Resources Center
NCPS provides the following information to the general public to assist them in answering their questions about mental health issues and mental healthcare. The links are provided as a convenience and do not imply endorsement. NCPS is not responsible for content provided on websites hosted by organizations outside NCPS and does not guarantee the accuracy of the information they contain.
COVID-19 Coronavirus News and Information (updated 5/19/2020)
Below are links to infomation and resources from national, state and local health organizations & institutions, as well as the latest on telemedicine, HIPPA, and billing information and instructions, to help you stay up-to-date and safe in this unique and difficult time. This page will be updated continually as information come in. If there is anything missing or that you think should be included, please send it to info@ncps.org.
Beware of COVID-19 Scams: Consumers and healthcare facilities are being targeted by scammers posting as representatives of CDC, DEA, WHO or Medical Boards and asking for personal information, donations, etc. Click on resources below explaing in more detail:
https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubs/pressreleases/extortion_scam.htm
https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/coronavirus-scams-what-ftc-doing
APA INFORMATION & RESOURCES
New CMS Rule Permits Billing for Audio-Only Telehealth Retroactive to March 1st - https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/covid-19-coronavirus/practice-guidance-for-covid-19#tele (4/30/20)
APA Practice Guidance for COVID-19. Includes Commercial Payer Info and State by State Guidance (stays updated): https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/covid-19-coronavirus/practice-guidance-for-covid-19
APA COVID-19 Resource Center - https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/covid-19-coronavirus (3.18.2020)
APA FREE Webinar on Telepsychiatry in Era of COVID-19
A Message from the APA on COVID-19 (email sent 2/28/20)
COVID-19 Mental Health Impacts: Resources for Psychiatrists (posted online 3/12/20)
COVID-19 and Telepsychiatry: What you Need to Know (email sent 3/13/20)
APA Annual Spring Confernce Cancellation: Read the FAQs Here
TELEHEALTH, HIPAA & BILLING
Elsevier COVID-19 Healthcare Hub - Contains Resources across the landscape of care - CLICK HERE (5/19/20)
New CMS Rule Permits Billing for Audio-Only Telehealth Retroactive to March 1st - https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/covid-19-coronavirus/practice-guidance-for-covid-19#tele (4/30/20)
Funding for Telehealth Available Under FCC's COVID-19 Program - https://www.fcc.gov/covid-19-telehealth-program (4/29/20)
Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) - Stay updated on the latest regarding state licensure during COVID-19 - https://www.fsmb.org/advocacy/covid-19/
California Telehealth Policy COVID-19 Changes (as of April 6, 2020) - https://www.cchpca.org/sites/default/files/2020-04/CALIFORNIA%20TELEHEALTH%20POLICY%20COVID%2019%20%20APRIL%206%202020.pdf
California Telehealth Policy Coalition - https://www.cchpca.org/about/projects/california-telehealth-policy-coalition
California Department of Consumer Affairs - Order Waiving Nurse Practioner Surpervision Requirements (4/14/20)
Governor Newsom Issues Executive Order to Expand Telehealth Services (4/3/20) - https://www.gov.ca.gov/2020/04/03/governor-newsom-issues-executive-order-to-expand-telehealth-services/
California Department of Insurance - Increased Telehealth Access during COVID-19 (3/30/2020)
CMS Updated Changes to Telepsychiatry Rules & Regulations (3/26/20): https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/927556
CMS COVID-19 Waivers & Flexibilities: https://www.cms.gov/about-cms/emergency-preparedness-response-operations/current-emergencies/coronavirus-waivers
CMA - DMHC: Plans Must Reimburse Telehealth at Same Rates as In Person Services - https://www.cmadocs.org/newsroom/news/view/ArticleId/48766/DMHC-says-plans-must-reimburse-for-telehealth-at-same-rate-as-in-person-services
Calif. DHCS Guidance for behavioral health programs
States Waive In-State Licensing for Health Care Providers: https://www.foley.com/en/insights/publications/2020/03/covid-19-states-waive-licensing-requirements
Health & Human Services COVID-19 HIPAA Updates - https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/special-topics/emergency-preparedness/index.html
DEA COVID-19 Telemedicine Updates - https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/coronavirus.html
Dept. of HHS HIPAA for Professionals - https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/special-topics/emergency-preparedness/notification-enforcement-discretion-telehealth/index.html (3.19.2020)
Dept. of HHS - MEDICARE TELEMEDICINE HEALTH CARE FACT SHEET - 3.17.2020
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - MEDICARE TELEHEALTH WAIVER FAQ's - 3.17.2020
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - Expanded Telehealth Benefits for Medicare Beneficiaries Press Release - 3.17.2020
APA Sample Telepsychiatry COVID-19 Letter to Private Insurance & Medicaid
FDA REMS Requirements During COVID-19 (3/24/20)
CSAM Medicare Reimbursement & OTP Guidance - https://www.asam.org/advocacy/practice-resources/coronavirus-resources
CSAM Medicare/Telemedicine Provider Fact Sheet - https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/medicare-telemedicine-health-care-provider-fact-sheet
SAMHSA Opioid Treatment Program Guidance and FAQs - https://www.samhsa.gov/medication-assisted-treatment
An Important Telehealth Message from NCPS Ethics Chair
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS & PRACTICES
FCC COVID-19 Telehealth Program - https://www.fcc.gov/covid-19-telehealth-program
HSS CARES Act Provider Relief Fund - https://www.hhs.gov/provider-relief/index.html
CMS Accelerated and Advance Payment Program Fact Sheet - https://www.cms.gov/files/document/accelerated-and-advanced-payments-fact-sheet.pdf
Private Practice COVID-19 Economic Survival Resource Page (created and provided by member): https://sites.google.com/view/privatepracticemdsfbaysbalinks/
SELF CARE RESOURCES
- Heal San Francisco Press Release - Expanded Mental Health Support for Health Care Workers: https://healsanfrancisco.org/ (4/8/20)
- NCPS Resource Group - Confidential FREE hotline or contact a committee member directly: https://ncps.org/sites/ncps.org/files/NCPS%20Resource%20Group%20Hotline.%20Contacts.pdf
- Shields for Medical Staff - Resources
LBuilds.com
https://www.matterhackers.com/covid-19
- FREE Webinar: Reducing Stress and Restoring Hope - April 2, 2020
- APAF Center for Workplace Mental Health: http://workplacementalhealth.org/Employer-Resources/Working-Remotely-During-COVID-19?utm_source=MEM&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=COVID-19
- Coronavirus and Mental Health: Taking Care of Ourselves During Infectious Disease Outbreaks (posted online 2/19/20)
- COVID-19 Mental Health Impacts: Resources for Psychiatrists (posted online 3/12/20)
- CDC Managing Anxiety & Stress
- Sustaining Well-being of Healthcare Personnel
- Volunteer to Provide Pro Bono Counseling for Front-line Healthcare Workers Facing COVID-19: Bay Area Project: CLICK HERE for more information
- FREE Coloring Book for Healers: Stress Relieving Designs, Quotes and Affirmations - Co-authored by NCPS Member, Ronald Holt, DO
NATIONAL GOVERNMENT & OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education: Stage 3 Pandemic Emergency Status Guidance - https://acgme.org/COVID-19/Stage-3-Pandemic-Emergency-Status-Guidance
HRSA Federal Funding Resources: https://www.hrsa.gov/coronavirus
SAMHSA Emergency Grants to Address Mental and Stubstance Use Disorders During COVID-19: APPLICATION DUE DATE APRIL 10, 2020
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) - https://www.cdc.gov/
US Identification of Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce During COVID-19 - https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/CISA-Guidance-on-Essential-Critical-Infrastructure-Workers-1-20-508c.pdf
AMA Phsyician's Guide to COVID-19
AMA COVID-19 FAQ's
AAAP COVID-19 Updates - https://www.aaap.org/
Medscape Psychiatry COVID-19 Resource Center: https://www.medscape.com/resource/coronavirus
AACAP Resource Library: https://www.aacap.org/coronavirus
STATE GOVERNMENT & OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
Daily Live Briefings from Governor Newsom at 12:00 noon via Twitter @CAgovernor and via California Governor Facebook page (begininning 3/30/20)
Office of Governor Gavin Newsom - https://www.gov.ca.gov/category/press-releases/
Office of Governor Gavin Newsom: Latest Action Items At-a-Glance - Continually Updated - https://www.gov.ca.gov/california-takes-action-to-combat-covid-19/
California Governor calls on ALL who have background in health: https://covid19.ca.gov/healthcorps/
CMA link to latest news, information and resources - https://www.cmadocs.org/
California Department of Public Health (CDPH) - https://www.cdph.ca.gov/
LOCAL/REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS & INSTITUTIONS
Heal San Francisco Press Release - Expanded Mental Health Support for Health Care Workers: https://healsanfrancisco.org/ (4/8/20)
Volunteer to Provide Pro Bono Counseling for Front-line Healthcare Workers Facing COVID-19: Bay Area Project: CLICK HERE for more information
San Francisco City/County: https://sf.gov/
San Francisco Mayor, London Breed: https://sfmayor.org/
San Francisco Department of Public Health - https://www.sfdph.org/dph/default.asp
San Francisco Department of Public Health: Masking Guidelines for High Risk Patients & Staff (3/26/20)
Stanford University -https://healthalerts.stanford.edu/
University of California San Francisco - https://www.ucsf.edu/coronavirus
San Mateo Medical Center - https://www.smchealth.org/coronavirus
California Pacific Medical Center - https://www.sutterhealth.org/for-patients/health-alerts/2019-novel-coronavirus
Kaiser Permanente, San Jose - https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/alerts/p1/2019-novel-coronavirus-feb-2020
Kaiser Permanente, Oakland - https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/northern-california/alerts/p1/2019-novel-coronavirus-feb-2020
RISK MANAGEMENT
- American Professional Agency, Inc Resources
- Professional Risk Management Services Resources
- An Important Telehealth Message from NCPS Ethics Chair
Northern California Wildfire Resources
Coping Strategies:
The Northern California Psychiatric Society and the American Psychiatric Association recommend following these steps for coping in the days following a traumatic event:
- Keep informed about new information and developments, but avoid overexposure to news rebroadcasts of the tragedy. Be sure to use credible information sources to avoid speculation and rumors.
- If you feel upset, you are not alone. Common reactions to trauma include anxiety, depression, irritability, difficulty sleeping, isolating yourself from others and increased use of alcohol and tobacco to manage your emotions. Talk to friends, family or peers who likely are experiencing the same feelings.
- If you have contact with children, keep open dialogues with them regarding their fears of danger. Talk about your ability to cope with tragedy and get through the ordeal.
- Feelings of fear, sadness and anger following a traumatic event are natural and may persist for days or much longer. You may want to seek psychiatric care if you or your child are having increasing problems at home, work or school, using more alcohol, or experiencing symptoms that don’t get better after a few days.
Mental health resources:
- California Department of Mental Health - can assist individuals with mental health issues that may arise due to the evacuations. Call 1-800-896-4042 or visit: (http://www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/Pages/MentalHealthPrograms-Svcs.aspx)
- Red Cross - Licensed mental health workers willing to offer pro bono services to fire victims can call (571) 226-8183.
- Disaster Distress Helpline’s toll-free number (1-800-985-5990) and receive immediate counseling. This free, confidential, and multilingual crisis support service is also available via SMS (text TalkWithUs to 66746) to anyone experiencing psychological distress as a result of this event. People who call and text are connected to trained and caring professionals from crisis counseling centers in the network. The Helpline staff provides confidential counseling, referrals, and other needed support services.
- Sonoma County Behavioral Health - (707) 565-6900 or (800) 870-8786
- The SAMHSA Disaster App allows disaster behavioral health responders to navigate resources related to pre-deployment preparation, on-the-ground assistance, and post-deployment resources. Users can also share resources from the app via text message or email and quickly identify local behavioral health services. http://store.samhsa.gov/apps/disaster
- The National Child Traumatic Stress Network has developed resources to help families and communities. These resources include
- Parent Guidelines for Helping Children Impacted by Wildfires
- En Español
- Wildfires: Tips for Parents on Media Coverage
- En Español
- Simple Activities for Children During Evacuations or When Playing Outside is Restricte
- Helping Young Children with Traumatic Grief: Tips for Caregivers
- Helping School-Age Children with Traumatic Grief: Tips for Caregivers
- Helping Teens with Traumatic Grief: Tips for Caregivers
- Strategies to Manage Challenges for EMS and Other First Responder Families
- Psychological First Aid (PFA) (in English, Spanish and multiple other languages) - To help you stay current on the status of containment of the wildfires in your county or neighboring counties, you may access information at Calfire’s website: http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents_current
Collegial Resource Hotline
The Resource Committee offers a confidential line to speak with a committee member about any question or concern regarding yourself or your practice. This is a benefit of NCPS Membership. While NOT formal treatment, you may call about practically anything.
You may choose the hotline or contact any committee member directly by email or phone below. You may request anonymity and/or ask that your name not be shared with other committee members. In short, this is:
- a free service
- conversations are confidential
- anonymous by request
- a service without notes or records
- a service insulated from outside requests for information
Managing Stress in psychiatric practice keeps us well and averts burnout...
Hotline: 888-386-3641: Your call will be returned by the committee member on call or
Call a committee member directly or you may initiate contact by email:
1. Suzana Simkovic - 925-719-2920 ssimkovicmd@gmail.com
2. Lynn Bertram - 925-254-0700 or lynn.bertram@kp.org
3. Marvin Firestone - firestone@forensicneuropsychiatiry.com
4. Sam Naifeh - 415-420-0078 or samnaifeh@sbcglobal.net
5. Gary Nye - 925-254-3222 or gn39@aol.com
6. Richard Cicinelli - rickcic@aol.com
7. Simran Singh - email: ssinghmd3@gmail.com
8. Farah Zaidi - email: farah09@yahoo.com
9. Victoria Cabanela - 707-246-5488 or cabanelav@yahoo.com
10. Sally Kaufmann - 415-567-3535 or skaufmann@sbcglobal.net
Common Mental Health Issues
For information regarding many common mental health issues please see the website http://www.healthyminds.org. At this site individuals can search by specific mental health issue, population subgroup and do a general search. The site was created the American Psychiatric Association (APA).
APA Well-being & Physician Burnout Resources
For resources on the APA website, go to: https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/practice/well-being-and-burnout/well-being-resources
National Alliance on Mental Illness
NAMI offers free, volunteer-driven support for families of patients suffering from mental illness. It is a good grassroots organization where people can find out valuable information without having to see a psychiatrist. NAMI oftentimes has psychiatrists (sometimes NCPS members) speak to them at their monthly meetings. These meetings are free to the public and a good example of the kind of information NAMI provides
- NAMI California
- Tel: 916-567-0163
- http://www.namicalifornia.org
- San Francisco NAMI
- Tel: 415-905-6264
- http://www.namisf.org
Medicare
Patients with Medi-Care are experiencing difficulties when trying to find a psychiatrist. While none of our members currently accept Medicare in private practice the following are a list of resources that should help in finding a physician accepting Medicare.
- California Health Advocates is a non-profit dedicated to Medicare advocacy and education for Californians. http://www.cahealthadvocates.org
- California Government website specifically for Medi-Cal http://www.medi-cal.ca.gov
- At the Official US Government Site for Medicare patients can search for doctors accepting Medicare. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Servies is open 24 hour a day 7 days a week. Telephone: 1-800-633-4227 Website: https://www.medicare.gov
County Health Services
County Health Services are the best resource for patients who are using Medi-Cal or Medi-Cal insurance to cover the cost for mental health services. Almost every county has a county hospital (and several clinics) where Medi-Cal patients can be seen. County Health Services are also a good place to start for patients using other types of health insurance. To see a list of contact information for Northern California Counties please click here.
Affiliated Associations
California Psychiatric Association: the state association of APA, the lobbying arm of the California District Branches.
Tel: 916-442-5196
http://www.calpsych.org
BECOME A KEY CONTACT: being a Key Contact is an important and irreplaceable part of our overall legislative advocacy efforts. For more information and to learn how to sign up to become a Key Contact please click here.
American Psychiatric Association: the national organization representing psychiatry.
Tel: 888-357-7924
http://www.psychiatry.org/
Other District Branches of the APA in California
Central California Psychiatric Society
Tel: 888 234-1613
https://cencalpsych.org/
Orange County Psychiatric Society
Tel: (714) 978-3016
www.ocps.org
San Diego Psychiatric Society
Tel: 858-279-4586
www.sandiegopsychiatricsociety.org
Southern California Psychiatric Society
Tel: (310) 815-3650
www.socalpysch.org
Mission
To advance the quality and effectiveness of psychiatric care through advocacy, professional education and camaraderie.
Contact Us
info@ncps.org
(415) 334-2418
(415) 239-2533
77 Van Ness, Suite 101, #2022
San Francisco, CA 94102