CPA’s “Psychology Works” Fact Sheets responding to COVID-19

The CPA has produced a series of Fact Sheets in response to the coronavirus pandemic:

  • Why Does Culture Matter to COVID-19? – PDF | HTML 06/04/2020
  • Grief, Bereavement and COVID-19 – PDF | HTML 05/12/2020
  • Research Funding Information as relates to COVID-19 – PDF | HTML 05/08/2020
  • Guidance for Psychology Students as Relates to COVID-19 – PDF | HTML 05/08/2020
  • Guidance for Psychology Faculty and Researchers as Relates to COVID-19 – PDF | HTML 05/08/2020
  • Emotional and Psychological Challenges Faced by Frontline Health Care Providers During the COVID-19 Pandemic – PDF | HTML 04/07/2020
  • Psychological Practice and the Coronavirus (COVID-19) – PDF | HTML 03/18/2020
  • Student Wellness and COVID-19 – PDF | HTML 04/02/2020
  • Helping Teens Cope with the Impacts of and Restrictions Related to COVID-19 – PDF | HTML 03/31/2020
  • Psychological Impacts of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) – PDF | HTML 03/20/2020
  • Working from Home During COVID-19, With and Without Children – PDF | HTML 03/17/2020
  • Coping With and Preventing COVID-19 – PDF | HTML 04/04/2020

You can find all of our “Psychology Works” Fact Sheets here


Pandemic December: How to stay connected and resilient in a COVID-19 holiday season

This year’s holiday season will no doubt be different. The holidays are already a time of increased mental health risks because of anxiety, depression, seasonal affective disorder, alcohol/substance use and other factors. Now, the COVID-19 pandemic will add a major pressure to the festive season.

Whether you mark holidays in December or not, typical winter customs are being disrupted. The pandemic has had a significant impact on society’s ability to connect and has also reduced individuals’ access to wellness-maintaining strategies and activities. …

Read the full article by Kerri Ritchie and Caroline Gerin-Lajoie here: (https://theconversation.com/pandemic-december-how-to-stay-connected-and-resilient-in-a-covid-19-holiday-season-150678


Report by the Organizations for Health Action (HEAL) focus on Beyond COVID-19 (November 2020)

The Organizations for Health Action (HEAL), of which CPA is a founding member, released policy paper Beyond Covid-19: HEAL’s Recommendations for a Healthier Nation which offers recommendations to the federal government in the areas of pandemic readiness, seniors’ health and mental health.  Dr. Karen Cohen (CPA CEO) and Glenn Brimacombe (CPA Director, Policy and Public Affairs) actively participated in the writing of this report.

At the same time, HEAL released its COVID-19 Survey Summary, which identified three key areas that members are concerned with on a daily basis: (1) access to proper resources including space and information; (2) exposure to the virus and access to personal protective equipment (PPE); and (3) the mental health of providers.


Report by the Royal Society of Canada on COVID-19, Mental Health and the Federal Role (October 2020)

The report Easing the Disruption of COVID-19: Supporting the Mental Health of the People of Canada by a working group of the Royal Society of Canada was released in October 2020 and contains 21 recommendations, largely focused on the federal role in supporting/investing in mental health.  Several of CAMIMH’s recommendations from its Mental Health Action Plan were incorporated into the document.  Mr. Glenn Brimacombe (CPA Director, Policy and Public Affairs), in addition to some members of the CPA, served on the working group.


Psychological First Aid for Frontline Health Care Providers During COVID-19: A Quick Guide to Wellness

Prepared by
Dr. Mélanie Joanisse, C.Psych.
Clinical and Health Psychologist

Psychological First Aid for Frontline Health Care Providers During COVID-19: A Quick Guide to Wellness (PDF)

Disclaimer: the tools provided in this workbook are not intended to be viewed as a replacement for psychological services provided by a trained professional. Please seek professional help if needed.


Special Call for COVID-19 Related Submissions for Presentation at the CPA’s 2020 Virtual Series

CPA 2020 Virtual EventThe impacts of COVID-19 are wide-reaching, impacting all aspects of life as we know it.  In light of COVID-19, the CPA made the decision to transition its annual 2020 in-person convention to a virtual series offered over the months of July and August.

The CPA is committed to knowledge exchange and community for all its members and affiliates. To that end, the virtual series will feature hundreds of submissions from individuals accepted to present at the CPA’s in-person convention. It will also feature a specialized stream devoted to COVID-19 and pandemics.

We are re-opening and accepting new submissions, specific only to COVID-19 and pandemic-related presentations at the CPA’s virtual series in August.  Submissions unrelated to COVID-19 or pandemics will not be accepted.

You may submit to virtually present a poster, Gimme 5, 12-minute spoken presentation, 25-minute theory review, or 55-minute symposium (comprised of at least 2 presentations).

We will begin accepting submissions Monday June 15th (https://events.decorporate.ca/CPA2020/abstract/. Deadline for submissions is June 26th. All submissions will undergo a rapid peer review. Acceptance notices will go out by July 10th.

For more information, contact us at convention@cpa.ca.


“Psychology Works” Fact Sheet: Why Does Culture Matter to COVID-19?

Pandemics are complex dynamic systems that shift and change over time due to the influence of a huge and interacting set of variables. Cultural contexts, although they tend to change more slowly, are similarly complex. Research on cultural processes unfolding under pandemic conditions is therefore fraught with uncertainty. Nonetheless, thanks to research conducted during and […]

Audio Update: Dr. Heather Prime on Risk and Resilience in Family Well-Being during COVID-19

Dr. Heather Prime and two colleagues collaborated on a paper called “Risk and Resilience in Family Well-Being during the COVID-19 Pandemic”. They turned to previous crises (natural disasters, economic crashes, etc) to better understand where families are at and may be headed during COVID-19. You can find their paper here: psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2020-34995-001.html


CDC: Use of Cloth Face Coverings to Help Slow the Spread of COVID-19

CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies), especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.

CDC also advises the use of simple cloth face coverings to slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others. Cloth face coverings fashioned from household items or made at home from common materials at low cost can be used as an additional, voluntary public health measure.

Use of Cloth Face Coverings during Pandemic: Wearing, Maintaining and Making Cloth Face Coverings


CPA Members Leading an International Study on Awareness, Attitudes, Impacts and Behaviors related to COVID-19: Please complete the Phase 2 survey!

The Montreal Behavioural Medicine Centre (www.mbmc-cmcm.ca), along with international team of over 150 researchers from more than 40 countries around the world, are trying to assess the public perceptions, attitudes, concerns, and responses to the various measures put in place to prevent or reduce the spread of COVID-19. The study, led by Dr. Kim Lavoie (UQAM, CIUSSS-NIM) and Simon Bacon (Concordia University, CIUSSS-NIM) in collaboration with several CPA members from across Canada, will link the survey to policy and case data from around the world to estimate the effectiveness and impacts of current strategies used to ‘flatten the curve’ of COVID-19. 

Thanks to your help, we received over 35,000 responses for phase 1! (see preliminary result updates here: https://mbmc-cmcm.ca/covid19/stats-wave1/)

To find out more information or to take the Phase 2 survey (which is available in multiple languages), please go to: www.mbmc-cmcm.ca/covid19

Health Psychology and Behavioural Medicine Section Survey: How is the COVID-19 pandemic affecting academic faculty in Canada?.

Tell us how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting you and your research!

  • We are recruiting academic faculty to participate in a short survey about the experience and effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Canadian academics
  • Survey duration: 20 minutes
  • Participants can enter into a draw to win a $100 gift card for Skipthedishes or UberEats (odds of winning are approx. 1 in 20). 

Click here to complete the survey: https://uregina.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6Qqe4GgmDJaO2Ut

“Psychology Works” Fact Sheet: Research Funding Information as relates to COVID-19

Canada’s COVID-related Research Support Public health emergencies such as COVID-19 affect the lives of people, families and communities. In early March, the Government of Canada announced an investment of more than $275 million in funding for research on measures to combat COVID-19. Of this investment, $27 million was allocated to research through the three federal […]

“Psychology Works” Fact Sheet: Guidance for Psychology Students as Relates to COVID-19

As the COVID-19 situation evolves around the globe, students’ day-to-day lives are being increasingly disrupted: courses have been moved from in-person settings to online formats; visits with friends and families have been prohibited; access to resources such as the on-campus library, student counselling services, or other campus spaces has been lost; some students have had […]

“Psychology Works” Fact Sheet: Guidance for Psychology Faculty and Researchers as Relates to COVID-19

COVID-19 is not only impacting everyday life; it is also impacting faculty and research teams in many ways, from how to transition to online classes, how to work and best support students remotely, how to adapt current research projects while ensuring the welfare and safety of research subjects, and how to pay salaries/stipends and other […]

CPA Input on Federal COVID-19 Emergency Response Programs (April 2020)

The CPA sent a letter to the Federal Minister of Finance, The Honourable Bill Morneau, outlining its serious concerns that members in private practice were not eligible for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS), and the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) program. The CPA was pleased to see changes in the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) program which expands the payroll threshold from $50,000 to $200,000 to be eligible for a maximum loan of $40,000.


CIHR Call for Applications – Knowledge Synthesis: COVID-19 in Mental Health and Substance Use.

On April 23, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Minister of Health Patty Hajdu announced a $115 million investment in Canada’s rapid research response to COVID-19. This includes the first funding opportunity in the COVID-19 and Mental Health Initiative, Knowledge Synthesis: COVID-19 in Mental Health and Substance Use. Launched yesterday, this funding opportunity will support the immediate health services needs through rapid knowledge syntheses and knowledge mobilization plans for existing mental health and substance use services in the COVID-19 context. The application deadline for this funding opportunity is May 7.

For questions related to the COVID-19 and Mental Health Initiative, please email COVID19MH-COVID19SM@cihr-irsc.gc.ca.


Information Fact Sheet: COVID-19 Government Support for Employees

During the current Covid-19 Pandemic, a number of Canadian Governments have announced programs designed to support employers, with the specific goal of mitigating some of the economic consequences of Canada’s response to small business. As a result of social distancing and other policies, economic activity in Canada has dramatically slowed.  This has resulted in financial […]

Information Fact Sheet: COVID-19 Government Support for Employers

During the current COVID-19 Pandemic, a number of Federal, Provincial and Territorial  governments have announced programs designed to support employers, with the specific goal of mitigating some of the economic consequences on Canada’s  small businesses. As a result of social distancing and other policies, economic activity in Canada has dramatically slowed.  This has resulted in […]

COVID-19 and Substance Use

Dr. Kim Corace, Director of Clinical Programming and Research, Substance Use and Concurrent Disorders at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre and CPA Incoming President, discusses COVID and substance use
Kim Corace Interviewhttps://www.tsn.ca/radio/ottawa-1200/the-drive-hour-2-1.1466641


Audio Update: Dr. Karen Cohen on advocacy during COVID-19

Daily Audio Update: Dr. Karen Cohen on advocacy during COVID-19
Quick chat with CPA CEO Dr. Karen Cohen about advocacy during COVID-19. Calling for insurers to cover tele-psychology, and drop the requirements for a physician referral for psychological services.


Joint Technical Briefing Request – COVID-19 Economic Response Plan

The Extended Healthcare Professionals Coalition (EHPC) has sent a Joint Technical Briefing Request – COVID-19 Economic Response Plan to William Francis Morneau, Minister of Finance.

“This is a an urgent request, on behalf of the Extended Healthcare Professionals Coalition (EHPC) that represents 11 national professional health and social organizations, for a joint technical briefing on the newly introduced programs for businesses, employers and individuals as part of the COVID-19 Economic Response Plan to help mitigate the economic impact of the outbreak….”

Click here to read the full Letter

Version français ici


CPA Webinar – Psychological Care of Frontline Health Care Providers During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Issues to Consider

CPA WEBINAR – Held Wednesday April 8, 2020

Psychological Care of Frontline Health Care Providers During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Issues to Consider – Dr. Anita Gupta, Clinical Psychologist.

https://youtu.be/eZRrXiJceWg

This webinar will assist those providing psychological care to frontline health care providers during COVID-19 by increasing awareness of common stressors faced and implications for care. More …


“Psychology Works” Fact Sheet:  Emotional and Psychological Challenges Faced by Frontline Health Care Providers During the COVID-19 Pandemic

This is a time of tremendous uncertainty and change as the world faces the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. While some stressors are universal, frontline health care providers also face unique challenges in terms of physical risk, as well as emotional and psychological toll during this time of heightened, prolonged medical demand. The information that […]

Call for Papers on the COVID-19 Pandemic With a Rapid Review Process

The COVID-19 pandemic is having many life-altering short- and likely long-term effects. There are many potential applications of psychological theory, practice, and research that have can contribute to the public good at this time of national and international crisis. 

American Psychologist (APhttps://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/amp/) invites papers related directly to the pandemic. As for all APmanuscripts, we seek high-impact papers of broad interest covering science, practice, education, or policy. Manuscripts should be written in a style that is accessible to all psychologists and the public.

More …


Resources for Managing COVID-19 Anxiety: CPA Traumatic Stress Section

In these unprecedented times, the CPA Traumatic Stress Section executive wanted to reach out with a document of resources for managing COVID-19 anxiety. This document includes online resources including apps and media interviews, as well as potential strategies for managing COVID-19 cognitive distortions and other tips for managing mental wellness.

We hope you find them helpful and that you and your loved ones are keeping safe,
The CPA-TSS executive

  • CPA Traumatic Stress Section: Resources for Managing COVID-19 Anxiety.

  • Subject: COVID-19 Call for Assistance

    Dear Colleagues,

    Please find attached a letter relating to the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada sent on behalf of Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer, Tina Namiesniowski, President of the Public Health Agency of Canada, and Stephen Lucas, Deputy Minister of Health Canada. Thank you for your assistance.

    Sincerely,

    Office of the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada
    Public Health Agency of Canada

    Letter to Health Professional Associations Eng.pdf


    NSERC Alliance COVID-19 grants

    NSERC is providing up to $15 million in total support to stimulate collaborations between academic researchers and the public and not-for-profit sectors, and industry to address pandemic-related research and technical challenges. Support for up to $50,000 for one-year projects is being made available immediately.

    More…


    CPA Members Leading an International Study on Awareness, Attitudes, and Behaviors related to COVID-19

    The Montreal Behavioural Medicine Centre (www.mbmc-cmcm.ca), along with international team of over 100 researchers from more than 20 countries around the world, are trying to assess the public perceptions and responses to the various measures put in place to prevent or reduce the spread of COVID-19.The study, led by Dr. Kim Lavoie (UQAM) in collaboration with several CPA members across Canada, will link the survey to policy and case data from around the world to estimate the effectiveness of current strategies used to ‘flatten the curve’ of COVID-19.

    To find out more information or to take the survey (which is available in multiple languages), please go to: www.mbmc-cmcm.ca/covid19


    Psychology works for COVID-19. Psychologists giving back to front line service providers.

    COVID-19 Front Line Workers

    COVID-19 is having a significant impact on the mental health of Canadians, none more so than those who are working on the front lines of health care. Canadians with COVID-19 depend on the expertise of health care providers. The health and well-being of those providers are critical to them being able to deliver this expertise. Hundreds of registered psychologists have signed on to an initiative of the CPA to provide psychological services, via tele-health, to health care providers working at the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis. Click here to read more about this initiative and to find a psychologist in your area who has volunteered to provide psychological services at no charge.

    If you are a psychologist registered to practice in Canada and would like to donate some of your time to provide psychological services to front line health care providers who may be feeling stressed, overwhelmed or distressed by being on the front lines of this COVID-related health crisis, please click here to register: https://web2.cpa.ca/membersurveys/index.php/451688?lang=en.

    Frequently Asked Questions


    Press Release: Psychologists Across Canada Come Together to Provide Mental Health Assistance to Front-line Workers During the COVID-19 Crisis

    Ottawa, ON (March 25, 2020) More than 100 psychologists from every province and two territories in Canada have signed on to an initiative of the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) to provide psychological services, via tele-health, to health care providers working at the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis. Psychologists have agreed to respond to requests for services within 24 hours and at no charge. …

    Click here for the full Press Release


    “Psychology Works” Fact Sheet: Helping Teens Cope with the Impacts of and Restrictions Related to COVID-19

    Adolescents are likely to be strongly affected by public health emergencies such as the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Public health directives to reduce transmission have likely meant cancellations of organized sport teams and recreational activities, missed celebrations, cancelled school trips, reduced or lost employment, loss of opportunities to socially engage with peers, and loss of in-class […]