April 2022 Update – Public Health Emergency Extended Until July 15, 2022.

To provide support in the response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), APA is collecting authoritative and timely resources in this information hub.

To share links to these resources, right click on the section navigation link or document, and click "Copy Link" or "Copy Link Address" (depending on your browser). The link can then be pasted into an email or social media.

If you are a patient or family member or friend in need of immediate assistance:

• SAMHSA's Disaster Distress Helpline – Call 1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – Call 800-273-8255 or Chat with Lifeline
• Physician Support Line – Call 1-888-409-0141
• Crisis Textline – Text TALK to 741741
• VA Veterans Crisis Line – Call 800-273-8255 or text 838255

Resources for Psychiatrists

With COVID-19 evolving rapidly across the world, APA's Committee on Psychiatric Dimensions of Disasters and the APA's Council on International Psychiatry compiled the following list of resources for psychiatrists. The resources cover not only the physical impact of the coronavirus, but on its potential mental health and psychosocial issues and responses. The resources also include a section on telepsychiatry, to prepare for the possibility of isolation and/or quarantine.

COVID-19 Vaccines

• APA Guidance Document: The Role of Psychiatrists in the Equitable Distribution of the COVID-19 Vaccine (.pdf)
• COVID-19 Vaccination Strategies in Public Psychiatry &ndash Psychiatric Services, Feb 2021
• Vaccination Conversations: Influencing Critical Health Behaviors in COVID-19 &ndash Psychiatric News, Jan 2021
• Fauci Hails Early COVID-19 Vaccine Results With 'Cautious Optimism' &ndash Psychiatric News, Nov 2020

Members are encouraged to contact their local public health agency for guidance on the vaccine "rollout" plans. Vaccine distribution guidance is available from the following government entities and organizations:

• CDC Vaccination Guidance
• National Association of Counties (NACo) Vaccine Distribution Plans
• Government of Canada Vaccine Rollout

District Branches are also vetting and disseminating state-level guidance, such as the following:

• Medical Association of the State of Alabama's COVID-19 Resources for Physicians which includes a "Vaccine Provider Toolkit" download.
• Arizona Medical Association's COVID-19 Vaccine Information
• Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment's page "Vaccine for Coloradans"
• Louisiana Department of Health's COVID-19 Chain Pharmacy Vaccine Locations
• Maryland Department of Health's Hub for Local and State Health Department Websites
• Mississippi State Department of Health's Vaccination Against COVID-19 page
• New Jersey Department of Health's Vaccine Phase 1A Fact Sheet (.pdf)
• Wisconsin Psychiatric Association's WPA Member Meet-Up on COVID Vaccines & the Rollout in Wisconsin

COVID-19 Psychiatric Practice Guidance

[UPDATED 01/18/22] APA is tracking guidance released by the Department of Health and Human Services and at the state level related to COVID-19 to assist psychiatrists with providing mental health and substance use services.

View recent changes and guidance impact telehealth, substance use disorders and treatment services, and inpatient psychiatric settings.

APA's Practice Management HelpLine  

If you are an APA member, APA's Practice Management HelpLine is ready to assist you with your practice management needs. Help is available on how to manage the day-to-day operations of your practice in the midst of this pandemic, including telehealth, coding, documentation, reimbursement, contracting with managed care companies, Medicare, Medicaid, and more.

COVID-19 & Mental Health

APA Resources

• Template for Patient Informed Consent for Return to In-Person Care (.pdf)
• Special Report: Asian American Hate Incidents—A Co-occurring Epidemic During COVID-19 – Psychiatric News
• COVID-19 and Anti-Asian Racism – Blog
• Guidance Document: Actions and Activities that a Healthcare Organization Can Take to Support Its Physician Workforce Well-being during COVID-19 and Beyond (.pdf)
• Guidance Document: Reintegration of Healthcare Workers Following COVID-19 Service (.pdf)
• Guidance Document: The Role of Psychiatrists in the Equitable Distribution of the COVID-19 Vaccine (.pdf)
• Guidance Document: Communicating with the Public during the COVID-19 Pandemic (.pdf)
• Guidance Document: Cultivating Preparedness for Future Public Health Emergencies (.pdf)
• Guidance Document: Health Equity and COVID-19 (.pdf)
• Coronavirus, Mental Health and Hispanics in the United States (.pdf)
• Coronavirus, Mental Health and Indigenous People in the United States (.pdf)
• Coronavirus, Mental Health and African Americans in the United States (.pdf)
• Guidance Document: Moral Injury During the COVID-19 Pandemic (.pdf)
• Guidance Document: The Impact of COVID-19 on Incarcerated Persons with Mental Illness (.pdf)
• Support of the Permanent Expansion of Telehealth Regulations after COVID-19 (.pdf)
• Guidance Document: Redeployment of Psychiatrists to Medicine During a Pandemic Crisis (.pdf)
• Guidance Document: Admittance, Discharge of Psychiatric Patients During COVID-19 (.pdf)
• Guidance Document: Opening Your Practice During COVID-19 (.pdf)
• COVID-19 Related Opinions of the APA Ethics Committee (.pdf)
• Guidance Document: Psychiatrists Returning to Clinical Service (.pdf)
• Guidance Document: Considerations for Healthcare Workers and Staff Exposed to COVID-19 Death and Dying (.pdf)
• Guidance Document: Considerations for Family and Other Personal Losses Due to COVID-19-Related Death (.pdf)
• Guidance Document: Electroconvulsive Therapy as an Essential Procedure (.pdf) (APA)
• Guidance Document: Use of Long-acting Injectables as a Clinically Necessary Treatment (.pdf)
• Patients With SMI in the Age of COVID-19: What Psychiatrists Need to Know – Psychiatric News
• Coronavirus and Mental Health: Taking Care of Ourselves During Infectious Disease Outbreaks
• Mitigating Risks for Contagion Stigma

Other Resources

• SAMHSA Letter to Treatment Providers on Personal Protective Equipment .pdf)
• Taking Care of Patients During the Coronavirus Outbreak: A Guide for Psychiatrists (.pdf) – Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress (CSTS)
• Helping Patients Manage the Psychological Effects of Quarantine and Isolation (.pdf) – CSTS
• How Healthcare Personnel Can Take Care of Themselves (.pdf) – CSTS
• Supporting the Mental Health of Patients During COVID-19: A Guide for Healthcare Personnel (.pdf) – CSTS
• Care for Critically Ill Patients With COVID-19 – JAMA Insights: Clinical Update, March 11, 2020
• SAMHSA Tips For Social Distancing, Quarantine, And Isolation During An Infectious Disease Outbreak (.pdf)
• Factors Associated With Mental Health Outcomes Among Health Care Workers Exposed to Coronavirus Disease 2019 – JAMA Network Open
• Mental Health and Psychosocial Considerations During the COVID-19 Outbreak – World Health Organization
• Disaster Psychiatry and Behavioral Health: From War and Terrorism to Earthquakes... and Coronavirus -Finding Structure in Chaos – Boston Veterans Affairs Grand Rounds

Webinars

APA is producing webinars to provide up-to-date information as the situation evolves.

• The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Mental Health of African Americans – The webinar examined strategies and opportunities to improve the mental health of African Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic, while also raising awareness and building trust on the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine. Prominent leaders in their respective fields discussed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of African Americans.
• The Mental Health of Asian-American and Pacific Islanders: Coalition-Building and Support During the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Rise of Xenophobia – The webinar examined strategies and opportunities to improve the mental health of Asian-American and Pacific Islanders during the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of xenophobia. Prominent leaders in their respective fields discussed policies, data, coalition-building, and resources to support and improve the safety and mental health of Asian-American and Pacific Islanders.
• The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Mental Health of Latinas/os – Panelists examined strategies and opportunities to improve the mental health of Latinas/os during and post pandemic and raised awareness of the additional pandemic stressors facing this community such as unemployment, insurance benefits inequities, and social isolation.
• The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Mental Health of Indigenous Communities – Panelists examined strategies and opportunities to improve the mental health of our Indigenous people during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The panelists discussed the concerns of the communities and highlight solutions incorporating cultural humility and respect. In addition, they will raise awareness of other unique pandemic stressors facing the Indigenous communities.
• Advancing the Use of Telehealth Through Education and Advocacy – Many psychiatrists have quickly transitioned to using telehealth and found it beneficial for certain patients. As states lift stay-at-home orders, and data shows COVID-19 continue to spread in some areas, the use of telehealth remains an important tool for patients to access mental health and substance use disorder treatment while keeping patients, clinicians, families, and communities safe through physical distancing. This APA webinar will focus on how to refine the use of telehealth to better serve your patients and highlight advocacy efforts at the federal and state levels to continue telehealth flexibilities.
• APA Spring Highlights Meeting 2020 – Recordings and slide downloads from this live, virtual event are now available. Sessions include physician leadership, telepsychiatry, and healthcare worker and organizational sustainment during COVID-19.
• Serious Mental Illness and COVID-19: Tailoring ACT Teams, Group Homes, and Supportive Housing – This free town hall presentation, from a panel of SMI experts, answers questions about arising best practices being implemented by Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) teams, and supporting those in supportive housing or group homes.
• How to Address COVID 19 Across Inpatient, Residential and other Non-Ambulatory Care Settings – In this free webinar from APA and the National Association for Behavioral Healthcare (NABH), hear from experts about how to manage different types of services, key messages to give to your team leaders, unique challenges for people with SMI, how to handle group therapy, and more.
• Telepsychiatry in the Era of COVID-19 – This free webinar from SMI Adviser (APA & SAMHSA) offers learners an overview of how to use telemental health and video visits in the changing landscape surrounding the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.
• Managing the Mental Health Effects of COVID-19 – This free webinar from APA will outline how psychiatrists can support patients, communicate with family members and children, and be a resource to other providers during the COVID-19 outbreak.

CDC Information

• What you need to know
• Guidance on prevention and control
• Guidance for travelers

Telehealth Rules

Rules regarding the practice of telepsychiatry have changed quickly. CMS released guidance on March 17, 2020, that now allows patients to be seen via live videoconferencing in their homes, without having to travel to a qualifying "originating site" for Medicare telehealth encounters, regardless of geographic location.

To learn more about whether telepsychiatry may be a helpful option for your practice, and to access APA's collection of resources on telepsychiatry, use the links below:

• Comparison of Telehealth Provisions During the Public Health Emergency, and After the Public Health Emergency
• APA Information on New Telehealth Rules (New guidance from CMS, updated 5/1)
• APA Telepsychiatry Toolkit
• Best Practices in Videoconferencing-Based Telemental Health Guide (.pdf) – APA and American Telemedicine Association
• 2020 APA Telehealth Survey (.pdf) – APA recently conducted a member survey on how the use of telehealth has changed due to the COVID-19 public health crisis. This document contains a summary of the survey's results as well as pertinent policy implications.
• 2020 APA Telehealth Survey: Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Telehealth Practices during the COVID-19 Pandemic (.pdf)

Resources for Families

• Employee Mental Health & Well-being During & Beyond COVID-19 – APA Foundation's Center for Workplace Mental Health (CWMH)
• Coronavirus and Mental Health: Taking Care of Ourselves During Infectious Disease Outbreaks – APA
• Working Remotely During COVID-19: Your Mental Health and Well-being – CWMH
• Taking Care of Family Well-Being (.pdf) – National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN)
• Supporting Homebound Children During COVID-19 (.pdf) – CSTS
• Supporting Your Family During Quarantine or Isolation: Tips for Social Distancing, Quarantine, and Isolation during an Infectious Disease Outbreak (.pdf) – SAMHSA
• AACAP's COVID-19 Resource Library – American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP)
• Be Aware of Scams – Consumers and healthcare facilities have been targeted by scammers pretending to be representatives of CDC or WHO and asking for personal information, donations, etc.
• Finding the Right Words to Talk with Children and Teens about Coronavirus (.pdf) – CSTS
• Discussing Coronavirus with your Children (.pdf) – CSTS
• Tips for Coping when Quarantined with COVID-19 Family Members (.pdf) – CSTS
• When Family Members are Hospitalized due to COVID-19 (.pdf) – CSTS
• U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs COVID Coach App – For coping, self-care, and goal directed efforts for a general audience during the COVID-19 pandemic, developed by The National Center for PTSD

Resources for Hospitalists and Primary Care

• Psychological Effects of Quarantine During the Coronavirus Outbreak: What Public Health Leaders Need to Know (.pdf) – CSTS
• Leaders' Guide to Risk Communication in the Face of Coronavirus and Other Emerging Public Health Threats (.pdf) – CSTS
• Grief Leadership during COVID-19 (.pdf) – CSTS
• Getting Better Sleep During COVID-19: A Guide for Hospital Workers (.pdf) – CSTS
• Notifying Families After a COVID-19 Death (.pdf) – CSTS
• Supporting Families of Healthcare Workers Exposed to COVID-19 (.pdf) – CSTS

Resources for Health Care and Community Leaders

• Employee Mental Health & Well-being During & Beyond COVID-19 – CWMH
• Grief Leadership During COVID-19 (.pdf) – CSTS
• Coronavirus and Mental Health: Taking Care of Ourselves During Infectious Disease Outbreaks – APA
• Working Remotely During COVID-19: Your Mental Health and Well-being – CWMH
• Helping People Manage Stress Associated with the COVID-19 Virus Outbreak – National Center for PTSD
• How Public Health Leaders Can Support Communities Dealing with Quarantine (.pdf) – CSTS
• Health Risk and Crisis Communication to Enhance Community Wellness (.pdf) – CSTS
• Addressing Stigma Associated with COVID-19 – World Health Organization

These resources intended to assist psychiatrists and the public in responding to COVID-19. APA will continue to update this page with resources developed by both APA and other organizations. Links to resources shared by other organizations are not intended to imply an endorsement of the organization.