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Last Updated: 01/14/2024

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COVID-19 and Mental Health

New Episodes Streaming Now! COVID-19 Impacts on Mental Health Podcast Series

A pale yellow background with blue, teal, and pink swirls in the top right and bottom left corners. A cartoon of a dark skinned woman wearing glasses and orange headphones is seated at a desk next to a plant in a basket. She holds a microphone and types on a computer. Above and across the top of the image are abstract pink radio waves above teal text COVID-19 Impacts on Mental Health Series.

This compelling podcast series features conversations with AAPCHO members and partners focused on the impacts of COVID-19 on mental health among community members, providers, and other health center workforce. We uncover powerful stories and insights that illuminate the challenges, strengths, and progress made to support mental health among Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders.

NEW! Episode 8: How We Show Up: Building Hope, Healing, and Self Love Among Youth

Transcript PDF: https://bit.ly/41YCojN
Transcript .txt: https://bit.ly/48t456Q

Episode 7: Strength of “We”: Support of Self and Community Through Dynamic Teamwork

Transcript PDF: https://bit.ly/4ah9gIu
Transcript doc: https://bit.ly/47YeTtu

Episode 6: Finding Balance: Community Care, Family, and Personal Well-Being

Transcript PDF: https://bit.ly/3ujZbdm
Transcript doc: https://bit.ly/40F5mod

Episode 5: Frontline Heroes: Reflections on Community Care, Resilience, and Transparency

Transcript PDF: bit.ly/3rDl2vf
Transcript doc: bit.ly/3rMA1Tw

Episode 4: Navigating Collective Trauma and Community Healing with the Spirit of Aloha

Read the episode transcript: bit.ly/3sSk3HX

Episode 3: Belonging and Community: Mental Health Supports Beyond the Four Walls

Read the episode transcript: bit.ly/3OQo0nN

Episode 2: How Health Centers Can Support Mental Health Providers through Burnout and Beyond

Read the episode transcript: bit.ly/3P7Lg1L

Episode 1: The Power of Storytelling to Support Mental Health and Well-Being During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Read the episode transcript: bit.ly/47AEHvQ

Overall Series Themes

Throughout this series, our guests revealed several recurring themes, experiences, and lessons learned that health centers can operationalize to support their workforce as well as the patients they serve. Across various episodes, we witness the importance of:

Collaborative Support: Reliance on a good support network (family, friends, co-workers, community, etc.) to promote mental health and well-being;

Collective Healing: Giving adequate space and time to heal and process grief by creating safe spaces to share stories and experiences as well as fostering resiliency, empathy, and connection amongst the community;

Culturally Tailored Care: Highlighting the value of multilingual and culturally responsive healthcare services and recognizing that diverse communities require individualized approaches to care;

Empowerment Through Boundaries: Finding balance in personal and work life to prevent burnout. The need for individuals to set boundaries, recognize the strength in sensitivity, and advocate for equitable working conditions;

Adequate Compensation for Emotional Labor: Compensating healthcare providers and other staff members for the added emotional labor of their work that is often left unpaid and unrecognized;

Pathways to Health Careers: Inspiring a new generation of passionate individuals to pursue a career in healthcare and making those pathways to enter the workforce more accessible by providing more entry-level opportunities and reducing structural and institutional disparities that make it harder for minoritized racial and ethnic groups to enter the mental health field; and

Recognizing Privilege: Acknowledging that mental health services are not always easily accessible and that there may be several barriers to seeking support. Addressing the social drivers of health should be the first step in meeting patients’ basic needs, as it sets the foundation for dismantling systemic obstacles and fostering a healthcare environment that prioritizes inclusivity, empowerment, and holistic well-being.

See full episode details and descriptions below.

View the other episodes in the series: https://soundcloud.com/user-207279422

Find alternate ways to access the episodes: https://bit.ly/CHERNResources

This series was brought to you by the COVID-19 and Other Infectious Diseases Health Equity Response Network (CHERN). The CHERN Initiative is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and was developed in partnership between AAPCHO and the Pacific Islander Center for Primary Care Excellence (PI-CopCE). To find out more, email us at training@aapcho.org.

Individual Episode Details and Descriptions

NEW! How We Show Up: Building Hope, Healing, and Self Love Among Youth

Pale yellow background with blue, teal, and peach swirls in the corners. To the right and below of the episode title in teal font, two people high fiving. Link to episode on soundcloud.

Transcript PDF: https://bit.ly/41YCojN
Transcript .txt: https://bit.ly/48t456Q

To learn more about Lowell Community Health Center, visit: lchealth.org/home/
To learn more about the Teen Block Program, visit: lchealth.org/health-wellness/healthy-community/teen-block-youth-programs/
To learn more about mental health for AA and NH/PI Youth, check out this report: searac.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/SEARAC-Voice-Unheard-2023-Interactive.pdf

This episode features Triana Wilson and Tim Sokhoeun, Community Health Workers with the Teen BLOCK Program at Lowell Community Health Center in Lowell, MA. Triana and Tim reflect on the chaos and loss of the pandemic and discuss the unique layers of responsibility within youth mentorship. They share some of their personal strategies for healing and empowerment and shed light on the value of play and joy. More key takeaways include:

  • The deeply personal nature of work as a Community Health Worker and the unwavering commitment to meet the needs of those they serve.
  • Finding joy amidst chaos reminds us of our resilience and the human capacity to persist. 
  • To be the light for others, we must first seek happiness and fulfillment within ourselves.

This episode was recorded on December 6, 2023.

Strength of “We”: Support of Self and Community Through Dynamic Teamwork

Pale yellow background with blue, teal, and peach swirls in the corners. To the right and below of the episode title in teal font, a row of people smiling and holding hands. Link to episode on soundcloud.

Transcript PDF: https://bit.ly/4ah9gIu
Transcript doc: https://bit.ly/47YeTtu

To learn more about Asian Health Services visit: asianhealthservices.org/

This episode features Rena Wang, COVID Program Manager at Asian Health Services (AHS) in Oakland, CA. Rena reflects on her team’s efforts during the peak of the pandemic and beyond. She shares thoughts on grappling with a sense of helplessness and inadequate boundary-setting, and advocates for sustainable practices to preserve the team’s mission and energy. More key takeaways include:

Community health workers (CHWs) are multifaceted; recognize and honor the individual beyond their professional identity.
Reflect on current and ongoing efforts to improve with intentionality, creativity, and innovation.
Cultivate resilience, purpose, and belonging by drawing from the team’s collective commitment to a shared mission.

This episode was recorded on November 15, 2023.

Finding Balance: Community Care, Family, and Personal Well-Being

Pale yellow background with blue, teal, and peach swirls in the corners. To the right and below of the episode title in teal font, a woman with a blue dress stands atop a ladder, reaching down to help up a second woman who is climbing up from below. Link to episode on soundcloud.

Transcript PDF: bit.ly/3ujZbdm
Transcript doc: bit.ly/40F5mod

To learn more about HOPE Clinic, visit: hopechc.org/
To learn about the Asian Americans Attaining Awareness program, visit: https://www.hopechc.org/about-us/programs/asian-americans-attaining-awareness/

This episode features Lulu Toumajian, Community Health Worker (CHW) at HOPE Clinic in Houston, TX. Lulu reflects on her journey to find balance between her dedication to her work with the broader community and the well-being of her family. She discusses her experience with a non-traditional work schedule and emphasizes the importance of having aligned support systems and a supportive working environment. More key takeaways include:

  • Sense of purpose paired with community support makes challenging jobs worthwhile.
  • Taking a proactive approach to address stress equips individuals to cope with any sudden crises that arise.
  • The pandemic continues to present numerous difficulties and there remains a significant amount of work left to be done. Health Centers must sustain supportive programs and initiatives for staff to maintain mental health among the workforce.

This episode was recorded on October 25, 2023.

Frontline Heroes: Reflections on Community Care, Resilience, and Transparency

Pale yellow background with blue, teal, and peach swirls in the corners. Two cartoon medical workers wearing blue scrubs and personal protective equipment talk to a doctor wearing a teal lab coat to the right and below of the episode title in teal font. Link to episode on soundcloud.

Transcript PDF: bit.ly/3rDl2vf
Transcript doc: bit.ly/3rMA1Tw

To learn more about International Community Health Services visit: ichs.com

This episode features Chia Wang, MD, MPH, infectious diseases doctor and Jessy Leung, RN, nurse at International Community Health Services (ICHS) in Seattle, WA. Chia and Jessy share about their fear and uncertainty during the beginning of the pandemic and the importance of addressing mental health needs in both patients and the healthcare workforce. They highlight the pivotal role of health centers in the community and express admiration for their colleague’s ongoing commitment and resilience. More key takeaways include:

  • Existing relationships between health centers and community members support healthcare workers’ ability to identify and meet the unique and intersecting needs of patients. 
  • Quality patient care must include recognition of and response to signs of provider and staff burnout, fatigue, and/or exhaustion.
  • Transparency in communication mitigates misinformation, builds trust, and supports morale among the healthcare workforce.

This episode was recorded on September 13, 2023.

Navigating Collective Trauma and Community Healing with the Spirit of Aloha

Pale yellow background with blue, teal, and peach swirls in the corners. Six cartoon people interacting in different pairs below the title of the episode in teal font. Link to episode on soundcloud.

Read the episode transcript: bit.ly/3sSk3HX

Visit Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center: wcchc.com/

View the in-language graphic from the episode: bit.ly/48fy5DM

This episode features Lahela-keao-oka-lani ‘Lahela’ Pimental, Associate Director of Clinical Operations and Jacob Schafer, Director of Infection Control and Employee Health at Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center (WCCHC). Jacob and Lahela discuss their experiences overseeing the services and care for both patient populations and health center workforce throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. They discuss the power of community and share inspiring stories of support, resilience, and healing – emphasizing the beauty of the Aloha Spirit. More key takeaways include:

  • Communication between leadership and the workforce allows for a more positive and supportive work environment.
  • Health centers must prioritize staff mental health and physical well-being, as they serve and are valued members of the community. 
  • The importance of community and connection to foster unity and collective strength.

This episode was recorded on August 15, 2023.

Belonging and Community: Mental Health Supports Beyond the Four Walls

Pale yellow background with blue, teal, and peach swirls in the corners. Five cartoon people with light skin and black hair sit on a couch below the episode title. One person sits in the middle with their arms crossed and the other four sit around them all touching them with their hands as if comforting them. Link to episode on soundcloud.

Read the episode transcript: bit.ly/3OQo0nN 

Visit North East Medical Services: nems.org

This episode features Fan Li, LCSW, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and Lily Lu, a Behavioral Health Linkage Worker, from the Behavioral Health Department at North East Medical Services (NEMS). Fan and Lily bring a strength and solution-focused approach to our discussion on the evolving landscape of mental health services during the COVID-19 pandemic. They emphasize the importance of providing holistic care to the populations they serve and increasing psychosocial education within the community to destigmatize and promote awareness of mental health. More key takeaways include:

  • Bilingual healthcare providers bridge the language gap for patients who are monolingual or have limited English proficiency. 
  • Hiring staff who are culturally and linguistically representative of the population they serve creates a safe space for individuals who may otherwise be hesitant to utilize behavioral health services or seek support. 
  • Collaborative teamwork across the mental health workforce supports retention of staff, improves patient experiences, and ensures quality care.

This episode was recorded on Wednesday, August 2, 2023.

How Health Centers Can Support Mental Health Providers Through Burnout and Beyond

Pale yellow background with blue, teal, and peach swirls in the corners. Two cartoon doctors stand next to one another facing the episode title. Link to episode on soundcloud.

Read the episode transcript: bit.ly/3P7Lg1L

This episode features a behavioral health nurse practitioner who serves Asian American patients at a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). She discusses her experience navigating the ever-evolving healthcare system and sheds light on the major burnout she and many other mental health providers faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also discusses strategies for coping with burnout and shares recommendations for how health centers can better support and retain their mental health workforce. Some key takeaways include:

  • The nationwide shortage of mental healthcare providers has contributed to significant burnout among many current physicians and providers.
  • To attract quality clinicians who are passionate about their work, health centers must provide competitive compensation, flexible work structures, and adequate support.
  • Recognize and compensate for the additional effort and value of providing care in different languages.

This episode was recorded on Tuesday, July 25, 2023.

The Power of Storytelling to Support Mental Health and Well-Being During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Pale yellow background with blue, teal, and peach swirls in the corners. A cartoon man with light skin and black hair wearing blue coveralls and holding a black book sits in a folding chair below the episode title. Link to episode on soundcloud.

Read the episode transcript: bit.ly/47AEHvQ

See Meghna’s work: meghnabhat.com

Read Gulabi Stories: gulabistories.com

This episode features Meghna Bhat, PhD, an independent gender and social justice consultant, prevention educator, interdisciplinary scholar, and storyteller. Meghna is a first-generation South Asian immigrant who uses storytelling to create safe and inclusive spaces to address complex topics of taboo, build empathy, and strengthen intergenerational relationships. Meghna shares some of her own personal experiences of how COVID-19 impacted her mental health as well as some strategies for connection and resilience. Some key takeaways include:

  • Importance of holding space for collective grief in both individual and community settings;
  • Being highly sensitive is seen as a strength and superpower that enables empathy and connection but it also encourages individuals to protect themselves through boundaries;
  • From an individual and organizational standpoint, we need to work towards dismantling toxic work culture through persistent advocacy, equitable pay for work that involves additional emotional labor, and providing a flexible work-life schedule; and
  • This episode was recorded on July 20, 2023 as part of the COVID-19 and Other Infectious Diseases Health Equity Response Network (CHERN) COVID-19 Impacts on Mental Health Series.

This episode was recorded on Thursday, July 20, 2023.

Further Mental Health Resources for AA and NH/PI Populations

Support to Address Workforce Burnout

Resources for End of the Public Health Emergency

Recent Updates Regarding the Public Health Emergency:

Previous Resources for the End of the Public Health Emergency:

If you have questions, would you like to contribute resources to this page, and/or require technical assistance, please email preparedness@aapcho.org.

Recent News and Updates to the COVID-19 Vaccines:

Federal and National Resources for COVID-19 Vaccines:

Recent News and Updates to the COVID-19 Testing:


A split image with dark blue block with white lettering know your risk for getting very sick from covid on the right. On the left is a photo of a blurred East Asian woman wearing a pink head scarf and gesturing with her hands while looking down. On her right, a South asian man wearing blue scrubs and with a stethoscope around his neck listens and looks at her.

Asian-American, Native-Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander COVID-19 Public Education Campaign in partnership with We Can Do This. Check out the frequently asked questions for patients handout, including about their risk for severe COVID-19 and the treatments available to them. Handouts are available in Chinese (Traditional), Chinese (Simplified), English, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese.

Preview of a bar graph showing blue lines of descending length. Across the bottom axis of the graph are the states. Link to the Kaiser Family Foundation webpage.

Visit the Kaiser Family Foundation Medicaid Enrollment and Unwinding Tracker.

Preview of longform infographic. Light blue background with various images, graphics, cartoons, stats, and lettering. Link to download infographic.

two side by side logos. On the left a blue snake wrapped around a sword inside of a circle next to all caps in navy blue Morehouse school of medicine. On the right, yellow and dark blue interlocking chain links with dots on top and bottom that looks like an abstract hug from above next to all caps NRCN over a golden band.

Visit the National COVID-19 Resiliency Network or call Multilingual helpline: (877) 904-5097

AAPCHO is a Strategic Partner of Morehouse School of Medicine’s National COVID-19 Resiliency Network (NCRN) where you can get zipcode-based recommendations on where to find COVID-19 tests, vaccines, transportation, food, and find local organizations for other support.

All caps HRSA in blue above title case Health Resources and Services Administration in red. Link to HRSA page.interlocking blue and red bands in a cross shape next to all caps navy blue lettering Health Center Resource Clearinghouse. Link to HRSA clearinghouse.

AAPCHO encourages all health centers to visit the Health Center Resource Clearinghouse to access compiled resources on COVID-19 from 20 National Cooperative Agreement organizations and partners.

Archived Emergency COVID-19 Response Resources

AAPCHO Member COVID-19 Resources by Region

Hawai’i

Community Clinic of Hawaii (Wailuku, HI)

Hawaii Primary Care Association (HI)

Kalihi-Palama Health Center (Honolulu, HI)

Kokua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services (Honolulu, HI)

Lana’i Community Health Center (Lanai City, HI)

The Bay Clinic (Hilo, HI)

Waianae District Comprehensive Health Center (Waianae, HI)

Waimanalo Health Center (Waimanalo, HI)

West Hawaii Community Health Center (Kailua Kona, HI)

AlohaCare (HI)

Midwest

Asian Human Services (Chicago, IL)

Asian Services in Action (Akron, OH)

Northeast

Charles B. Wang Community Health Center (New York, NY)

Family Health Center of Worcester (Worcester, MA)

Lowell Community Health Center (Lowell, MA)

South Cove Community Health Center (Boston, MA)

Sunset Park Health Council (Brooklyn, NY)

Northwest

Asian Americans for Community Involvement (San Jose, CA)

Asian Health Services (Oakland, CA)

Bay Area Community Health (Fremont, CA)

Community Medical Wellness Centers USA (Long Beach, CA)

International Community Health Services (Seattle, WA)

Northeast Medical Services (San Francisco, CA)

Operation Samahan (National City, CA)

Pasifika

Chuuk State Department of Health Services (Chuuk, FM)

Kagman Community Health Centre (Saipan, MP)

Kosrae Department of Health Services (Kosrae, FM)

Ebeye Community Health Center (Ebeye, MI)

Chuuk Community Health Center (Chuuk, FM)

Southeast

Center for Pan Asian Community Services (Atlanta, GA)

MQVN Community Development Corp (New Orleans, LA)

Southwest

Asian American Health Coalition (Houston, TX)

Asian Pacific Community in Action (Phoenix, AZ)

COVID-19 Vaccines:

In-Language and Community-Led COVID-19 Vaccine Resources:

Federal and National Resources for Vaccines:

Federal Resources for Health Centers

Infection Prevention and Control Resources

AAPCHO acknowledges the increasing levels of stigma, racism, and xenophobia toward AA and NH/PI communities as a result of COVID-19. We encourage community health center providers, community-based organizations, educators, and the general public to combat this stigma by addressing misinformation and practicing cultural humility.

AAPCHO is proud to partner and is part of the Pacific Islander COVID-19 Response Team to provide culturally competent and in-language resources and materials for those disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. Additional translated materials are available in the COVID-19 Vaccine section.

The Pacific Islander COVID-19 Response Team is a national group of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) researchers, health experts, community leaders and advocates who have come together to inform and support families and communities about COVID-19. Resources available here »

Local and County Translated Materials

Children Are My Community’s Future is designed for vaccine hesitant immigrant, refugee, and migrant fathers. It is available in 14 languages.

Children Keep Our Community Strong is designed for vaccine hesitant immigrant, refugee, and migrant mothers. It is available in 14 languages.

Cultural Humility Resources

Cultural humility is a respectful approach toward individuals of other cultures that continuously pushes one to challenge cultural biases (CHCS, 2017).

Healthy Equity Resources