OMAHA, NE / AGILITYPR.NEWS / April 07, 2020 / As the Covid-19 pandemic grows, so does the anxiety and fear that accompanies it. Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska -- the people we serve, our partners, and our communities across the region -- is experiencing the weight of the unknown and the increasingly grim news of COVID-19.

Daily changes to routines and access to basic goods and services give rise to and intensify many behavioral and mental health challenges. Isolation and restriction of movement can lead to depression and anxiety. Isolation and loneliness can also exacerbate substance use. Volatile environments lead to a growth in domestic violence and child abuse incidents. The fear and uncertainty of the pandemic can even lead to increased suicidal thoughts and attempts.

And that is precisely why Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska acted quickly and aggressively to increase Telehealth services within a day of shifting its workforce to work-from-home to ensure the health and safety of clients and staff. In fewer than three business days, Telehealth capacity went from 5 to 45 online virtual "therapy rooms" so that every person who needs access to mental and behavioral health care has access to it, especially now as we live through the global pandemic and its accompanying anxiety pandemic. Seven-thousand letters were mailed to clients across the state in more than 14 languages to make sure that the people everyone has access to and continues to receive services.

LFS went a step further and reached out to as many underserved and marginalized people in our communities as possible to make sure everyone understands, no matter their reading level or what language they may speak, how important social distancing is to protect the health and well-being of our communities. These efforts are featured on Lutheran Services in America’s website and on our YouTube channel. Refugee Response of Ohio has reached out to LFS to partner with their collaboration with Departments of International Health and Mental Health at Johns Hopkins University.

It didn’t stop there. With its vision of safety, hope, and well-being for all people, LFS is at the forefront of ensuring that our communities are connected even as we have to socially distance. Here are just some of the ways LFS is reaching out and doing its part to make sure our vision doesn’t get lost in the midst of the fear created by the COVID-19 pandemic:

• LFS is hosting a series of virtual town hall information sessions in a number of languages for new Nebraskan community neighbors.
• LFS is launching a podcast and a short video series to help get people to navigate through and stay connected with all community members.
• Video conferences are taking place with foster parents, online parenting classes, and youth coping skills groups
• LFS has engaged our congregational partners across the state to make sure clergy are cared for as they work to lead faith communities in this challenging time.
• An online forum was launched to connect individuals, neighborhoods, congregations and businesses to register to assist with socially distanced volunteer projects across the area.

Chief among LFS’s person-centered strategic goals and objectives is to be accessible to everyone and nimble enough to respond and meet the needs of the communities it serves. By quickly adapting to this rapidly changing and uncertain environment, we can remain focused on its vision of safety, help, and well-being so families, neighbors, and communities may remain focused on the health and safety of those they love.

Access to Telehealth services, instructions, consent forms, and other resources may be found on our website at www.lfsneb.org. New Client forms can be accessed at https://www.lfsneb.org/new-clients/.

The toll-free phone number to speak with LFS about Telehealth is 833-903-2376.

Informational videos about Covid-19 and Telehealth is available in 14 languages at https://www.youtube.com/user/lfsneb.

If you wish to volunteer resources or time, please contact us at volunteer@lfsneb.org. Donations may be made at https://lfsneb.scalefunder.com/cfund.