Domestic Violence and Mental Health resources during the COVID-19 outbreak

Domestic Violence and Mental Health resources during the COVID-19 outbreak

CASES COULD RISE DURING THECOVID-19 PANDEMIC AS FAMILIESARE UNDER STRESSAND LIVING WITH A SHELTER INPLACE ORDER.23ABC'S LEZLA GOODEN SPOKE WITHTWO ORGANIZATIONSWHO ARE OFFERING FREE RESOURCESFOR THOSESTRUGGLING WITH THEIR MENTALHEALTH OR OR FO THOSE WHO HAVEFOUND THEMSELVES IN AN ABUSIVESITUATION.LEZLA: KERN BEHAVIORAL HEALTHAND ALLIANCE AGAINSTFAMILY VIOLENCE & SEXUAL ASSAULTTELL ME THEY'VE SWITCHED ALLTHEIR IN PERSON SERVICES TOVIRTUAL AND TELEHEALTHACCESS FOR THOSE IN NEED.

THEORGANIZATIONSARE PARTNERING WITH ONE ANOTHERTO ADDRESS MENTALHEALTH NEEDS AND DOMESTICVIOLENCE ISSUES DURING THISPANDEMICUSUALLY WHEN A CRISIS HITSNUMBERSDON'T GO UP..USUALLY THEY DIP ALITTLE BIT BECAUSE EVERYONE ISIN SHOCK-EVERYONE IS TOLD TO SHELTER ATHOME- USUALLY IT GET S LOW ANDWE SAW THAT WEHAD FEWER CALLS..

RIGHT NOWCALLS TO OUR HOTLINE HAD NOTDRASTICALLYINCREASE BUT WE DO AVERAGE UP TO3,000 CALLS A MONTH.KERN BEHAVIORAL AND ALLIANCEAGAINST FAMILY VIOLENCE &SEXUAL ASSAULT BOTH SHARE THATNEITHER HAS SEEN A LARGEUPTICK IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ORSUICIDAL RATESSINCE THE OUTBREAK- BUT SHARETHERE IS A POSSIBILITY INTHE FUTURE IN THE PANDEMICCONTINUES.WHAT WE ARE CONCERNED WITH ISTHAT INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE NOTHAD ABREAK IN ORDER TO SEEK HELP SOWE ARE CONCERNED THAT WHEN THESTAY ATHOME ORDER HAS LIFTED WE WILLHAVE MORE AND MORE PEOPLESEEKINGASSISTANCE BECAUSE THEY HAVEBEEN A DIFFICULT SITUATION.WALKER THE DIRECTOR OF KERNBEHAVIORAL HEALTH SHARES THATTHEY WANT TO ASSIST ANYONE THATMAY FIND THEMSELVES IN ANUNSAFE SITUATION.

HEALTHPROFESSIONALSESPECIALLY WANT ESSENTIALWORKERS TO NOT ONLY PROTECTTHEMSELVES PHSYCIALLY WHEN OUTIN THE FIELD BUT ALSOMENTALLY.MAINTIAN STRUCTURE..

ISVITALLY IMPORTANT.

SET UP ASCHEDULE..

WAKE UP ON TIME..TAKE CARE OFYOURSELF..

ITS ABOUT MAINTAININGYOURSELF AND THAT SENSE OFMEANINGAND HOPE.

- AND HOW TO PACE.(BUILD A GRAPHIC FOR THESEHOTLINE NUMBERS)AND FOR THOSE WHO MAY BE INUNSAFE ENVIRONMENTSBOTH ORGANIZATIONS HAVE 24HOURHOTLINES FORTHOSE NEEDING TO TALK.THE KERN BEHAVIORAL HEALTHHOTLINE IS 800-991-5272.AND IF YOU ARE A VICTIM OFDOMESTIC VIOLENCE REACHOUT TO ALLIANCE AGAINST FAMILYVIOLENCE & SEXUAL ASSAULTAT (661)327-1091 .SOT::IF YOU ARE IN A VIOLENTRELATIONSHIP IF YOU ARE STILLFORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE ASUPPORT SYSTEMDEVELOP A SAFE WORD WITH THEM SOTHAT IF YOU CALL THEM AND USETHATWORD IN A SENTENCE THEY KNOW TOIMMEDIATELY CALL LAWENFORCEMENTBECAUSE YOU ARE IN IMMEDIATEDANGER AND IF YOU NEED TO HAVE ATO GO BAG READY.LEZLA:BOTH ORGANIZATIONS WANT TOREMIND EVERYONE WHEN DEALINGWITH CRISIS SITUATIONS AMID THISOUTBREAK THATYOU ARE NOT ALONE AND THERE ISALWAYS PEOPLE WHO WANT TO HELP.AGAIN FOR THE HOTLINE NUMBERSFOR BOTHORGANIZATIONS HEAD ON OVER TOOUR WEBSITEIN BAKERSFIELD LEZLA GOODENHOWEVER -- THE CORONAVIRUSPANDEMIC HAS SLOWED