Aspen Strong

Covid-19

For Local Bilingual Mental Health Assistance Call 877-519-7505
If You or Someone You Know Are in Crisis Call the Bilingual National Crisis Line at 1-844-493-8255 or Text TALK to 741741
COVID-19 Speaker Series
Aspen Strong hosts and promotes events, support groups, and workshops throughout the year. There are currently a number of COVID-19 related events on our calendar.
Click Here COVID-19 Speaker Series

Valleywide Resources

FEMA COVID-19 Relief Program – Free outreach, stress and resilience education, and connection to mental health and other community resources
Free Roaring Fork Valley Covid-19 Testing – by RoaringForkNeurology
FREE Covid-19 Testing – Two locations: Aspen & Basalt. Results in 24-48 hours
Aspen to Parachute COVID-19 Community Hotline: 970-429-6186
Alpine Legal Services – Free legal services from general to eviction law
Valley Settlement – Covid resources for Valley immigrants
Tri County Child Care Support

Pitkin County

Pitkin Vaccine Information

COVID-19 Testing Site Finder

Aspen | Basalt | Snowmass Village |

Aspen Family Connection

Vaccination Infoline – 970-429-3363

Emotional Check-in – Getting help during Covid-19 in Pitkin County

Emergency Food Resources | Food distribution locations by Liftup.org | Foodbank of the Rockies food assistance

Statewide Resources

Colorado Emergency Help Line (CO Help): 877-462-2911 or COHELP@RMPDC.org (multiple languages)


During this time of uncertainty it is common for people to experience stress and symptoms of anxiety. Stress is a state of mental or emotional strain that results from very demanding circumstances, while anxiety is the body’s natural response to stress that leads to something with an uncertain outcome. The constant news updates and changes to our daily lives alone are enough to disrupt our thoughts, behaviors and emotions.

It is as important now than ever to practice self-care and utilize the social support of those around you. Consider what you can do today to help relieve the stress. That may mean doing yoga in your house and calling a friend, but there are creative solutions to help through this difficult time. Use this toolkit to address your anxiety by connecting to others or using virtual supports from yoga to AA groups.

Resources:

Social distancing is a term that is new to many of us and involves avoiding large gatherings and keeping at least 6 feet (2 meters) between yourself and others when possible. While the goal of social distancing is to reduce the transmission of the virus, and there is good evidence to show that it does, it can be very disruptive to our lives and add to the mental burden many of us are experiencing at this time.

Reduced social contact can lead to feelings of depression and loneliness, which can get worse as time goes on. It is important to find ways to remain connected to your social support network. Social distancing does not mean social isolation. Tonight, get connected to a zoom dinner night with your friends and family across the county or down the street.

Resources:

Self-isolation is a step beyond social distancing and involves separation of a person known or reasonably believed to be infected with a communicable disease. Experts recommend self-isolation for those who have contacted a health professional and show symptoms of the disease, including fever, dry cough, and fatigue, but haven’t yet been tested yet. It’s a highly effective method for slowing the spread of the virus, but can have a significant impact on mental health.

Quarantine is used to separate and restrict the movement of well persons who may have been exposed to a communicable disease to see if they become ill. These people may have been exposed to a disease and do not know it, or they may have the disease but do not show symptoms. This is a strict isolation and is imposed to prevent the spread of disease.

Regardless if you are someone who decides to self-isolate for the benefit of others or is required to be quarantined, the emotional impact of isolation and quarantine can be extremely distressing for most people.

Resources:

For many, financial fears are at the top of the growing list of things that are causing stress and anxiety related to the Coronavirus (COVID-19). When situations threaten our financial stability, it is easy to become overburdened and leave us feeling full or anxiety, helpless and hopeless. While these financial fears may seem impossible to overcome, there are things that you can do and resources are becoming available from a variety of companies and organizations.

Mental Health Fund:

Valley-wide Financial Funding:

Resources:

It’s important to remember that try as we may, it is impossible to completely insulate children from what is going on in regard to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and the impact this is having on everything around them. While they might not fully understand what is going on, it is beneficial to help them express their feelings and make meaning of their experiences in age and developmentally appropriate ways. The fact that they may be out of school for an extended period of time or that parents are suddenly out of work or working from home can cause disruptions to daily routine or raise uncertainty in children.

It’s common for parents to have questions about what children need to know, how to best explain difficult things to them in ways that they understand and how to help them cope with a mix of emotions that may be new to them.

Road Map for Resources
Additional Resources:

If you provide care for an elderly, disabled or chronically ill person, it is very likely that the Coronavirus (COVID-19) has made a difficult job even harder and more stressful. In addition to the daily stressors and challenges of caring for another person, you now have to worry about things like: will the there be disruptions to obtaining necessary medications and treatments, will home health support still be come for regular visits, will medical appointments be cancelled or delayed and perhaps most distressing of all, will you transmit the virus to them.

For caregivers who already have a full plate, the additional stressors created by the Coronavirus can feel especially overwhelming and anxiety provoking. As a person who cares for others, it is important that you also take care of yourself emotionally. It can be helpful to know the things that are in your control, as well as the things that are out of your control, so that you can make the most informed decision and manage your worry and concerns to the extent possible.

Resources:

FINANCIAL SUPPORT

  • SBA Disaster Loans: What they are and what you need to know to get one
  • An easy-to-read breakdown of the CARES act. The U.S. Chamber of congress breaks down what it covers and what it means for you business.
  • Companies like Comcast and Amazon are providing relief for small businesses as well. Forbes has an ongoing list on relief options from these companies that it updates daily.
  • States are also offering their own versions of relief options for businesses. The Council of State Chambers curated a list of every action by state. Visit here to understand options specific to your state.
  • The Paycheck Protection Program is providing relief to small businesses and their employees. The U.S. Department of Treasury has the documents you need to get started. Read on to see the qualifications and how to apply.

HR RESOURCES

FAQs

FOR EMPLOYEES

  • For those of you who have lost your job please see the Health and Human Resources section below for unemployment support and valley wide funding support
  • Several industries are growing rapidly right now and are actively hiring. If your employees are looking for employment options, share this ongoing list of places that are hiring with them.
  • Unemployment varies by state. Share these resources with your employees so they can start the process:
  • File for unemployment. To get started, select your state from the drop down menu.

PERSONAL SUPPORT

  • Taking care of your mental health right now is more important than ever. The Harvard Business Review sheds light on what our discomfort during this time might really be.
  • Mental Health America put together a massive list of resources on a variety of mental health topics. You’ll find tools for anxiety, financial resources, resources for immediate response, and more.

OTHER RESOURCES

Mental Health Coordination Team, Roaring Fork Valley

WHO THE MENTAL HEALTH COORDINATION TEAM IS:

The public and mental health organizations from Aspen to Parachute have come together to form the Mental Health Coordination Team to support our people struggling with stress, anxiety, depression, and fear during COVID-19.

Behavioral Health Care Experts – We treat a large scope of behavioral health care needs, from prevention services, to outpatient services and in-community services like school-based mental health initiatives.

The Hope Center provides services that were designed to decrease the stress of navigating the convoluted system of mental health. They provide a 24/7 crisis hotline, on site crisis intervention and individual stabilization services, individual counseling services, school based programs, and community education.

We improve the health of our community by providing equitable and affordable medical, behavioral, and dental healthcare for all.

Provides psychosocial support for anyone needing assistance — whether due to a chronic illness, grief, loss, stress, or end-of-life planning.

Aspen Strong

Aspen Strong promotes mental wellness practices and connection to mental health resources in the Roaring Fork Valley. We support a vision in which mental hygiene is supported in all our valley’s organizations creating an increase in overall community well being.

Supported & Brought to You in Part By:

City of Aspen
Eagle County
Garfield County
Pitkin County