{"id":2456131,"date":"2020-03-22T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-03-22T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/?p=323094"},"modified":"2020-03-22T07:49:28","modified_gmt":"2020-03-22T13:49:28","slug":"county-organizations-health-officials-increase-mental-health-support-during-virus-outbreak","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/local-news\/county-organizations-health-officials-increase-mental-health-support-during-virus-outbreak\/","title":{"rendered":"County organizations, health officials increase mental health support during virus outbreak"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Dipika Peckham, left, Tara Peckham, 20, and Doug Peckham stand on the other side of their screen door with their dog Tycho while self-quarantining due to potential coronavirus exposure on Thursday, March 19, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong>
Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times<\/em>
<\/i> Buy Photo<\/a><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

Online college class work. Getting out of bed, getting dressed. Walking the dog. Having family dinner around the table. Taking advantage of access to the outdoors.<\/p>\n

These are just a few of the activities Tara Peckham, 20, has taken part in over the past week since she\u2019s been self-quarantining with her family in Aspen.<\/p>\n

After learning a person she\u2019d been in close contact with while studying abroad in Spain tested positive for COVID-19 \u2014 and given the multiple interactions she\u2019d had with international travelers as she made her way to Aspen from Barcelona \u2014 Peckham decided it was best to self-quarantine for two weeks once she got to her parents\u2019 home to ensure she didn\u2019t spread the novel coronavirus if she has it.<\/p>\n

On Thursday, Peckham said she and her parents were feeling well and not experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms. The family is doing their best to maintain as much normalcy as possible while in quarantine and focus on the positives of staying away from others.<\/p>\n

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\u201c(The outbreak) creates a level of feeling kind of out of control, and so that leaves us with a feeling of not really feeling safe.\u201dJackie SkranstadClinical operations manager at Mind Springs Health<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n

\u201cFor myself, remembering why it\u2019s important that we are taking these precautions really makes them feel more worth it,\u201d Peckham said. \u201cIt\u2019s not necessarily like you\u2019re putting yourself at risk but what are you doing for the greater benefit of your community.\u201d<\/p>\n

Whether it\u2019s self-quarantine, isolation or practicing social distancing, county officials have recognized the need to support both the physical and mental health of all locals<\/a> from Aspen to Parachute during the COVID-19 outbreak \u2014 and all of the multi-faceted uncertainty, anxiety and stress that comes with it.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why the Pitkin, Eagle and Garfield counties\u2019 public health departments are partnering with Aspen Strong, Aspen Hope Center and Mind Springs Health to form a mental health coordination team dedicated to pushing out mental wellness information to tri-county residents and connecting them with mental health resources.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith the ever-evolving information being communicated to the public about COVID-19 and the limitations that may continue to take place in our community, Aspen Strong, the Aspen Hope Center, Mind Springs, our private practitioners, and public health departments want to make sure you are prioritizing your overall WELLNESS and taking steps to reduce stress and anxiety,\u201d a community letter from the mental health coordination team says.<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cDuring this time of uncertainty we want you to know that we SEE you. We want you to know that social distancing doesn\u2019t have to mean social disconnection.\u201d<\/p>\n

From listing available mental telehealth resources and public health information pages to providing mental wellness tips and \u201cemotional toolkits,\u201d the partnering organizations are working to ensure locals feel supported emotionally during the COVID-19 outbreak in Colorado.<\/p>\n

Christina King, a local licensed professional counselor and founder of Aspen Strong, said the mental health coordination team formed March 15 after Pitkin County officials received some mental health-related calls to the Aspen to Parachute COVID-19 Community Hotline.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn Sunday morning Nan (Sundeen) said we need a mental health team to come together, and by 2 p.m. we were all on the phone,\u201d King said.<\/p>\n

King said Aspen Strong, a nonprofit which aims to act as a connector among locals, professionals, businesses and all of the mental health resources available in the Roaring Fork Valley, is taking the lead on the information dissemination for the team, which will send out weekly newsletters promoting mental wellness and hygiene.<\/p>\n

The team also is hoping to launch a series of virtual town hall-like community meetings to discuss what emotions people may be feeling as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak and its related closures, along with how to recognize and cope with these emotions as early as this week, King said.<\/p>\n

In addition to promoting resources and pushing out information, the Aspen Hope Center and Mind Springs Health will take weekly turns fielding any mental health-related calls that make it to the COVID-19 community hotline, King said. Area mental health providers also will be on standby to get on the line with locals if the need elevates to a level the Hope Center and Mind Springs can\u2019t handle, which hasn\u2019t happened yet.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re continuing to identify things we can do to support the community,\u201d King said. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of good communication and talk amongst all of us and a great support system for the whole valley.\u201d<\/p>\n

Both the World Health Organization and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention acknowledge stress, anxiety and depression as normal emotions that people may experience as a result of crises like the global novel coronavirus pandemic.<\/p>\n

On top of these emotions, Jackie Skramstad, clinical operations manager for Mind Springs Health, said the uncertainty and ever-changing aspect of the worldwide COVID-19 outbreak also can make people feel unsafe, bringing back memories of other unsafe or traumatic experiences and leading some people to grow angry or edgy.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not the fact that it\u2019s a medical situation; it\u2019s the fact that this is a situation that we are uncertain about,\u201d Skramstad said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt creates a level of feeling kind of out of control, and so that leaves us with a feeling of not really feeling safe. \u2026 Our mental health and wellness can then be impacted and that\u2019s where that feeling edgy, angry, helpless, sad and depressed can come in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mind Springs Health is the Western Slope\u2019s largest provider of counseling and therapy for mental wellness, according to its website.<\/p>\n

While the organization hasn\u2019t seen a spike in people trying to access mental health services, Skramstad said Mind Springs Health is pushing out a variety of resources \u2014 like free access to mystrength.com, \u201cthe health club for your mind\u201d that provides digital support for mind, body and spirit with the code \u201cWELLNESSWEB\u201d \u2014 through its social media channels to reach a broader scope of people who may need varying levels of mental wellness support.<\/p>\n

Skramstad also said Mind Springs Health moved to create virtual offices in the valley area and that practitioners are maintaining contact with their clients via video or phone calls.<\/p>\n

But the virtual piece of maintaining mental wellness goes beyond telehealth sessions and mental wellness websites. Skramstad also said online yoga classes, FaceTime calls with friends and family, and other virtual connectors can help people maintain a sense of normalcy and to interact with others from afar.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think that as the reality sets in that this is not going away in a week or two and that this is going to be a longer journey, that\u2019s going to add to people\u2019s anxiety and stress,\u201d Skramstad said.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo far I have not seen that and I think people are just trying to make sense of the situation, \u2026 that\u2019s why people should find creative ways to stay connected with friends, family and community, even if it\u2019s virtually. It\u2019s so important.\u201d<\/p>\n

Similar to Mind Springs Health, both the Aspen Hope Center and Youth Zone are taking an approach to maintaining connection with clients through telehealth video or phone calls and also are working to reach a broader scope of people who may be in need.<\/p>\n

Lori Mueller, executive director with Youth Zone, said the Colorado nonprofit aimed at inspiring healthy relationships between youth, families and communities also shifted to remote operations this week, and is working to continue to support valley families through counseling and other life-skills services.<\/p>\n

Mueller said Youth Zone receives the bulk of its referrals through the court system and schools, and that because those sources aren\u2019t really functioning right now, it\u2019s harder to know which kids and families need Youth Zone\u2019s help.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs you can imagine, it\u2019s more difficult for us just to shut our doors because our clients have mental health, substance and addiction issues and families are struggling,\u201d Mueller said. \u201cIn any time of crisis like this, sometimes the stress levels go up and the struggles intensify, they don\u2019t go away. \u2026 I just am hoping kids or parents will reach out and get the support they need during this time.\u201d<\/p>\n

When asked about the best way for parents to talk with their kids about the COVID-19 outbreak and what it means, Mueller said it roots back to good, open communication.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood communication between your kids doesn\u2019t change based on the topic,\u201d Mueller said. \u201cThe same good communication skills you would use when talking with your kids about drugs or any conflict they\u2019re having with friends, you\u2019re using that same open communication with open-ended questions.\u201d<\/p>\n

This means asking young adults and children how they are feeling, what they are thinking, working not to minimize their feelings or fears, and showing them what good coping skills look like, Mueller said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re just checking in on a daily basis and letting that be, validating how they\u2019re feeling and communicating to them that you\u2019re going to be there to listen to them and you\u2019re going to help support them through this,\u201d Mueller said of the COVID-19 outbreak.<\/p>\n

\u201cI look out the window and there\u2019s kids riding their bikes all over the place and laughing and joking and it\u2019s like yup, there are some positives of how kids are dealing with all of this.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Peckham, who was on day five of her self-quarantine with her family Thursday, transitioning from a study abroad program in Spain to living with her parents in Aspen hasn\u2019t been the easiest to deal with.<\/p>\n

She said she\u2019s felt some negative emotions related to the fact that she\u2019s not in an ideal situation and also has felt a little unmotivated, but otherwise hasn\u2019t noticed any heightened feelings of stress, anxiety or depression.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I had to be doing this on my own completely in my own space without my parents around to spend time with, I think I would feel a lot more of the emotional toll of self-quarantining,\u201d Peckham said. \u201cI think it\u2019s important if you\u2019re living with other people to take advantage of those interactions.\u201d<\/p>\n

Through keeping a daily routine, connecting with her friends in creative ways like sharing \u201cisolation playlists,\u201d and spending time with her parents, Peckham said she\u2019s working to maintain some routine and a positive outlook.<\/p>\n

But although she feels it\u2019s important to keep a daily routine and to not wallow in the negatives associated with the COVID-19 outbreak, Peckham also advised people to let themselves feel the current situation as it really is.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think a lot of people are trying to take advantage of this opportunity to get a lot of stuff done, but I think it\u2019s also important to remember that you don\u2019t need to take advantage of every moment that you\u2019re spending at home in isolation,\u201d Peckham said.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of the tasks in our daily lives are removed right now, so we\u2019re trying to replace them with other tasks that may be more recreational, but it\u2019s still a similar type of pressure. I think alleviating that pressure and letting yourself have an off-day because this is a really bizarre situation and letting yourself feel that is important.\u201d<\/p>\n

mvincent@aspentimes.com<\/a><\/p>\n

via:: The Aspen Times<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dipika Peckham, left, Tara Peckham, 20, and Doug Peckham stand on the other side of their screen door with their dog Tycho while self-quarantining due to potential coronavirus exposure on Thursday, March 19, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times Buy Photo Online college class work. Getting out of bed, getting dressed. Walking the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2456131","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-local-news"],"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-08-18 08:44:30","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"KSPN The Valley's Quality Rock","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2456131","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2456131"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2456131\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2456136,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2456131\/revisions\/2456136"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2456131"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2456131"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2456131"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}