COVID -19 Resources

IEPA would  like to provide access to a curated list of  COVID-19 mental health resources suitable for young people and our early intervention community.  If your early intervention service has developed any useful resources, please submit them to our List a resource page and indicate that it is a COVID-19 resource.

Many young people and their families are also currently searching for help. If your early intervention service is not listed on our website, please forward details via the IEPA website https://iepa.org.au/list-a-service/ and we will upload your service to our interactive map as soon as possible. This will enable people in your country to access available evidence-based early intervention services.

Tell us your stories
Many services are switching to telehealth for some mental health consultations, but how else are you changing the way you work to support young people? What tips do you have for your colleagues in the early intervention community? What are you doing to support yourselves and keep well during stressful, unsettling times?

Email us at digitalcomms@iepa.org.au and we will collate and reshare your tips on this page.

COVID-19 mental health resources:  

Advice for young people and families:

UNICEF  has identified 6 mental health promotion strategies for teens facing a new (temporary) normal.

headspace in Australia  has identified strategies for young people that might be helpful to manage changes to daily life as a result of containment measures for COVID-19:
https://headspace.org.au/young-people/how-to-cope-with-stress-related-to-covid-19/

Orygen in Australia has put together a helpful list of self-care activities for young people and families:
https://www.orygen.org.au/About/Responding-to-the-COVID-19-outbreak/For-young-people-and-families/Self-care-during-the-COVID-19-outbreak

Jigsaw in Ireland, have developed a range of COVID-19 resources (articles, videos, animations and audio) providing information and support for young people, parents and guardians and those working with young people

University of Sydney has created a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on Positive Psychiatry and Mental Health. The purpose of the MOOC is to encourage people to look after their own mental health, as well as increase understanding about mental ill-health. All resources are free to use.

Other Resources:

Flattening the mental health and suicide curve post-COVID-19 : Webinar chaired by Professor Ian Hickie discusses dynamic models to inform decision-makers responding to the mental health and suicide prevention crisis due to COVID-19.

IRIS Initiative UK has gathered together a range of blogs, policies, protocols and examples of good practice to support the maintenance of safe and effective early intervention in psychosis services during the COVID-19 crisis.

Professor Alan Rosen, Professor Patrick McGorry and Professor Helen Herrman, President, World Psychiatric Association convened a Call for action on all Australian Governments to implement a comprehensive National Mental Health Plan to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic with an emphasis on the urgent need to move focus to people with moderate to severe and/or complex mental illness.

The Matilda Centre has collated resources to help schools, clinicians and communities during COVID-19. The webpage includes tips for coping, links to podcasts, articles and top resources.

Podcast: Professor Maree Teesson, Director of the University of Sydney’s Matilda Centre, and Senior Research Fellow Dr Lexine Stapinski discuss mental health and wellbeing during COVID-19 and provide practical types for coping during challenging times.

Academic Papers:

Brown, E., Gray, R., Lo Monaco, S., O’Donoghue, B., Nelson, B., Thompson, A., Francey, S., & McGorry, P. (2020). The potential impact of COVID-19 on psychosis: A rapid review of contemporary epidemic and pandemic research. Schizophrenia research, S0920-9964(20)30257-7. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2020.05.005

Cash., R. & Patel., V. (2020). Has COVID-19 subverted global health? Lancet. Published online May 5th. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)31089-8

Galea S, Merchant RM, & Lurie N. (2020). The Mental Health Consequences of COVID-19 and Physical Distancing: The Need for Prevention and Early Intervention. JAMA Intern Med. Published online April 10, 2020. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2020.1562

The Lancet Psychiatry. (2020) Mental health and COVID-19: change the conversation. Lancet Psychiatry. May 4. doi: 10.1016/S2215-0366(20)30194-2.

Liang L, Ren H, Cao R, Hu Y, Qin Z, Li C, & Mei S. The Effect of COVID-19 on Youth Mental Health. Psychiatr Q. 2020 Apr 21. doi: 10.1007/s11126-020-09744-3.

McIntyre, R. S., & Lee, Y. (2020). Preventing suicide in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. World psychiatry, 19(2), 250–251. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20767

Orben, Amy., Tomova, L., & Blackmore, S-J. (2020).The effects of social deprivation on adolescent development and mental health. The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, June. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2352-4642(20)30186-3

Torous J, Wykes T. Opportunities From the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic for Transforming Psychiatric Care With Telehealth. JAMA Psychiatry. Published online May 11, 2020. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2020.1640

Vieta, E., Pérez, V., & Arango, C. (2020). Psychiatry in the aftermath of COVID-19. Revista de psiquiatria y salud mental, S1888-9891(20)30029-X. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rpsm.2020.04.004  (Also available in Spanish)

These further links may be helpful:

In May the United Nations released a policy brief on COVID-19 and the need for action on mental health. The policy brief calls for mental health services to be included as an essential part of all government responses to COVID-19. They must be expanded and fully funded.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) Department of Mental Health and Substance Use has identified mental health and psychosocial considerations during the COVID-19 outbreak, they have been developed into a series of messages that can be used in communications to support mental health and psychosocial well-being in different target groups during the outbreak.

World Health Organisation (WHO) Joint Leaders Statement pledges support to protect children from violence and reduce the impact of COVID-19 on children in every country and community.

The Australian National Mental Health Commission has launched a national online campaign #InThisTogether which provides Australians with important mental health and wellbeing tips.