White House Rescue Plan Funding Coronavirus Counselor In Vernon

VERNON, CT — The town of Vernon in partnership with the Hockanum Valley Community Council, is offering free mental health counseling to Vernon residents who are experiencing grief, loss, stress and anxiety related to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Vernon Town Council unanimously authorized Town Administrator Michael Purcaro to sign a contract with
the Vernon-based social services agency for up to $69,000 to fund a social worker who will offer counseling and
help connect residents with other services.

The position will be paid for with funds provided to the Town of Vernon from the federal government through the American Rescue Plan.

"As our nation, state and local community continue to recover from the pandemic, we know that people are
hurting," Vernon Mayor Daniel Champagne said. "Using funds from the American Rescue Plan to provide direct mental health services to Vernon residents is wholly appropriate. We have been focused throughout the pandemic on
meeting community needs and mental health is part of our overall recovery plan."

The counselor will work with people referred by the Vernon Social Services Department, Vernon Youth Services,
Vernon Public Schools and Vernon-based health and human service organizations. People can also contact the
social worker directly through HVCC.

An advisory committee of Vernon-based health and human service organizations is convening to identify pandemic-related needs in the community, and strategies to address them.

The committee includes Vernon Social Services, Vernon Youth Services, Vernon Public Schools, Cornerstone
Foundation, KidSafe, Opportunity Works, Iglesia Fuente de Salvasicon Misionera, and HVCC.

"For some people, the anxiety and stress they experienced during the pandemic will ease and they will return to the routines of work and visiting with friends and family," Purcaro said. "Others will face new or worsening stressors. We cannot underestimate the disruption and difficulty so many have experienced through the pandemic. Our goal is for the social worker to help Vernon residents deal with those stressors in a positive and constructive way."

More than 40 percent of adults having reported symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder during the pandemic, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, which studies national health issues.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports stress caused by the pandemic can cause feelings of fear, anger, sadness, worry, and frustration that can have a variety of physical impacts, including worsening existing health and mental health conditions.

"At the Hockanum Valley Community Council we have a strong record of feeding the hungry and counseling those
struggling with mental health and substance abuse issues," said David M. O’Rourke, CEO of the HVCC. "The
coronavirus pandemic has only exacerbated these issues and we are pleaded to join with the Town of Vernon to
work with and assist people in Vernon who are struggling. Working together, we can make things better."

For more information or to sign up, please call Vernon Social Services at (860) 870-3661.