Advocacy E-news May 14, 2020
May 14, 2020
GOVERNOR, COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH ADDRESS CORONAVIRUS TESTING AT STATE PSYCH HOSPITALS
At yesterday’s Coronavirus Briefing Governor Murphy speaking of the need for testing said, “we need a program that ensures that members of vulnerable populations have ready access.” He went on to say “we must go further in our veterans homes, at our developmental development centers and group homes, at our psychiatric hospitals, in our corrections system, at homeless shelters and for migrant farmworkers. We need a program that also ensures that the men and women who work with these populations, including our frontline health workers, first responders, transit workers and food service workers also have ready access.”
Commissioner of Health Judith Persichilli stated “Our psychiatric hospitals, with a census of 1,240 have tested 739 patients and 745 staff. The expectation is that universal testing of residents will be completed by May 22. 193 patients have tested positive and a total of 12 deaths have been reported, similar to yesterday.”
As far as testing in the community the Commissioner stated “Any group home or congregate home where people can be together, whether it’s in a kitchen or feeding, we’re going to be looking at and consider that high risk, so we’ll be testing throughout. And there’s lots of them, by the way”.
Read more from the Press Conference transcript
Questions for Your Prospective Therapist, From Your Own Couch
Even if you’re meeting online, interviewing a therapist can help you determine whether or not the therapy is a good fit. In this tangle of stress, a growing number of people may turn to a therapist for guidance. Your first appointment with a new therapist can be stressful itself, and these days many of these meetings are taking place by phone or video, which may make it harder to connect. Here are some questions to get you started.
N.J. LEADERS SAY THEY’RE WORRIED ABOUT SUICIDES, MENTAL HEALTH IN CORONAVIRUS CRISIS
State officials say they’re concerned about residents’ mental health — including possible suicides — as the state remains under near-lockdown and sees a rising wave of unemployment. This comes as a number of critics say they’re worried lockdowns designed to save lives from COVID-19 could have an even greater toll due to economic and mental despair.
FIND YOUR LOCAL NAMI
