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Mental Wellness Resource page

As school leaders know, “You can’t take care of others if you don’t take care of yourself.”  There is a lot going on – we’re pulled in many directions and it can be stressful.  Practice mental wellness!

Thank you to Dr. Melissa Maras for ongoing assistance to MASA in the area of Mental Wellness. 

Dr. Maras’s suggested links:

Staying Calm During Crisis: 5 Tips for Self Care.

While this article is targeted at teachers, the basic premise is the same for all of us.  A good read!

https://www.pbs.org/education/blog/staying-calm-during-crisis-5-tips-for-self-care

Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) provides a number of mental wellness resources including self-care and re-energizing

https://schoolguide.casel.org/focus-area-2/learn/self-care-and-re-energizing/

Developing a Self Care Plan

There is no “one-size-fits-all” self-care plan, but there is a common thread to all self-care plans: making a commitment to attend to all the domains of your life, including your physical and psychological health, emotional and spiritual needs, and relationships.

http://socialwork.buffalo.edu/resources/self-care-starter-kit/developing-your-self-care-plan.html

Missouri Department of Mental Health (DMH)

• Primary landing page: https://dmh.mo.gov/disaster-services/covid-19-information#community
  • Disaster Distress Helpline – call or texting options (brochure is available)
  • Behavioral Health Specific Resources - https://dmh.mo.gov/coronavirus-covid-19-information
    • Access Crisis Intervention - https://dmh.mo.gov/mental-illness/program-services/behavioral-health-crisis-hotline
    • Using “We’re in this Together” messaging, but I haven’t seen this anywhere else besides their site
  • Self-care page: https://dmh.mo.gov/disaster-services/self-care
  • Under “Communication” there are 2 good guides for communicating during a crisis/pandemic
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Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services

https://health.mo.gov/living/healthcondiseases/communicable/novel-coronavirus/anxiety.php

School Mental Wellness Wednesday blog:  Starting This Week! School Mental Health Wellness Wednesdays - Connect • Reflect • Support

https://www.acesconnection.com/blog/starting-this-week-school-mental-health-wellness-wednesdays-connect-reflect-support

Self-Care Assessment Tool (downloadable PDF)

Mental Wellness Materials from AASA:

Mental Wellness AASA Presentation (downloadable PPT.)

Mental Heath - Productivity Graphic

Mental Health -- Healthy Habits Graphic

MASA will update this list regularly

Here is a sample list of COVID-19 resources:

Center for Disease Control (CDC) Site

Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (COVID-19)

Council of Administrators of Special Education (MO-CASE) -- COVID-19 resources related to special education students

Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services  

Missouri School Public Relations Association (MOSPRA) Document Vault – while this is not vetted or curated, there is a lot of good information and sample letters (currently open to everyone):  New material to this folder daily! 

National School Public Relations Association:  Corona Virus Resources