TAMPA, Fla. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and First Lady Casey DeSantis hold a roundtable discussion Thursday afternoon on the coronavirus' impacts on mental health in Tampa.
During the roundtable discussion which took place at the Tampa Bay Crisis Center, First Lady DeSantis spoke about the importance of mental health for everyone as we deal with this pandemic.
"We talk about our kids, but we need to talk about the parents," Casey DeSantis said. "Everyone is enduring this crisis."
Also present during the roundtable was the Department of Children and Families Secretary Chad Poppell.
Poppell said during the pandemic there has been a decrease in calls to the DCF Child Abuse Hotline, and that was not due to a decrease in cases.
"The child abuse hotline, every year when school lets out, sees around a 25% reduction in calls," he said. "That's because our number one mandatory reporter of child abuse, are our teachers."
Due to most school's quick conclusion and switch to distant learning in March, those mandated reporters have not had in-person contact with their students which Poppell says has led to a greater lag in calls to the hotline.
"So instead of having a two, two-and-a-half-month break where teachers don't get to see the kids, we're working on a much longer period of time," he said. "And so that's one of the things that we're actually very concerned about."
Not only are children experiencing a big change due to the pandemic but also veterans and elderly who are used to having in-person contact with family, friends and their support network.
The Centers for Disease Control said you may experience increased stress during this pandemic and included the following ways to get help.
Get immediate help in a crisis
- Call 911
- Disaster Distress Helpline: 1-800-985-5990 (press 2 for Spanish), or text TalkWithUs for English or Hablanos for Spanish to 66746. Spanish speakers from Puerto Rico can text Hablanos to 1-787-339-2663.
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for English, 1-888-628-9454 for Spanish, or Lifeline Crisis Chat.
- National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 or text LOVEIS to 22522
- National Child Abuse Hotline: 1-800-4AChild (1-800-422-4453) or text 1-800-422-4453
- National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or Online Chat
- The Eldercare Locator: 1-800-677-1116 TTY Instructions
- Veteran’s Crisis Line: 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or Crisis Chat or text: 8388255
Find a health care provider or treatment for substance use disorder and mental health
- SAMHSA’s National Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357) and TTY 1-800-487-4889
- Treatment Services Locator Website
- Interactive Map of Selected Federally Qualified Health Centers