National Alliance for Hispanic Health Supports VA release of Mental Health and COVID Coach Mobile app in Spanish
March 10, 2021. Washington, DC. “We applaud the National Center for PTSD for making sure language barriers do not prevent anyone from being able to access information they need to manage stress levels during this difficult time,” said National Alliance for Hispanic Health President and CEO, Jane L Delgado, Ph.D.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) expands the language capability of the COVID Coach app to help Spanish speaking Veterans and civilians cope with mental health issues during the COVID-19 pandemic. App users can easily switch from English to Spanish, allowing Veterans with limited English proficiency equal access to a variety of practical tools, information and resources to track well-being, mood swings and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms. The COVID Coach is not intended to replace needed professional care.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had an outsized impact in some communities, with Black, Latino and Native communities experiencing disproportionate rates of infection and death from the virus. Among Veterans, Veterans from these communities account for 46% of all infections while representing only 26% of the overall Veteran population.
“This pandemic has not been felt by all communities equally and VA must take this inequity into consideration when providing services to our customers,” said Acting Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs Carolyn Clancy, M.D. “Developing this app to be accessible to Spanish-dominant Veterans and their families is just a small part of our effort to make sure all VA services are attuned to the needs of all Veterans.”
COVID Coach was developed by VA’s National Center for PTSD’s Mobile Mental Health Team, in conjunction with the Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention. Direct links to resources are available within the app for those who may need additional professional support.
Dr. Delgado added, “Having the COVID Coach app in Spanish ensures this tool to manage COVID-related stress is available to a broader audience.” The COVID Coach app was created for everyone, including Veterans and Service members, to support self-care and overall mental health during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
COVID Coach is available in English and Spanish. To switch the language, go to the Menu > Personalize, and then select the language using the picker at the bottom of the screen.
Download the app on iOS and Android devices or from VA’s Mobile App Store. Contact MobileMentalHealth@va.gov regarding questions about COVID Coach.
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About the National Alliance for Hispanic Health (The Alliance)
The Alliance is the nation’s foremost science-based source of information and trusted advocate for the health of Hispanics in the United States with a mission to achieve the best health for all. For more information visit us at www.healthyamericas.org
