Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) Secretary Dr. Jennifer Sullivan urges residents to call the Be Well Crisis Hotline or visit the website to seek help for mental health needs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
During last week’s press briefing with Governor Eric Holcomb, Dr. Sullivan said isolation and quarantining have been particularly difficult for some residents.
“The effects of COVID-19 are uncovering or exacerbating existing mental illnesses, minor or severe, that people didn’t know they had,” stated Dr. Sullivan. “These need to be taken seriously and professional help sought.”
Dr. Sullivan encourages anyone with fears, stress or feeling of loneliness to visit www.bewellindiana.org.
“One of the features of that site is a series of self assessments for mental health issues offered by Mental Health America. There are ten assessments to choose from like depression, anxiety, eating disorders, or addictions. There is one general screening specifically for young people and another that parents can take to answer questions about their children. Twenty-five thousand Hoosiers have taken these self screenings since April.”
According to Dr. Sullivan, about half of those who have used the site are under the age of 25.
“For more than three-quarters of those taking the self assessments, there was confirmation of a mental health diagnosis. In fact, more than half of all self screenings in 2020 confirmed a moderate to severe presence of depression, bi polar disorder, or anxiety – the top three mental health issues related to suicide.”
The top three responses to their issues were loneliness, past trauma and relationship problems.
In addition to the website, Dr, Sullivan discussed the Be Well Crisis Hotline where residents can seek help.
“Hoosiers can call 2-1-1, 24 hours a day to talk to an experienced and compassionate counselor, specially-trained to help with issues that have come along with the pandemic.”
Over 6,000 calls have been made since July and counselors have spent 1,700 hours in crisis counseling which involved isolation and withdrawal, issues with sleep, and fear and anxiety.
Dr. Sullivan also encourages people to reach out to others with a phone call, letter or other means of communication to make isolation less lonely for those experiencing it.
The Be Well Crisis Helpline is funded by a Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. It is free and referrals are made to those who need it.
