Mental Health Services
Health Care Professionals and First Responders like you are heroes in our fight against COVID-19. The City of Chicago understands emotional reactions to this health crisis are expected and that there is a greater need for mental health resources and services, especially for Health Care Workers. The following resources are meant to support you as you support our city.
Take a Self-Assessment
Check in with yourself. Learn the differences between burnout and secondary traumatic stress and identify tools to help you manage your emotional well-being.
Talk to a Mental Health Professional
Mental Health Professionals are at the ready to support you as you support the city. For free and confidential individual or group mental heath services offered by CDPH call 312.747.1020 and identify as a Health Care Worker.
Teletherapy Sessions
The Chicago Psychoanalytic Institute provides teletherapy sessions (up to 8 sessions) to physicians, nurses, first responders, and other workers on the frontlines at no charge. Email FrontlineWork@ChicagoAnalysis.org, call 312.897.1405 or learn more at chicagoanalysis.org.
For more information, see Mental Health and Coping During COVID-19.
Below are tools to help you manage your well-being, draw support from other Health Care Workers on the frontlines and connect with mental health professionals.
Take a moment to focus on your own well-being. Resources to help you manage anxiety, sleep well, stay active and manage your recovery during times of increased stress.
Managing Stress & Anxiety
Heightened anxiety during this crisis is to be expected. The following tools can help you manage stress and keep a sense of peace during this time. All are currently free for Health Care Workers, those noted with an asterisk are also free for First Responders.
Resources
Tools
Supporting Healthy Sleep
Difficulty sleeping can be a common experience during times of crisis. The following tools can help give you the rest you need to keep going. All are currently free for Health Care Workers, those noted with an asterisk are also free for First Responders.
Resources
Tools
Recovery
Recovery is hard at the best of times but added stress can make it even more difficult. These tools are here to support you in your recovery.
Tools
Staying Active
Staying active is good for the body, and the mind. The following tools can help you stay healthy and maintain balance. All are currently free for Health Care Workers, those noted with an asterisk are also free for First Responders.
Resources
Exercise and Mental Health
Tools
Down Dog Yoga
The frontlines can be a lonely place in times of crisis. The following resources can help you maintain relationships with your support system and connect you with other Health Care Workers and First Responders who understand what you are going through.
Maintaining Relationships
Your support network has never been more critical to your well-being. Learn ways to keep engaged in times of stress and use these free tools to stay connected.
Resources
Keeping Connected While Social Distancing
Developing Your Support System
Tools
Virtual Support Groups
The National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) Chicago offers support and education to promote mental health recovery and provide safe spaces for those impacted by mental health conditions. NAMI is offering free support groups for Health Care workers so that you have safe spaces to connect and process with others who are on the front lines of our city's Covid19 response.
Mental Health Professionals are here to support you while you support our city. For a quick call or on-going services, the following free resources can connect you with the support you are looking for.
Mental Health Hotlines
The following resources can connect you to a Mental Health Professional over the phone our through text.
- Connect to a NAMI Chicago Helpline mental health counselor by calling 311 or directly at 833-626-4244
- Connect to Bright Star Community Outreach's trauma counseling helpline at 833-TURN-123
- For after hours support, contact Crisis Text Line which serves anyone, in any type of crisis, 24-hours a day. Instructions: Text HOME to: 741741 to access a trained crisis counselor.
Talk to a Mental Health Professional
For free individual or group services offered by CDPH mental health staff call 312.747.1020 and identify as a Health Care Worker and First Responder.
Services available 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM Monday through Friday. If calling after hours please leave a message and you will be contacted in the morning.
For emergencies, please call 911.