COVID-19 has presented new and unique challenges. We are navigating uncharted waters with this virus, making it important to find new ways to work, learn and interact while also taking care of our mental health and well-being.
For the past year, our daily living routines have been disrupted causing added anxiety, stress and strain—physically, mentally, and financially. It is completely natural for this disruption and uncertainty to lead to anxiety and stress. Now more than ever, we all must take care of our mental health and well-being.
Whether you are returning to work, working from home, going back to school or starting virtual learning, there are many new challenges to face. Workforce WindsorEssex has compiled a list of resources to make navigating this time a bit more manageable for you.
We recommend you read the entire page, but if you want to learn more about a specific topic, please click below to fast-scroll to that topic:
Returning to Work
Return to the workplace: A psychological toolkit for heading back to work
CMHA toolkit supports employees, employers with planning psychologically-safe return to the workplace
As Ontario’s economy gradually re-opens during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new toolkit is now available to support employers and employees in navigating the mental health implications of returning to physical workplaces.
Developed by Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), Ontario Division, in partnership with Mental Health Works and BounceBack Ontario, Return to the workplace: A psychological toolkit for heading back to work aims to serve employees and employers across a variety of sectors. This toolkit provides guidance on how to support the mental health of individuals as they plan safe transitions back into their workplaces and to help employers as they develop policies and procedures for supporting staff returning to the work environment.
ADDITIONAL RETURNING TO WORK RESOURCES:
- Centres for Disease Control and Prevention – Returning to Work
- Centres for Disease Control and Prevention – Daily Activities and Going Out
- Public Health Ontario – COVID-19 Workplace Resources (Non-Healthcare)
- The Government of Canada released a page and infographic to address Covid-19 and Mental Health at Work.
Working From Home
The Center for Workplace Mental Health
Working Remotely During COVID-19
This resource provides practical tips on taking care of our mental health and well-being.
ADDITIONAL WORKING FROM HOME RESOURCES:
- Taking care of your mental and physical health is important at all times, but especially during this stressful period. Time Magazine has some tips on nutrition, fitness, sleep, and stress. How to Stay Physically and Mentally Healthy While COVID-19 Has You Stuck at Home.
- Maintaining a professional career while at home can have its challenges. Here’s 12 Tips to Stay Healthy While Working From Home (Entrepreneur).
- Working where you live is not as easy as it sounds, especially if you have other people in the space. Here’s how to avoid the darker side of remote work. How to Maintain Your Mental Health While Working From Home (Fast Company).
Support Helplines
Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare’s (HDGH) Community Crisis Centre of Windsor-Essex County
Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare’s (HDGH) Community Crisis Centre of Windsor-Essex County works in partnership with community social agencies to provide crisis response services to individuals 16 years of age and older who are experiencing an acute mental illness and/or psychosocial crisis.
519-973-4435
Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Centre
The Tele-Mental Health Service offers improved access to specialized mental health consults for children and youth in rural, remote and under-served communities using videoconferencing. This includes First Nations, Métis, Inuit, urban Aboriginal, and francophone children, youth and their families.
1-877-454-0753
CRISIS SERVICES CANADA
Crisis Services Canada (CSC) is a national network of existing distress, crisis and suicide prevention line services. We are committed to supporting any person living in Canada who is affected by suicide, in the most caring and least intrusive manner possible.
833-456-4566
Windsor-Essex Counselling Support Line
The Windsor-Essex Counselling Support Line provides free, safe, timely and responsive telephone counselling support to people who are struggling to cope with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
519-946-3277 or 1-877-451-1055
Kids Help Phone
Kids Help Phone is Canada’s only 24/7, national support service. They offer professional counselling, information and referrals and volunteer-led, text-based support to young people in both English and French.
1-800-668-6868
Local Services
Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) HAS A VARIETY OF RESOURCES AND SERVICES FOR A VARIETY OF TOPICS INCLUDING:
Suicide Prevention
Suicide Prevention Awareness Month: September, 2020
The Canadian Mental Health Association, Windsor-Essex County Branch (CMHA-WECB) in partnership with the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) is leading a campaign to bring awareness about mental health promotion and suicide prevention. They have gathered a large network of community partners to plan and organize the fifth annual Suicide Prevention Awareness campaign.
Family Services Windsor-Essex (FSWE)
Family Services Windsor-Essex provides professional, voluntary and confidential advocacy and support services to families, individuals, couples, older adults and persons with developmental disabilities or mental health issues. Our programs are client-centered. We provide strategies and support to resolve conflicts, address personal problems and help people live independently in the community.
Windsor-Essex County Health Unit
The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit has a list of resources and contacts for walk-in counselling clinics. If you or someone you know needs help in managing stress and anxieties related to Covid-19, visit the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit: Stress and Mental Health.
The Mental Health Program at Windsor Regional Hospital
The Mental Health Program at Windsor Regional Hospital provides acute services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for patients 16 years of age or older. Services include emergency psychiatric assessments through the Emergency Department, admission into our 60-bed acute mental health program, or admission into our 8-bed Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit. In addition, our team provides psychiatric consultation to in-patients throughout the hospital.
Additional Mental Health Resources
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists various stress and coping mechanisms as well as things you can do to support yourself. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Manage Anxiety & Stress.
- The World Health Organization released a handy infographic on how to deal with stress as well. World Health Organization: Coming with Stress During the COVID-19 Outbreak.
- Tiny Buddah provides a few ways you can practice self-care during this stressful time. How to Take Good Care of Yourself During the Coronavirus Pandemic.