As we all know the COVID-19 pandemic took a toll on many people, economically, physically, and
mentally. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, several businesses were affected too. Small businesses
could not afford to keep their doors open, while other businesses couldn't keep staff or find any
sources for products. Trade was scarce and people were scared. This involved people acting
irrationally. There were many factors that played in and validated this behavior. The uncertainty of
employment, social security, health coverage, and when things would go back to normal made
additional stressors to mental health problems (Goddard, Sullivan, Fields, & Mackey, 2021). People
felt very alone and were not used to being in this type of isolation. c Many of these people reached out
to human service industries for help. Human service industries like therapy, counseling, or psychiatry,
could help with a person's mental health. These services offer someone to speak to and listen, so you
do not feel alone. Human service industries also offer guidance and plans for financial struggles.
People who are dealing with unemployment, bankruptcy, and business loss may turn to these agencies
to figure out what their plan or next step should be.
Human service industries also altered with the pandemic as in-person appointments were not being
provided. The industry had to change with the world. These agencies began to offer more online and
virtual appointments for healthcare. Dr. OnDemand created by Dr.Phil is an app that allows hundreds
of health services online. These services do include many human service agencies. There are
counselors and therapists to talk to 24/7, with little-to-no cost with insurance. These services are
looking to be expanded and even include school-based health services (Tham, Sojli, Bryant, &
McAleer, 2021). Telehealth implementation can offer support to all schools and societies by allowing
accessibility to human services. Many people do not seek out help because they aren't sure where to
receive it. Human service professionals have advertised, generated partnerships, and given speeches to
show that mental health is important Telehealth also manages strain on the healthcare system, by
assisting patients who can receive help at home. Overall, during the entire pandemic, the human
service industry populated and became more valued. People now understand the importance of mental
health.
Although the pandemic affected everyone in different ways, the human service industry constantly
worked to help patients. This industry also improved since the pandemic and found ways to help
everyone via zoom or other video chat services. Since the pandemic, I believe people feel more
comfortable talking about their mental health, and this had benefited the industry. People have
experienced what it is like to be overwhelmed with the changing world and sought out guidance from
several human services.
Homelessness in America. Human services workers can interact with many homeless people,
depending on their job. c They need help with resources from our most basic needs of food and shelter,
and mental health support. c This seems like an uphill battle. c There are three types of homelessness in
the US. They are chronic, episodic and temporary. In 2020, there were 580,466 sheltered and
unsheltered homeless people in the United States. c Of this total, 30 percent were comprised of families
with children (Henry et al., 2021). c The cyclically homeless tend to be those at a high risk for repeated
homelessness due to persistent problems such as violent family environments and the combination of
poverty and expenses related to dependent children (Davidson, 2007).
Statistics show that the homeless population is largely male; that women under thirty years old are a
growing proportion of the homeless population; and that while homelessness is a largely urban
problem, rural homelessness is rising (Christian, Howson 2021). The reasons for homelessness are
different for every person. But mental health is a common denominator in the homelessness
community. c The usual track of action is the person stops taking their meds and they stop taking care
of housework and bill paying. Then they are evicted, do not have family to support them and on the
streets they go. c Human services workers can help regain these things if the client is willing to/able to
do what is needed to attain those things. c Although it seems that this is an uphill battle, statistics show
that homelessness declined by 9.4 percent between 2010 and 2019 (Henry et al., 2021)
Mental health challenges amongst the helping professionals. The helping professional experience
different challenges everyday while providing care for their client. The helping professional can
experience challenges in anxiety, (PTSD), and depression. Every helping professional in the realm of
helping individuals with their own personal struggles may also have challenges in mental health.
According to my first article Occupational Suicide Exposure and Impact on Mental Health: Examining
Differences Across Helping Professions state that "crisis workers and mental health professionals also
work in fields in which are likely exposed to suicide" (Aldrich, Cerel, 2022). Understanding that the
traumatic experiences will be a part of the professional's job duties can result in their own challenges
in mental health. In the article it explains that "there is growing evidence that many mental health
professionals experience at least one loss of a client to suicide in the course of their career"(Aldrich,
Cerel, 2022). Dealing with clients that are dealing with challenges in mental health and substance use
can be challenging for the professional.
In my second article Empathy, friend or foe? Untangling the Relationship between empathy and
burnout in the helping professionals explains that "the relationship between empathy and burnout in
helping professionals has been debated extensively with some arguing the tendency to vicariously
experience the emotions of another is a risk factor for burnout and others arguing that this disposition
protects against burnout." (Stosic, et al., 2022). In summary cognitive components of empathy include
perception and how an individual understands another. Some view empathy as an attitude or
motivation towards understanding others. Affective empathy can be either positive or negative
experiencing positive or negative emotions on the helping professional living in the experience
vicariously through the client. (Stosic, et al., 2022).
First responders such as, mental health professionals, (EMT's) Emergency medical technician, fire
fighters, police officers, social workers, may encounter challenges with their own mental health due to
experiencing negative situations. Those emotional impacts of these situations can lead to the
professionals own mental health challenges. It's possible that many first responders may seek help due
to these traumatic experiences working with clients. I think that having a positive self-care plan
established is critical for the helper to help alleviate any emotional distress that can arise helping an
individual with their life challenges.
Aldrich, R. S., & Cerel, J. (2022). Occupational Suicide Exposure and Impact on Mental Health:
Examining Differences Across Helping Professions. Omega: Journal of Death & Dying. 85 (1), 23-37.
https://doi-org.ezproxy.snhu.edu/10.1177/0030222820933019
Stosic, M. D., Blanch-Hartigan, D., Alexsanyan, J. &Ruben, M. A. (2022). Empathy friend or foe?
Untangling the relationship between empathy and burnout in the helping professions. Journal of Social
Psychology, 162(1), 89-108. https://doi-org.ezproxy.snhu.edu/10.1080/00224545.2021-1991259
Christian, J., Howson, A., Homelessness. Salem Press Encyclopedia, 2021. 8p.
Klassen, Jeff, Homelessness in America. Salem Press Encyclopedia, 2021. 14p.
Goddard, A., Sullivan, E., Fields, P., & Mackey, S. (2021). The Future of Telehealth in School-Based
Health Centers: Lessons from COVID-19. Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 35(3), 304–309.
https://doi-org.ezproxy.snhu.edu/10.1016/j.pedhc.2020.11.008
Tham, W. W., Sojli, E., Bryant, R., & McAleer, M. (2021). Common Mental Disorders and Economic
Uncertainty: Evidence from the COVID-19 Pandemic in the U.S. PLoS ONE, 16(12), 1–14.
https://doi-org.ezproxy.snhu.edu/10.1371/journal.pone.0260726
