Supporting Families During COVID-19

• Call, email, or text friends to check in and see how they are doing and catch up.
• Write letters or join a virtual pen pal program like Spokane Mama to connect with friends and family who may be isolated during this time, thank essential employees, or reconnect with your child’s teachers.
• Social media platforms can be a helpful tool for staying engaged with family and friends. However, social media use has also been shown to be harmful to an individual’s well-being, and consumption of news and other postings should be limited. If you do use social media, stick with activities that make you feel good or help you to feel connected to others. For example, share photos of hobbies or pastimes, kids, pets, nature and yourself with family members or friends who may be experiencing stress, feeling isolated or just missing you.

Just because you cannot physically be together, doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy other’s company! There are many platforms that support video chat including Facetime, House Party, Google Duo, Snapchat, Facebook Messenger, Zoom, Skype and WhatsApp. Through video chat you can join friends in a variety of activities including the following:

• Workouts—there are many video-streamed workouts that you can join online, including free or by donation options (check with your local gym or search on YouTube)
• Virtual game nights—including board games and multiplayer video games
• Virtual happy hour, coffee break or book club
• Faith services
• Online museum tours anywhere in the world—check out the Louvre in Paris, France
• Streaming virtual concerts
• Movie nights—watch movies together via Netflix party
• Good, old-fashioned get-togethers (virtually); check in and commiserate with other parents or neighbors or get your kids together for an online “play date”

Connecting virtually isn’t your only option. It is possible to get together in person safely, as long as you follow some precautions. Get outside and try the following:

• Bundle up and hang out with your neighbors from your yard, front porch or driveway for a short visit. Remember to wear a mask and stay at least 6 feet (2 meters) apart and limit the size of your group to the number allowed during the current phase (see activities allowed under current phase).
• Participate in coordinated, physically distanced activities such as designated time for ringing bells, cheering, and other creative ways to connect with neighbors from a safe distance.
• Go for a walk every day and say ‘hi’ to your neighbors who are on their porches or across the street. If you run into someone you don’t know, introduce yourself—see if you can meet someone new every week. But remember: wear a mask and stay six feet apart.

Call Vanessa Behan at 509.535.3155 to schedule a stay for your child. Families are served on a first-come, first-served basis. Free services are available 24/7.

Vanessa Behan staff will welcome you and help your child feel at home while you get some rest knowing that your child is in a cozy, safe, fun and educational environment.

COVID-19 has impacted every aspect of our lives and we are all looking for ways to cope. You or someone you care about may be experiencing poor mental health as a result. Changes in behavior and/or thought patterns may indicate a serious health issue.

That’s why it’s important to be able to recognize signs that an individual is struggling and in need of support. These include:

• Significant changes in eating or sleeping habits
• Excessive fear, worrying or anxiety
• Extreme moods
• Long-lasting sadness, anger or irritability
• Withdrawing from friends and family

Find more mental health and well-being resources and contact information.

In some cases, dealing with COVID-19 and associated stressors may lead to other harmful behaviors, including aggression or violence toward family or household members or intimate partners. If you are concerned that someone you know may be in an abusive relationship, recognize the warning signs:

• A friend or loved one sharing that their partner does not want you to spend time together, or you notice that when you are together, they are constantly responding to texts or calls
• Dressing drastically differently to please their partner
• Suddenly and unexpectedly canceling plans with you
• Has frequent cuts, burns or bruises
• Acts differently around their partner, catering to their every need

For more information about recognizing signs of abusive behavior in a domestic relationship, please visit the National Domestic Violence Hotline website. Remember: if an individual tells you they are afraid of their partner, believe them.

You may want to tell your friend that you have noticed changes and are concerned for them. Let them know that you are available for support and that you care about them and that there is support available to them.*

If you are in an abusive relationship and do not know what to do, get in touch with someone who can help you. Any of the agencies listed here provide support for individuals experiencing violence at home. Remember, seeking help when needed is a sign of strength.

If you are concerned or uncertain about your own relationship with your partner, or you are not sure if what you are experiencing may be relationship abuse, it’s important to understand the warning signs:

• You’re scared of your partner
• Your partner controls what you wear, who you see, what you do
• They bully, threaten or try to control you
• Your partner isolates you by cutting you off from family and friends
• You are not allowed to have control over your finances
• Your partner physically, emotionally and/or sexually assaults you
• You worry for the safety of your children and pets

*If you or someone you know is experiencing an emergency, please dial 911.