Mobilizing and training an army of mental health volunteers would help address the growing need.
When she was in her late 70s, my late grandmother Henrietta became an unofficial mental health provider. Often housebound because of physical ailments, Grandma needed a volunteer effort she could do from her living room, so she became involved with the Jewish Family Services agency, calling half a dozen seniors every week.
I’ve been thinking about my grandmother lately because of our current crisis. Over the last month, I’ve heard more than once that the COVID-19 pandemic, as difficult as it is, will be followed by a second pandemic of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress, born of unprecedented economic dislocation and isolation. We are already seeing it.have exploded.
We desperately need to fix the fragmented system and ensure that support and care are there for those who need it. But my Grandma’s story reminds me of something that might help fill some gaps until then: mobilizing tens of thousands of people who want to help. Right now, in this time of need.Some things are simple. We can all reach out to friends, neighbors and family who live alone or might be feeling lonely or vulnerable.
First, expand the new California Health Corps to include a groundbreaking Mental Health Corps where mental health professionals working as volunteers or being paid by the state can be deployed to support those struggling with isolation and anxiety. Offer training to existing Health Corps members in a simple strategy called Mental Health First Aid to help them provide a full range of support and identify those in need of deeper assistance.
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