Practical Resources for New Yorkers/PIRC Patients
For New Yorkers, there are up-to-date tools available through the NYC Emergency Management department. Many of these same resources are listed below. Here’s also how you can help during this crisis.
Illness
- Columbia University Irving Medical Center Opens Two Fever and Cough Clinics (3/20/20)
- CityMD Virtual Clinic
- Health Insurance for the Unemployed (updated 3/19/20)
- Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress: Comprehensive list of patient resources
- UCLA Center for Autism Research and Treatment: Comprehensive list of resources for addressing CoViD-19 issues for patients with autism
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): 24/7 helpline for assisting patients in finding referrals to treatment
Financial Hardship
This New York Times article (updated continuously) covers a variety of topics related to current financial hardship during the COVID19 Pandemic. These topics include:
- Businesses offering paid sick leave
- Temporary deferment of student loans
- Extended tax filing deadline
- Foreclosure and eviction moratorium
- Utilities cutoff suspension
- Free phone financial planning for distressed individuals
You can also check for your eligibility to local social service programs and benefits through ACCESSNYC.
Application for Cash Assistance via ACCESS HRA. Instructions on how to fill out Cash Assistance application are here.
Social Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries with dependents and who do not file tax returns to receive $500 per child. Click here to see the press release and information on how to receive benefit.
Job Loss
- Unemployment Insurance (updated 3/19/20)
Child Care
- Wide Open School: online resources for families organizing home-learning
- Empowering and protecting your family during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. David Price, Weill Cornell Medical Center
- NPR segment for kids/families to learn about CoViD-19
- Nationwide Children’s articles and podcast: How to talk to children about CoViD-19
- Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress: Helping homebound children
- National Child Traumatic Stress Network: Parent/caregiver helping families cope
- The Autism Educator: Education about Coronavirus for children with autism
- Kids Activities Blog: Long list of educational companies offering free subscriptions
- The Science Mom: Daily 2-hour educational videos about science
- Listing of Educational Math Websites: 60 websites
- Virtual Field Trips: Over 30 trips for children
- Audible: Audio stories for children
- Libby App: Access thousands of e-books and audible books from the public library
- Rosetta Stone: 3 months free access to learn a language
- Cleveland Inner City Ballet: Free virtual ballet lessons
- Playbill: Watch 15 Broadway plays and musicals online
- Museum Tours: List of free virtual museum tours (also check your local museums)
- Kennedy Center: Learn to draw with Mo Willems, artist
- Cincinnati Zoo: Daily videos with featured animals
- Cosmic Kids Yoga: Free yoga and mindfulness videos (and on YouTube), app free for 2 weeks
- Go Noodle: Movement and mindfulness videos
- CLI Studios: Learn dance routines by watching videos
Food and Medicine Resources & Delivery
- List of New York City Food Pantries (updated as of 3/3/2020)
- Interactive map of open “grab and go” meals and pantry bags in New York City (updated as of 3/21/20)
- Application for SNAP (food stamps) assistance
- Free food delivery for the elderly through God’s Love We Deliver
- Food delivery for the elderly through NYC Department for the Aging
Other Resources for New Yorkers
- Free internet installation and 60 days free internet Wi-Fi for households with K-12 and/or college students who do not already have Spectrum broadband subscription. Call Spectrum at 844-488-8395.
How You Can Help
- How you can help via New York State
- Plasma Donation via Mount Sinai
- Plasma Donation from COVID-19 Survivors via Columbia University Medical Center
- File a complaint about price gouging in New York City with the Department of Consumer Affairs
Office of Mental Health (OMH) Updates
Telemedicine Tips/Guidelines
- HIPAA Privacy Laws during COVID-19 (updated 3/17/20)
- Logistics and Billing for Telehealth (updated 3/23/20)
- DEA Suspension of in-person exam for Controlled Substances
- Expansion of Medicare Telehealth Benefits (updated 3/17/20)
- Comprehensive list of resources from AADPRT (updated continuously). Topics include:
- Expanding access to naloxone
- Expanded psychiatry curriculum
- Care for critically ill patients with COVID-19
- Best practices for telepsychiatry and video conferencing
- 8-hour free training course for buprenorphine training (clinicians only)
General Mental Health & Coping
- For individuals facing a mental health crisis:
- The Samaritans 24-seven crisis helpline can be reached by calling or texting 877-870-4673
- Call the Disaster Distress Helpline: 1-800-985-5990
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
- Crisis Text Line: Text CRISIS to 741741
- MGH Psychiatry Guide to Mental Health Resources for COVID-19 (updated daily)
- CDC Guide for Managing Stress and Anxiety during COVID-19 (updated 3/23/20)
- VA Guide for Managing Stress during COVID-19 (updated March 2020)
- NYTimes, Talking to your kids about COVID-19 (updated 3/19/20)
- NYTimes, Feelings of Guilt in Parenting throughout COVID-19 (3/25/20)
- Comprehensive list of resources from AADPRT (updated continuously). Topics include:
- Taking care of your family during COVID-19
- Helping homebound children during the outbreak
- Helping patients manage the psychological effects of isolation
- Illinois State Medical Society Resources
- WHO Guide for Psychological First Aid
- Anxiety and Depression Association of America
- APA Resources
- CDC Information/resources
Support for Clinicians during COVID-19
- Comprehensive list of resources from AADPRT (updated continuously). Topics include:
- Wellbeing of healthcare personnel during COVID-19
- Psychiatry Network Facebook Group: Online closed physician group for psychiatrists and psychiatry residents
- Psychiatry in the Era of CoViD-19: Online closed physician sub-group for members of Psychiatry Network, for discussions about CoViD-19 and psychiatry
- Headspace app: paid version currently free to end of year (need NPI #)
- PFA Mobile (VA) and PFA Tutorial (U. of Minnesota) are two apps about administering psychological first aid
- UCLA Mindfulness App: free app
- Discounted Online Therapy: for first responders/healthcare workers, first three sessions $50
- Ten Percent Happier: Go to this link, open account, use gift code HEALTHCARE to download app and get 6 months free (meditations and practical teachings). Also includes free Coronavirus Sanity Guide
- Free Guided Meditations: By a physician, created for the Coronavirus crisis
- Coronavirus Anxiety: Toolkit developed to manage Coronavirus anxiety including free meditations
- Staying Healthy: Tips summarized by a physician
- Center for Mind-Body Medicine: Webinars showing mind-body skills groups, first one 3/27
- SAMHSA Training and Resources: Including material on compassion fatigue, telepsychiatry, managing anxiety, dealing with opioid replacement issues