CAR NG FOR /./
THE
PERSON
T he dawn of the 2021 new year has been unlike any
other. The presence of COVID-19 in our community
not only affected how we gathered and celebrated
the winter holidays but also has been a constant
factor in our daily routines for almost a year. Concerns about
the infection and hospitalization of friends and loved ones,
new routines for work and school, limits on travel and family
visits, and the requirements of masking and social distancing
have had an impact on all of us. These same stressors have
increased the severity of the anxiety, depression, substance
abuse, and other behavioral health disorders of those patients
who come to Valley Health System (VHS) facilities for treatment.
That's the bad news.
The good news? Valley Health offers numerous resources
that can help members of our community cope and even
thrive during the prolonged pandemic.
"The country has been on the verge of a mental health
crisis for a number of years, and the pandemic has resulted
in a higher level of angst-and none of us are immune," says
Louis Nardelli, DO, medical director, VHS Behavioral Health
Services. "And the pandemic has caused some to delay seeking
care, so when they do come to us, their medical condition has
been neglected and may be worse."
I
I
HOLE
I
I VALLEY HEALTH ADAPTS
TO OFFER BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH SERVICES
DURING THE PANDEMIC
WINTER 2021 9