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When it comes to mental health impacts, the COVID-19 disaster has hit Americans hard. Studies show large increases in the amount of pandemic-related emotional distress: anxiety, depression, grief, fear, and relentless uncertainty about the future.
A behavioral health task force at MDHHS has created the “Stay Well” crisis counseling program to help Michigan residents struggling with COVID-19-related distress. A major service offered by the program is the Stay Well counseling line, which is staffed around the clock with trained crisis counselors. Along with providing psychoeducational and emotional support, Stay Well counselors can connect residents to mental health resources in their communities or online—including group counseling sessions to ease the loneliness of isolation and allow residents to share their experiences.
To reach the counseling line, dial the state’s COVID-19 information hotline (1-888-535-3136) and press “8.” This service is free, confidential, and available 24/7, year-round.
Funded by FEMA with training provided by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Stay Well program also offers a variety of resources on their website, Michigan.gov/StayWell. That includes an array of brochures and guides written for various population groups—older adults, parents, health care workers, veterans, etc. All of these brochures can be downloaded from the site – and printed copies of many of them can be ordered through the program.
The Stay Well team hopes your organization will spread the word about this important counseling service. For more guidance on coping with pandemic-related distress, visit Michigan.gov/StayWell.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued emergency use authorizations (EUA) for bamlanivimab (November 9, 2020) and casirivimab plus imdevimab (November 21, 2020). Both therapeutic products are available for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in non-hospitalized adult and pediatric patients (>12 years old and >40 kg) who are at high risk for progressing to severe COVID-19 and/or hospitalization.
While the safety and effectiveness of these investigational therapies appear promising, the data are still very limited. Clinical trials are ongoing to collect additional data on their safety and effectiveness.
To date, more than 2,000 Michiganders have received monoclonal antibodies in their course of treatment for COVID-19. A physician’s order is required, though it may vary from site to site as each hospital/system is running things a little differently. Some are infusing at their emergency department after consult with an emergency physician, while others are partnering with internal and/or external partners for delivery of the drug.
Read this message from Dr. Khaldun and Dr. Fales for additional information about monoclonal antibody therapies for providers, including locations where monoclonal antibody therapies are available to be administered.
Additionally, an FAQ on monoclonal antibody therapy can be found here: https://www.michigan.gov/documents/coronavirus/Monoclonal_Antibody_Treatment_for_COVID-19_012121_713743_7.pdf
Please contact Jason Smith, Medical Countermeasures Specialist, at smithj20@michigan.gov for additional information.
MDHHS and the State Emergency Operations Center continue to offer personal protective equipment to support vaccination efforts at no cost to local health departments. Each push package contains the following items:
- N95 Respirators – 1,000
- Isolation Gowns – 1,000
- Nitrile Examination Gloves (assorted sizes) – 2,000
- Face Shields – 1,000
- Procedure Masks – 5,000
Under Most circumstances, push packages can be delivered within one week after a submitted request. Local health departments interested in requesting one or more PPE push packages are encouraged to provide Jason Smith (smithj20@michigan.gov or 517-281-5362) with the following information no later than close of business on Monday of each week.
- LHD Name
- LHD Point of Contact (name, email, mobile phone)
- Delivery Site Address
- Delivery Site Hours of Operations (Monday through Friday)
- Delivery Site Loading Dock (Yes/No)
- Delivery Site Forklift (Yes/No)
- Amount of Push Packages Requested
The purposes of these push packages are intended to address immediate PPE needs for clinic operations. MDHHS recognizes that local health departments may have specialized needs for PPE outside of these push packages, though it is still recommended that requests outside of the contents listed above go through local emergency management.
The Infection Prevention Resource and Assessment Team (i-PRAT) has developed a list of resources that address some of the most common infection control issues reported in the field. This resource list was shared with long term care facilities and is shared with local health departments for your awareness and use.
CDC has released the PHEP continuation guidance for BP3. The documents can be found on the MIHAN at the following path: Documents > Local Health > EPC General > PHEP FY 2021-2022 BP3.
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