Coronavirus & Mental Health Resources for Families and Self-Advocates
Strong Center for Developmental Disabilities: A Toolkit for Helping Your Child Wear a Mask
Wearing a mask is important and will help us stop the spread of COVID-19. Most places are requiring people to wear a mask right now. As you start to go out more, you may worry about your child’s safety and ability to wear a mask.
Your child may not want to wear a mask and have a hard time keeping it on. Wearing a mask can be really hard for children with anxiety, sensory differences, and autism. Your child may be extra sensitive to the way the mask feels on their face, head, and ears. Some children may even feel panicked when a mask is put on them. Some kids won’t like the way mask looks on themselves or others, and might feel scared. Other children just won’t like it because it is different and doing something different is hard for them.
*THIS TOOLKIT HAS BEEN UPDATED AS OF AUGUST 19, 2020
Fact Sheets for Young Adults:
CDC has produced a series of factsheets for young adults, ages 15-21. The factsheets cover a variety of topics, including what test results mean, how to stay safe at the pool or beach, how to wear a face covering and other preventive measures.
- Wear a Cloth Face Covering to Protect You and Your Friends [1 MB, PDF]
- Help Protect Yourself and Others from COVID-19 [1 MB, PDF]
- What Your Test Results Mean [1 MB, PDF]
- Slow the Spread of COVID-19 [1 MB, PDF]
- Do it for Yourself and Your Friends [1 MB, PDF]
- Stay Safe at the Pool/Beach [1 MB, PDF]
For Families and Self-Advocates
Need to Know Information for Talking about Coronavirus: This easy to read booklet about the Coronavirus is from SARTAC. It is in English and Spanish. It was written by and for people with developmental disabilities. It focuses on "need to know" information (not "nice to know" information). Please share it widely. Our goal is to keep people with disabilities healthy during this national crisis. (Created by the Self Advocacy Resource and Technical Assistance Center)
Stay Safe from the Coronavirus: A Quick Course for People with Disabilities by Disability Web Training
Coronavirus Coping Strategies - Dr. Robert Naseef - As individuals, families, communities, and societies we are learning a new normal with a new vocabulary to cope with uncertainties that were beyond our comprehension a week ago. To answer the questions I hear every day as a psychologist, I have compiled some useful links for my readers. I have found these personally helpful, and I hope you find them useful.
Rose F. Kennedy Children’s Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center - Resources are listed by area: NYC - Local, NY - State, and National. Each resource is listed by its target audience: Children/Youth, General COVID, Individuals with Disabilities, Older Adults, and Plain Language. Plain language is for all reading levels. Resources are in English unless otherwise noted.
Self-Advocates Give Critical COVID Information Videos
Episode 1: How to Stay Healthy
Episode 2: What Should I Do if I Think I'm Sick?
Episode 3: What I Should Do If I Get Sick?
Episode 4: What To Do If a Caregiver or a Family Member Gets Sick
Episodio 1 - Cómo mantenerse saludable
Episodio 2 - Lo que debo hacer si creo que estoy enfermo:
Episodio 3 - Lo que debo hacer si estoy enfermo
Episodio 4 - Lo que debo hacer si mi familiar o persona que me cuida se enferma
SANYS (Self-Advocacy Association of NYS) Resources
Email Shameka Andrews at [email protected] to sign up to join SANYS e-lists.
Help with Covid-19 Hospitalization
Help with Hospitalization Easy-Read
OPWDD Home Visitation and Return Guidance Easy-Read
OPWDD Community Outings Guidance Easy-Read
OPWDD Day Program Guidance Easy-Read
COVID-19 & Autism Resources
Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai - Incredible amount of resources and activities to help keep your loved ones busy and engaged.
Resources for Personal Recovery
PsychHub - A free resource hub to help people address their mental health needs during the COVID-19 pandemic
Headspace - The State is partnering with the company Headspace to provide New Yorkers with free meditation and mindfulness resources. New Yorkers can access a collection of free guided meditations, along with at-home mindfulness exercises and additional resources to help address rising stress and anxiety.
Resources for Stressed Families
The Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy has compiled a body of informative links, phone numbers, and text numbers to connect families to resources that may be helpful during this stressful and challenging time. This is a living and changing list of resources and will be updated regularly.
DIY Coping Tools to Reduce Stress - Mental Health Association of NYS (MHANYS)
Mindful Nature Hunt
Creating a Wellness Board
Mindful Stones
Creating a Calming Space
COVID-19 Fact Sheets developed by The Center for Dignity in Healthcare for People with Disabilities
Safeguard Against Disability Discrimination During COVID-19
Designed for healthcare providers based on guidance from the Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights
Do You Know Your Rights with COVID-19?
Developed for people with disabilities about advocating for rights
At-Home Learning, Adventures, Virtual Tours and More
Scholastic - Day-by-day projects to keep kids reading, thinking and growing at home.
The Louvre Paris France - A Virtual tour of the Louvre Museum in Paris, France
Cincinnatti Zoo - Home safari resources. Check them out live on Facebook every day at 3:00PM to learn about a new animal!
Yellowstone National Park - Virtual tour
Virtual Field Trips - A list of the best virtual tours available from a group of teachers.
Virtual World Destinations - View parts of the world, famous landmarks, beautiful works of art, historic marvels, and science adventures.
Georgia Aquarium - A live webcam of beluga whales swimming at the Georgia Aquarium
Access Mars - The real surface of Mars as recorded by NASA's Curiosity Rover.
Storytime from Space - A series of stories read by astronauts in space.
Sea Otter Webcam - A live webcam of sea otters swimming and a virtual tour of the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Explore Africa - Animal camera on a watering hole in Africa.
Learning & Life Skills Resources
BrainPOP: Make Any Room a Classroom - As we all continue taking precautions during the spread of COVID-19, BrainPOP is here to help you and your curious learners stay informed and on-track.
Special Education Life Skills Training
Self-Awareness Worksheets for Kids | Self advocacy, Self awareness, Social emotional learning
Helpful Tips for Keeping Busy & Staying Healthy
- Face time with family/friends/staff
- Cards for family friends, or people in nursing homes.
- Dance party on video
- Games like Charades over video
- Stretches and exercising (you tube can help)
- Cooking/baking classes
- crafts, make stress balls.- look up directions together
- provide verbal guidance for cleaning rooms
- Look through pictures on video for socializing
- Pen pals with other houses/friends
- Merge calls with other friends to say hello
- sanitize the house
Grief and Loss Resources
Hope and Honor After a Loss: Remembering and Readjusting After a Loss (16 min video) - Presented by: Cristina Perera, Clinical Specialist, The Center for Family Support // Contact email: [email protected]
The Boggs Center developed the following resources that may prove helpful as you strive to compassionately support people in your life who are experiencing loss and processing grief.
Responding to Grief Reactions of People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Ritualizing Grief with People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Resources: Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities and Grief, Death, & Dying
Helping People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Process Grief
