Managing Mental Health: A Survey-Based Research Evaluation of a COVID-19 Emergency Mental Health Counselling Program

In the midst of the current global COVID-19 pandemic, frontline service workers (e.g. healthcare and social services) are experiencing unprecedented work conditions that are physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausting, which impact one’s psychological well-being. To combat the impending mental health crises, McMaster University and the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA, Hamilton) are partnering to assess the effectiveness of a free short-term counselling initiative offered to Hamilton healthcare and social service workers. Counselling will be available through CMHA for all Hamilton essential human services staff experiencing stress and anxiety from working on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. Post-Doctoral Fellow, Dr. Diana Singh, will be leading a survey-based research program evaluation of CMHA’s new counselling initiative in order to determine its effectiveness in combatting the short and long-term mental health consequences—e.g. anxiety, post-traumatic stress, chronic stress and burnout—of working on the frontlines during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Faculty Supervisor:

Marisa Young

Student:

Diana Singh

Partner:

Canadian Mental Health Association

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

University:

McMaster University

Program: