Friends,

In this week’s newsletter, we pay special attention to Mental Health Awareness Month and resources available to help you or your loved ones dealing with mental health issues. We also have updates on Virginia’s reopening and reinstatement of unemployment work search requirements, as well as an upcoming town hall invitation.

Mental Health Awareness Month
This past year, the COVID crisis has greatly exacerbated issues of mental health. Recent surveys, including those collected by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), show substantial increases in self-reported behavioral health symptoms. This makes it more important than ever to check in with your loved ones about how they’re doing and to talk to someone if you need to. There is no shame whatsoever in seeking the support you need in order to live a full, healthy life.

Below are some resources available to individuals and families in need.

• SAMHSA’s National Helpline, 1-800-662-HELP (4357), (also known as the Treatment Referral Routing Service) or TTY: 1-800-487-4889 is a confidential, free, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year, information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members facing mental and/or substance use disorders. This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations. Callers can also order free publications and other information.
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
  • Call 1-800-273-TALK (8255); En español 1-888-628-9454
  • The Lifeline is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week, providing crisis counseling and mental health referrals. People who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have hearing loss can contact the Lifeline via TTY at 1-800-799-4889.
• Crisis Text Line
  • Text “HELLO” to 741741
  • The Crisis Text hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week throughout the U.S.; it serves anyone, in any type of crisis, connecting them with a crisis counselor who can provide support and information.
• Veterans Crisis Line
  • Call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) and press 1 or text to 838255
  • The Veterans Crisis Line is a free, confidential resource that connects veterans 24 hours a day, seven days a week with a trained responder. The service is available to all veterans, even if they are not registered with the VA or enrolled in VA healthcare. People who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have hearing loss can call 1-800-799-4889.
• Disaster Distress Helpline
  • Call or text 1-800-985-5990
  • The Disaster Distress Helpline provides immediate crisis counseling for people who are experiencing emotional distress related to any natural or human-caused disaster.
• Contact social media outlets directly if you are concerned about a friend’s social media updates or dial 911 in an emergency.
• NAMI Virginia HelpLine and Resources
  • NAMI Virginia operates a toll-free HelpLine to provide information and resources to callers who are seeking information about mental illness topics. They can assist with locating support groups and educational programs, provide information on how to access the mental health system, and provide general information about mental illness, education, support, and recovery.
• The Virginia Health Care Foundation has many resources to help families and students coping with challenges of mental illness.

Virginia’s Continued Reopening
This week, Governor Ralph Northam lifted Virginia’s universal indoor mask mandate to align with new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Governor Northam also announced that Virginia will ease all social distancing and capacity restrictions on Friday, May 28.

The CDC guidelines state that fully-vaccinated individuals do not have to wear masks in most indoor settings, except on public transit, in health care facilities, and in congregate settings. Please note, however, that businesses retain the ability to require masks in their establishments. Those who are unvaccinated or not fully-vaccinated are strongly encouraged to wear masks in all settings.

That we have come so far is a testament to the hard work of scientists, doctors, and nurses, who, in coordination with the Biden Administration and our state public health officials and countless volunteers, have worked tirelessly to deliver vaccines to Virginians. You know who you are — thank you.

Change to Virginia Unemployment Guidelines
On May 30, the reinstatement of the weekly work search requirement for those seeking unemployment benefits will go into effect. This requirement, part of state and federal law, was temporarily suspended during the pandemic. All Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) applicants, including those receiving Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), must apply for at least 2 jobs each week in order to continue receiving unemployment benefits. Individuals will be required to report details of their job search activity each week to the VEC for review. You can find more information here.

I know that many Virginians have faced long, challenging, and financially-devastating struggles as they worked to file and receive unemployment insurance over these past several months. My office has worked directly with numerous constituents as we attempted to secure benefits through the VEC. This past Tuesday, the Governor announced that he has directed the VEC to invest $20 million to expand its ability to process complicated unemployment claims. Additionally, the directive will "add 300 new adjudication staffers, make immediate technology upgrades, and complete a full modernization of the Commonwealth’s unemployment insurance system by October 1, 2021."

Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month Town Hall
On Thursday, May 27th from 5:30pm-6:30pm, I will be hosting an Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month Town Hall. I will be joined by Praveen Meyyan (Chair, Democratic Asian Americans of Virginia), May Nivar (Chair, Virginia Asian American Advisory Board), Eric Lin (Chair, Office of New Americans Advisory Board), and Dewita Soeharjono (Chair Emeritus, Democratic Asian Americans of Virginia). We will be discussing concerns of the AAPI community, ongoing advocacy, and the experiences of serving as leaders in this community. I do hope you can join us — you can RSVP here.

 

Contacting our office
As always, if you need assistance, or if you want to schedule a Zoom or phone call with our team, please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office. Email is the best way to contact us. We can be reached at [email protected].

— Ghazala Hashmi