Mental Health and Psychosocial Support
During this time of heightened emotions, it is normal to need support. We encourage you to seek mental health evaluation and/or treatment or check in with yourself, and connect with others via a wide array of group discussions, individual support, and extensive spiritual care offerings. Remember: We are in this together.
Check out this flyer as a quick guide to resources and see the tabs below for more information on all the available services.
For more general information regarding your mental health during this time, please see this Mental Health Guide, created by Craig Katz, MD, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Director of Mount Sinai’s Program in Global Mental Health.
For help or guidance in navigating any of the Well-Being Resources, and identifying the right resource for you, please call the Mount Sinai Center for Stress, Resilience and Personal Growth at 212-659-5564.
One-to-One Support
For All
Center for Stress, Resilience and Personal Growth: CSRPG provides resilience training workshops, outreach, and confidential behavioral health care to Mount Sinai Health System staff, faculty, trainees, and all students. CSRPG's general operating hours are 9AM-5PM Monday-Friday, though earlier and later options may be available.
Call the Center at 212-659-5564 or email at MS-CSRPG@mountsinai.org. Please also see Sinai Central for the Center's smartphone app, Wellness Hub, which provides a self-assessment and resilience-building resource.
For Employees
Psychiatry Services (medication management and/or psychotherapy)
- Mount Sinai Department of Psychiatry Faculty Practice (UMR Top-Tier Insurance only)
Psychiatrists, psychologists, nurse practitioners, and social workers provide confidential psychiatric evaluation and ongoing treatment including medication management and/or psychotherapy. Services are available by telepsychiatry, or in-person as needed, during the COVID epidemic. Please call or email for a scheduling. 212-659-8752 | PsychiatryFPA@mssm.edu. - Mount Sinai Behavioral Health Outpatient Program
Providers offer telepsychiatry and telephonic visits for employees during the COVID crisis, as well as in-person visits as needed. Employees seeking psychiatric evaluation, psychotherapy, and/or medication management for depression, anxiety, trauma, and complex psychiatric illnesses through our virtual platform are encouraged to contact any of the following numbers, no matter your usual hospital site:
MS Downtown: (212) 420-2400 (Adults, Geriatric, Children, Adolescents)
MS Hospital: (212) 241-5947 (Adults) (212) 241-7175 (Children and Adolescents)
MS Morningside and West: (212) 523-8080 (Adults) (212) 523-3082 (Children and Adolescents)
Brief Counseling
- MSHS Employee Assistance Program (EAP):
The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides free, confidential short-term counseling by licensed social workers to Mount Sinai employees and your covered dependents.
Contact: 212-241-8937 - Individual Self-Care Consultations by Mount Sinai Calm:
By phone, focus on your well-being in a one-on-one consultation with one of our highly experienced and compassionate licensed social workers. Based on your conversation, you will receive a holistic personal care plan and set of resources that support your overall health. To schedule a self-care consultation, please email 4calm@mountsinai.org.
For Students and Trainees
Psychiatry Services (medication management and/or psychotherapy)
- Student and Trainee Mental Health Service (All students and trainees)
STMH provides confidential mental health evaluations, crisis interventions, psychotherapy and medication management for Mount Sinai students and trainees, regardless of insurance plan. STMH has transitioned primarily to telehealth services utilizing confidential platforms. On site appointments will be made available if clinically indicated. To schedule an appointment (initial or follow-up), please email STMH@mssm.edu or call 212-659-8805 between 9 AM and 5 PM Monday-Friday. STMH also has evening hour appointments several days a week.
Telephonic Counseling and Mental Health Resources
- Dedicated 24/7 Support and Crisis Hotline: For after-hours support, please call WellConnect, a 24/7 phone line dedicated specifically for Mount Sinai Students and Trainees. 212-241-2400 (or 1-866-640-4777).
Crisis & Emergency Support
If you are experiencing a psychiatric emergency and need immediate emotional support:
For Students and Trainees:
For after-hours support or crisis help, please call WellConnect, a 24/7 hotline dedicated specifically to Mount Sinai Students and Trainees staffed by trained crisis counselors
Call 212-241-2400 (or 1-866-640-4777).
For All:
NYC Well is your connection to free, confidential mental health support. Speak to a counselor via phone, text, or chat and get access to mental health and substance use services, in more than 200 languages, 24/7/365.
Text: Text "WELL" to 65173 (message & data rates may apply when using the SMS service)
Call: 1-888-NYC-WELL or visit their website.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support 24/7 to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress.
Call 1-800-273-TALK(8255) or visit their website.
If you believe you’re in immediate danger to yourself or someone else:
For All:
Please contact Psychiatric Emergency Services (below), call 911, or go to the nearest Emergency Room.
Hospital pecific Psychiatric Emergency Services
Mount Sinai Beth Israel: 212-420-4614
The Mount Sinai Hospital: 212-241-5637
Mount Sinai West: 212-523-6775
Mount Sinai Morningside: 212-523-3347
Facilitated Group Discussions
All Employees, Trainees and Students
- The Office of Well-being and Resilience offers facilitated discussions, narrative medicine sessions and mindfulness sessions for groups and teams. Facilitated discussions are personalized for your particular team or unit and allow participants to connect with colleagues sharing similarly difficult experiences, receive mutual support, and discuss and practice coping strategies. Narrative medicine uses art and reflection to strengthen clinical practice. Mindfulness training teaches mindfulness practice to help handle stress and increase overall sense of well-being. Groups are facilitated by experienced clinicians and practitioners via Zoom. To schedule a group discussion or session for your team, please complete the request form.
Spiritual Care & Peer Support
The Center for Spirituality and Health:
Chaplains provide spiritual, religious, and emotional support to people of all beliefs. They can support you in identifying and living into your values; creating rituals to honor milestones; sharing prayers or blessings; supporting you in exploring your feelings and emotions; offering guidance for spiritual questions, and supporting your religious needs. Chaplains also provide the staff support program Take10.
To request spiritual care support and/or to speak with a chaplain at your hospital/practice site, please call:
- The Mount Sinai Hospital 212-241-7262
- Mount Sinai Downtown/Beth Israel 212-420-2759
- Mount Sinai Morningside 212-523-2016
- Mount Sinai Queens 718-808-7460
- Mount Sinai West 212-523-6920
- On-Call Chaplaincy Line (nights and weekends) 212-241-7262
Well-Being Tips and Coping Strategies
A Message of Well-being and Solidarity - 6/4/20
Common Misconceptions about getting mental health care - 5/1/20
The Experience of Grief - 4/15/20
Confronting Uncertainty - 4/10/20
Coping with Anxiety - 3/20/20
Managing General Heightened Emotions - 3/10/20
Additional Resources
Internal Resources
- The Mount Sinai Sexual Assault and Violence Intervention Program (SAVI)
SAVI is a free and confidential Manhattan- and Queens-based program that provides trauma-informed, survivor centered therapy and advocacy for all those healing from sexual or intimate partner violence, as well as their loved ones. Please call 212-423-2140, email savi@mssm.edu or visit their website. - Mount Sinai Department of Rehabilitation and Human Performance Rehabilitation Neuropsychology Faculty Practice:
The Department’s Psychologists, Neuropsychologists and Psychologists specialize in cognitive rehabilitation, psychotherapy and trauma processing for individuals with brain injury and other neurocognitive disorders. We also welcome Mount Sinai Health System employees who are seeking psychotherapy and/or skills training for the management of anxiety, stress, and sleep disturbance. Services are available by video visit during the COVID epidemic and UMR is accepted. Please call or email for more information: 212-241-4706 | Annell.Ovalles@mountsinai.org
Click Here Self Care and Stress Management
State and Federal Resources
- New York State Office of Mental Health Emotional Support Line:
New Yorkers can call the free COVID-19 Emotional Support Hotline for confidential mental health counseling and support. The Help Line is staffed by volunteer mental health professionals, who have received training in crisis counseling, and who can help callers experiencing increased anxiety at this time. 1-844-863-9314 | Website - NYC Well:
NYC Well is your connection to free, confidential mental health support. Speak to a counselor via phone, text, or chat and get access to mental health and substance use services, in more than 200 languages, 24/7/365.
Text: Text "WELL" to 65173 (message & data rates may apply when using the SMS service) - Call: 1-888-NYC-WELL or visit their website.
- Workers can text NYFRONTLINE to 741-741 for support.
NYS launching a new emotional support texting program for frontline workers.
The state is partnering with the Kate Spade New York Foundation and Crisis Text Line to provide a 24/7 emotional support service for frontline health care workers. - Covid Coach App:
You can download the app from the "app store" on any phone. This app was designed by the Department of Veterans affairs and offers resources, emotional support, tips for self-care and stress management tools for anyone during the Covid-19 Pandemic.
This App should not replace treatment by a professional.
Other External Resources:
(the following have not been fully vetted by Mount Sinai employees and do not have relationships with Mount Sinai).
- Octave: Mental Health Providers now Accepting UMR Insurance
Octave is a modern behavioral health practice with over 15 psychologists and counselors who specialize in a wide range of topics including anxiety, trauma, depression and couples therapy. Learn more & Schedule a free consultation. - Caring For Caregivers NYC: As we continue to provide pro-bono specialized mental health treatment for NYC frontline physicians. We have partnered with the Dr Lorna Breen Heroes' Foundation (www.DrLornaBreen.org) and treat physician trauma, insomnia, anxiety, burnout and depression. Many NYC hospitals are providing mental health support within their own hospital communities, which is wonderful. However some physicians prefer to pursue treatment off-site due to concerns about privacy as well as wanting to process the trauma away from where it occurred. Our team of highly experienced clinicians provide individual therapy (supportive, CBT, DBT-oriented, EMDR and insight-oriented), medication evaluations and follow up management, and genetic testing (donated via Genomind). I personally screen physicians who reach out and match them with an appropriate clinician from our program. Physicians who are interested in treatment can contact us through our website or simply email me at plutchikl@gmail.com. We are happy to serve as an additional resource for your physicians. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns.
- NYC COVID Care Network: As COVID-19 spreads, the psychological, emotional, and spiritual toll also grows. Most essential workers lack adequate emotional and mental support and some may feel isolated and stigmatized for their contact with infected populations. To address this growing crisis, we are an emerging, self-organizing network of 2500+ volunteer mental health professionals, spiritual care providers, stress-reduction experts, healers, and community-builders who have stepped up to provide support during this crisis. All essential workers, their families, and any uninsured individuals in the New York City Metro area are eligible to receive support from the network.
- Additional External Mental Health Resources and Tools:
Find information on additional external mental health resources that are available to support you during this time. These resources have been vetted and we encourage you to use them as needed.