Each week in May, we will focus on healthy habits for your mental health and well-being. This week, our focus will be on Wellness Check-Ins.
Check In
is all about reaching out to your friends, family and neighbors and starting a conversation about mental health and well-being.
We'll be reaching out to our BCHD volunteers, clients and community partners to check in and we encourage the community to do the same and start your own virtual "call tree."
Goals of Wellness Check-In
- Build social connections while we’re physically distancing
- Encourage conversations about mental health and well-being
- Provide information and support
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Here's some pointers on what to say during your Wellness Check-In:
The below script is intended as reference only, feel free to personalize your call as you check in on your friends, family and neighbors.
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The
Wellness Check-In
is a conversation, not a counseling session. If you feel your friend, family member or neighbor would benefit from a check-in by a BCHD social worker, please have them call
BCHD’s Assistance, Information & Referral line
at 310-374-3426, ext. 256, seven days a week, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
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Top 5 tips to help your child address mental health and anxiety:
- Help your child prioritize sleep. Sleeping fewer than seven hours per night is a significant risk factor for anxiety and depression.
- Identify signs of stress, which may include headaches, trouble sleeping, jaw pain, changes in appetite, frequent mood swings, difficulty concentrating and feeling overwhelmed. Help your child find and implement stress management techniques such as time management and exercise.
- Acknowledge the emotions you and your child are feeling. Researchers suggest taking a “self-compassion break” in moments of frustration or when feeling overwhelmed or discouraged.
- Practice reaffirming your family values and reflecting on your family strengths.
- Studies indicate that practicing “loving-kindness” increases empathy and compassion for others. It can lead to more self-compassion and positive emotions. Loving-kindness can be practiced through the following steps:
- Put your body at ease
- Soften the belly and chest
- Recall feelings of love and kindness
- Say aloud: May I be safe, May I be healthy, May I be happy, May I be at ease, May I be filled with loving-kindness, May I be peaceful
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Roadmap to Recovery
Starting May 8, the following non-essential businesses can begin reopening for
curbside pick-up
with adherence to distancing and infection control protocols
:
- Bookstores
- Clothing stores
- Florists
- Music stores
- Sporting goods stores
- Toy stores
- Car dealership showrooms (open for sales with adherence to distancing and infection control protocols)
The following outdoor parks and recreational facilities are reopening on Saturday, May 9 provided all activities
adhere to distancing and infection control protocols
:
- Golf courses (not including pro-shops or dine-in restaurants)
- Trails
It is important to remember, as restrictions relax,
residents will need to continue to observe and practice physical distancing and take infection control precautions.
Increased interactions between residents and workers can increase the risk and rate of transmission of COVID-19 within the community. Asymptomatic (not exhibiting symptoms) individuals are capable of spreading the virus to others. We should assume that each of us can infect others even when we aren’t sick, and that others can infect us.
People who have underlying health conditions such as heart, lung or kidney disease, diabetes, cancer or compromised immune systems will still be at much greater risk for serious illness from COVID-19, so it will continue to be very important for the County's vulnerable residents to stay at home as much as possible.
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Mental Health & Happiness Series
Join BCHD for the new Mental Health & Happiness Series! Learn how to boost your well-being through evidence-based practices to build resilience, feel more connected and be happier. Attend one or all of the workshops.
All workshops take place on Tuesdays from
12:30 - 1:30 p.m. with a discussion after from 1:30 - 2 p.m.
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May 12
Boost Empathy
Support connection
and shift perspective
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May 19
Cultivate Bravery
Embrace opportunities
and manage change
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May 26
Reaffirm Purpose
Navigate transitions
and focus on meaning
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Talk About It Workshops
BCHD, in partnership with our Student Mental Health Provider Task Force and South Bay Families Connected, is launching the virtual “Talk About It” Small-Group Parent Workshop Series. This series will support families at home as they navigate distance learning and help create balance for students and parents.
All Workshops will take place on Thursdays from 1
–
2 p.m.
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May 14
Facilitating Family Connection through Physical Activity
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May 21
Mindfulness for the Family While Safer at Home
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May 28
Managing Family Conflict & Creating Balance at Home
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Families Connected Parent Chat
Free parent support group
Mondays
9:50
–
10:50 a.m.
Open to all parents. A support group led by a licensed professional from the Thelma McMillen Center for Alcohol and Drug Treatment at Torrance Memorial Medical Center.
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Powerful Tools for Caregivers
Free course for family caregivers
POSTPONED:
Now starting Tuesday, June 2
1 – 2:30 p.m.
An evidence-based, self-care program for family caregivers who are currently involved with providing care to children or adults with chronic conditions.
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Get unlimited access to all CHF's live virtual exercise classes for $22 in the month of May. Small Group Training is also available virtually for $12 per class.
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Families can now bring MindUP, BCHD's mindfulness program taught in schools for kids, home.
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FREE on demand exercise classes you can access from the comfort of your own home, anytime.
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Add our
Facebook frame
to your profile picture!
Click here
to update your frame.
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Share your #SaferAtHomeSelfie!
Let us know how you are spending time physical distancing and helping slow the spread of COVID-19.
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COVID-19 Testing at the South Bay Galleria
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COVID-19 testing is available to ALL Los Angeles County residents, whether or not you are experiencing symptoms.
Priority for the same or next day testing is still given to people with COVID-19 symptoms:
- Fever
- Cough
- Shortness of breath
- Chills
- Repeated shaking with chills
- Muscle pain
- Headaches
- Sore throat
- Loss of taste or smell
Testing is also prioritized for certain critical front-line workers who interact with the public while working.
All tests at the South Bay Galleria are free of charge and are
by appointment only.
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Appointments have been filling up quickly. Please continue to check the site for availability at the South Bay Galleria or make an appointment at another testing site.
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Beach Cities Cumulative Cases:
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Donate to the Beach Cities COVID-19 Fund
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Donations will provide assistance to Beach Cities residents who are income qualified with essentials like groceries and household and cleaning supplies.
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Looking for Plant-Slant Takeout?
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Check out our Blue Zones Project Approved healthy restaurants and grocery stores that are currently offering t
o-go, curb pick-up, delivery, family meal specials and p
antry/household
items
at
bchd.org/feed-your-well-being
.
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For more information about COVID-19, visit:
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Need Help with Health Information and Referrals?
If you or someone you know in the Beach Cities needs assistance with errands, health-related information or referrals, please call our Assistance, Information & Referral line at
310-374-3426, ext. 256
, seven days a week, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. You can also visit us online at
bchd.org/resources
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