Parenting: Managing Anger and Frustration (Child Mind Institute)
- Self Care (for Parents) in the Time of Coronavirus (Child Mind Institute)
- Behavioral Health Toolbox for Families: Supporting Children and Teens During the COVID-19 Pandemic (Washington State Department of Health)
- The Pandemic Toolkit Parents Need: 8 expert tips to help families stay regulated (Psychology Today)
- 13 Free Virtual Summer Camps Your Kids Will Love (Parents.com)
- Kids Know How to Occupy Themselves. We Need to Let Them Do It (NPR)
- American Camp Association: Organizations Offering Virtual Resources
- Washington State Resource Guide for Parents and Caregivers: Caring for Your Family During COVID-19 (WA State Dept. of Children, Youth & Families)
- Tips for Quarantined Parents in the Times of COVID-19 (APA)
- Supporting Families During COVID-19 (Child Mind Institute)
- How to Work From Home Without Losing It With Your Partner or Kids (MSN)
- Talking with Children: Tips for Caregivers, Parents and Teachers During Infectious Disease Outbreaks (SAMHSA)
- COVID-19 Parenting: Bad Behavior (WHO)
- COVID-19 Parenting: Keep Calm and Manage Stress (WHO)
- COVID-19 Parenting: Talking about COVID-19 (WHO)
- How to Reduce the Stress of Homeschooling on Everyone (Greater Good Science Center)
- Free* Mental Health Referral Services for Children and Teens (Seattle Children’s Hospital)
- Helping Children Cope Emotionally with the Coronavirus (American Academy of Experts in Trauma Stress – AAETS)
- (Video, 34 min.) For Families: Managing Coronavirus Anxiety – Tips and Strategies (Anxiety and Depression Association of America – ADAA)
- Everything Free and Awesome Online to Do While Kids are Home (Teach Mama)
- Avoid Cabin Fever with These 125 Ideas to Keep Kids Entertained During the Coronavirus Crisis (Parade)
- Countering Coronavirus Stigma and Racism: Tips for Parents and Caregivers (National Association of School Psychologists – NASP)
- Parenting During COVID-19: A bulleted list to stick up on the fridge (Psychology Today)
- How to Talk to Your Kids About Coronavirus (PBS)
- (Video, 10 min) Breathe With Me: Guided Breathing Meditation for Kids (Mariam Gates via Sounds True)
Financial Concerns
- Financial Resources for Washington Residents Impacted by COVID-19 en Espanol (DFI)
- Comprehensive list of resources in Washington State for you and your family (WA State COVID-19 site)
- Layoff Resources (from EAP’s Useful Links page)
- Cell phone -- discounted “Lifeline” services for eligible Washington residents (WA State Health Care Authority)
Grief/Death/End of Life Resources
- (Video, 63 min) Coping with Grief and Loss during COVID-19 (Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence)
- Grief is a Social Justice Issue (What’s Your Grief)
- (Video, 80 min webinar + 40 min Q&A) Ambiguous Loss: Grieving in the Time of COVID (NW Mental Health Technology Transfer Center Network)
- Grief is a normal reaction to our “new normal” COVID-19 world (WA State Dept. of Health)
- That Discomfort You're Feeling is Grief (Harvard Business Review)
- How to Cope with Grief During the COVID-19 Pandemic (Psychology Today)
- How to Prevent Loneliness in a Time of Social Distancing (Scientific American)
- Free daily grief group for those in grief during this challenging time (Facebook Group led by David Kessler)
- (To help kids) My Big Dumb Invisible Dragon Storytime Kit (PDF download) (Angie Lucas via Sounds True)
- (Video, 3 min) How do you help a grieving friend? (Megan Devine at Refuge in Grief)
- Pandemic Resources for Families Facing End of Life (National Home Funeral Alliance)
- Being Prepared (for End of Life) in the Time of COVID-19 (The Conversation Project)
- End of Life and Grief Resources -- help during COVID-19 (cake.com)
- Free Webinar Events about Live, Loss, & Love: Reimagine Festival May 1-July 9, 2020 (Reimagine.org)
- Virtual Memorial Guide: step by step DIY guide (LetsReimagine.org)
Holidays/Winter Holidays Resources
- Preparing for the Holidays During COVID-19 (Mental Health America)
- 5 Tips for Successful Holidays During COVID-19 (Psychology Today)
- COVID Holiday Guidance from the state’s Coronavirus page -- includes how to gather safely and how to talk with your family about attending events and setting boundaries/saying no if needed (Coronavirus.wa.gov)
- Managing grief over the holidays during COVID-19 (Healthline.com)
- For Parents: Supporting Children and Teens through this Holiday Season (National Child Traumatic Stress Network)
- How to navigate holiday losses, such as the loss of traditions, disappointment and sadness (Greater Good Science Center)
- Coping with the “double whammy” of pandemic blues and seasonal depression (SAD) (NAMI)
Leadership/Management Resources
- How to Support the People You Lead in Times of Uncertainty (Greater Good Science Center)
- Leadership Resiliency: Handling Stress, Uncertainty and Setbacks (Center for Creative Leadership)
- Top 15 Tips to Effectively Manage Remote Employees (Forbes)
- Getting Virtual Teams Right (Harvard Business Review)
- How to Manage Remote Direct Reports (Harvard Business Review)
- "Leading through COVID-19" (Stanford University)
- For HR: Taking Care of Teams in a Times of Crisis (PageUp)
- How to Support Employees During a Pandemic (WA State EAP Supervisor Frontline)
- Maintain and Strengthen Your Culture in Times of Disruption (Gallup)
- (Video, 60 min) Sustaining Company Culture Through COVID-19 (Gallup)
- Supporting Employee Mental Health When Reopening the Workplace (American Psychological Association)
- Resuming Business Toolkit (CDC)
- Return to Workplace Guide for HR Leaders (Gartner)
- How Coronavirus Will Change the Next Normal Workplace (Gallup)
- Amid COVID-19, Let’s Rethink Workplace Flexibility (Gallup)
LGBTQ+ Resources
- LGBTQ community is at higher risk of getting very sick from Coronavirus (WA Dept of Health)
- Coronavirus: What LGBTQ+ People Need to Know (National LGBT Cancer Network)
- Coronavirus: What Trans People Need to Know (National Center for Transgender Equality)
- Gender-Affirming Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic (Human Rights Campaign)
Meditation
- App: Free Evidence-Based Meditation and Mindfulness Skills Development Program (Center for Healthy Minds, University of Wisconsin-Madison)
- COVID-19 well-being ToolKit (Center for Healthy Minds, University of Wisconsin)
- Loving Kindness Practice (instructions + audio, 15 minutes) (Greater Good Science Center)
- Facing Pandemic Fears with a Compassionate Heart (video, 12 minutes) (Tara Brach)
- Breathe With Me: Guided Breathing Meditation for Kids (Video, 10 min) (Mariam Gates via Sounds True)
Mental Wellness
- Mental Health Crisis Lines (WA State Health Care Authority)
- COVID 19 Resource and Information Guide (NAMI)
- Toolkit: Mental and Emotional Well-Being (WA State Dept. of Health)
- Manage Anxiety & Stress (CDC)
- Greater Good's Guide to well-being During Coronavirus (Greater Good Science Center, UC Berkeley)
- 10 Mental Health Tips for Coronavirus Social Distancing (Partners in Health)
- COVID-19 & Your Mental Health: A Comprehensive Resource Guide (Peak Resilience)
- Managing Anxiety About the Coronavirus (Therapy for Black Girls Podcast)
- Coping with Coronavirus Anxiety (Harvard Medical School Health Blog)
- SAMHSA Training and Technical Assistance Related to COVID-19 (SAMHSA)
Movement/Exercise
- Yoga video “Stress Break” (14 minutes) (University of Washington Recreation)
- Seated Yoga video “Stress Break” (14 minutes) (University of Washington Recreation)
Substance Use
- Online recovery meetings and other resources for people in recovery and their loved ones (In The Rooms)
- Online Community Forums for People in Recovery (Peer Workforce Alliance)
- Online Help to Stay Sober During COVID-19 (New York Times)
- Never Use Alone hotline -- An operator will stay on the line with you while you use drugs alone
- Resources for Drug Use and COVID-19 Risk Reduction (Vital Strategies)
- SAMHSA Training and Technical Assistance Related to COVID-19 (SAMHSA)
- Smoking/Vaping & COVID-19: Give Your Lungs a Fighting Chance (WA State Dept. of Health)
Suicide
- Resources to Support Mental Health and Coping during COVID-19 (SPRC)
- Taking Care of Your Mental Health in the Face of Uncertainty (AFSP)
- Suicide Awareness and Prevention Training for all employees and supervisors (eLearning in the State LMS)
Veterans
- Military and Veteran Community Resources by Topic (WA Dept of Veteran Affairs)
Working from Home Tips
- How to Negotiate to Remote Work from Home During COVID (thebalancecareers.com)
- How to Work From Home Without Losing It With Your Partner or Kids (MSN)
- 7 Tips to Survive Working from Home with your Spouse (CNN)
- 9 Tips To Be Productive When Working At Home During COVID-19 (Forbes)
- 8 Tips To Make Working From Home Work For You (NPR)
- How to Work From Home Without Losing Your Mind (Wired)
- How to keep yourself happy and productive if you're working from home because of the coronavirus (Business Insider)
- Zoom Tips for the Modern Age (Seth Godin)
- Zoom Exhaustion is Real: Here are Six Ways to Find Balance and Stay Connected (Mindful.org)