Support Resources

Across the country, behavioral health providers and support staff are rising to the challenge. The needs our communities face from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, economic recession and substance abuse crisis come on top of a demand for quality services that already outstripped available resources. Today's "new normal" only underscores the importance of AFSCME's United We Heal movement and our goal of a strong and equitable community behavioral health system that empowers clients and providers to recover, heal and thrive.

In this time of confusion, there is hope. And there is help. You are not alone. AFSCME is the union for more than 50,000 professionals in the behavioral health industry that, like you, could use some community care to help navigate this continuously evolving and stressful situation.

This resource directory provides content submitted from behavioral health providers for behavioral health providers. If you know of a program or resource that you think should be listed, please let us know by clicking here to fill out the online submission form. And thank you because #UnitedWeHeal.

Care in Times of Crisis Webinar Materials

National

New Jersey

  • The H.U.B.B. Emotional Support Helpline (Newark/Essex County): Providing assistance to local residents with anxiety, stress, loneliness, parenting skills, life skills, coping with grief, sadness and other COVID-19 related issues. Email: [email protected]
    • Monday to Saturday, 8:00am to 11:00pm, (973) 581-3952
    • Sunday Interfaith Prayer Lines, (725) 735-9555
      • English - 3:00pm
      • Spanish - 4:00pm
      • Islamic - 5:30pm

Free Digital Apps

  • U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: Free Mindfulness Coach app developed to help reduce stress, improving emotional balance, increasing self-awareness, helping with anxiety and depression, and coping more effectively with chronic pain.
  • National Center for Telehealth & Technology: Free Breath2Relax app is a portable stress management tool which provides detailed information on the effects of stress on the body and instructions and practice exercises to help users learn the stress management skill called diaphragmatic breathing.