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While COVID-19 victims reflect a wide swath of Americans irrespective of social position, the most vulnerable are marginalized populations, who are most inclined to encounter health disparities. So what appears as a health crisis for some is also a social justice question for society, as the toll of the disease unfolds, disproportionally impacting historically underserved populations. As has been reported by multiple news outlets and the PEW Research Center, African Americans, younger Latinos, and Native Americans in particular have been the hardest hit segments of our society.

Sometimes you can't see the road ahead but as you keep going, it gets clearer. Stay the course as the fog of life dissipates. -Sanjo Jendayi It can be challenging under normal circumstances for students to stay focused on studying, reading, and writing papers. The impact of the pandemic and the subsequent quarantine has created an additional mental and emotional burden. Some may find it ever more challenging to stay motivated, to study, and to complete required assignments and papers. Around this time of year, many students are preparing for the final weeks of school before graduation.

Since the COVID-19 crisis began, Systems, Families, & Couples PhD program graduate Danna Carter has been thinking about how best to contribute to the world in meaningful ways during this difficult time. Though working as a full-time researcher and teaching classes to graduate students, she's dedicated some time to engaging in conversations with leading scholars as part of the American Family Therapy Academy (AFTA) to discuss the effects of the COVID-19 and how to find hope in the midst of uncertainty.

We've all seen the announcements that older adults, especially those with underlying health conditions, are hit hardest by the coronavirus and the illness it causes. Communities and businesses are stepping up to help keep older adults safe by minimizing their exposure to possible COVID-19 carriers. For example, many grocery stores now have special hours set aside earlier in the day for only those 65 and older to shop.

The other day a colleague asked me how I was doing and my response was: "Great. Um, pretty good. I mean, just okay, I guess." We both laughed heartily at my quickly changing state of mind, but also acknowledged its validity. I don't know about you, but the last few weeks have left me perplexed at my own responses to COVID-19. One moment I'm bored from not being able to leave my house and then next I'm overwhelmed by the state of the world and an uncertain future.

Stuck at home and feeling stressed due to isolation, job loss and the pandemic, many Americans are turning to drugs and alcohol. Stressful situations combined with increased drug and alcohol use set the stage for potentially dangerous, abusive situations, especially for vulnerable youth. For youth in abusive situations, schools, after-school programs, and sports teams offer safe haven; youth who rely on these now-shuttered programs for respite are instead stuck at home, often with their abusers.

Update: Dr. Catherine Sanner and Hadley McGregor presented this webinar on Wednesday, April 29, 2020! View the recording here. The PRO-Parenting Project is a multi-site NIH-funded 16-week randomized controlled trial of a modified behavioral parent training (BPT) intervention for parents of young children with developmental delays, directed by co-PIs Drs.

Note: View current details about our ongoing Mindfulness with SBH sessions here. During these uncertain times, we are all finding new and creative ways of coping with our day-to-day life. As part of a community effort to support one another, the School of Behavioral Health and the Department of Psychology are providing open mindfulness drop-in groups on Tuesdays from 12:00-12:30 PM! Group leaders will be teaching and leading mindfulness-based relaxation practices that have been scientifically proven to support resilience and reduce stress!

Wow! Who could have imagined we would need to practice physical distancing during spring quarter? While this is a challenging time, we can all be comforted by the thought that humans are very resilient and that we will get through this. One of the characteristics that we look for in behavioral health professionals is cognitive flexibility, and this is one of these times where we realize how useful this really is. With that being said, please remember your own self-care.

When a child experiences an injury or illness that requires an ambulance ride to a hospital, it can be a traumatic event. Often, pre-hospital providers such as paramedics and emergency medical technicians (EMTs) have minimal knowledge of traumatic stress in children. They haven’t been trained in utilizing coping techniques or the provision of psychosocial care to pediatric patients and their families. Alumna Heather Saenz is working to change this.