General Health Resources
If you are experiencing symptoms and are concerned about COVID-19, please call your primary care provider. If you do not have one, call the Pennsylvania Department of Health hotline at 1-877-PA-HEALTH (724-3258).
Visit the United Way COVID Hotline for questions about COVID-19 or about getting resources you need to take care of your family during the pandemic. You may also dial 211 or 1-888-553-5778 to talk with a 211 resource navigator or text your ZIP code to 898-211.
Review information on the UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Division of Community Health Resource Guide.
General COVID-19 information
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Allegheny County Health Department
- Information in Nepali
- Information in Arabic, Chinese, Nepali, Spanish, and Swahili
Learn more about cloth masks and how to make them. Video instructions from Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams.
Talking with Children and Teens about COVID-19
- Information for young children (PBS, English and Spanish)
- Information for elementary-age children (PBS, English and Spanish)
- CNN/Sesame Street Coronavirus Town Hall
American Academy of Pediatrics Articles from HealthyChildren.org
- 2019 Novel Coronavirus
- Tips for Coping with a New Baby During COVID-19
- COVID-19: Information for Families of Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs
- Social Distancing: Why Keeping Your Distance Helps Keep Others Safe
- Getting Children Outside While Social Distancing for COVID-19
- Working and Learning from Home During the COVID-19 Outbreak
- Positive Parenting & COVID-19: 10 Tips to Help Keep the Calm at Home
- Co-parenting During COVID-19
- Breastfeeding During COVID-19 Pandemic
- Cloth Face Coverings for Children During COVID-19
- Teens and COVID-19: Challenges and Opportunities During the Outbreak
- Information in Spanish
Anti-Racism Resources
- How to Talk Honestly With Children About Racism
- Anti-Racism Resource Bank
- YogaRoots on Location--Embodied, Anti-Racist Organizing
- Sesame Street Town Hall on Racism
Sucide/Crisis Resources
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 24/7 free and confidential lifeline for people in distress and prevention and crisis resources for people or their loved ones.
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
- Nacional de Prevención del Suicidio: 1-888-628-9454
- For TTY Users: Use your preferred relay service or dial 711 then 1-800-273-8255.
- Lifeline online chat (If there is a wait, call.)
- Resolve Crisis Network (Allegheny County): 1-888-796-8226
- Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor for any crisis situation. A live, trained crisis counselor will respond.
- Trevor Lifeline: provides 24/7 crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) young people under 25 at 1-866-488-7386. TrevorText is available by texting START to 678678.
Your Child's Physical and Mental Health Needs
If your child is experiencing symptoms and you are concerned about COVID-19, please call your primary care provider. If you do not have one, call the PA Department of Health hotline at 1-877-PA-HEALTH (724-3258).
Many pediatricians, therapists, counselors, and psychiatrists are now offering telemedicine visits and telephone visits. Please call your child’s doctor for any questions about illness, development, behavior, mental health, sleep, ongoing medical issues (like asthma or ADHD) or any other concerns.
To find a counselor, behavioral health specialist, or psychiatrist, call your child’s doctor or the number on the back of your insurance card, or look in this online directory to find options. You can limit your search to online counseling and virtual therapy options.
General Health Resources
- For reliable advice about child health online, visit the Healthy Children page.
- Healthy Start, an organization which supports maternal and infant/child health and well-being.
- Is it OK to call my pediatrician during COVID-19?
- UPMC Children’s Family Care Connection Centers, which provide both general and specialized social services for all members of the family
- HealthyChildren.org information about Telehealth Services for Children
- UPMC Children's provides mobile immunization clinics throughout communities in Pittsburgh, view locations and dates.
Mental & Emotional Wellness
- Family Support Centers for families with a child, five years of age or younger
- Free downloadable Coronavirus Anxiety Workbook
- Doing What Matters in Times of Stress guide and audio files from the World Health Organization
- Wellness video for middle schoolers
American Academy of Pediatrics articles from HealthyChildren.org, available in English and Spanish:
- Adolescent Depression: What Parents Can Do to Help
- Anxiety in Teens"
- Disruptive Behavior Disorders
- Understanding Childhood Fears and Anxieties
Apps to help children and teens with focus, calm, mindfulness, and stress:
- Sesame Street Breathe, Think, Do
- Mindfulness for Children
- Free resources from Headspace
- Calm and additional free resources from Calm
- Sanvello anxiety support resources
- Free resources from Smiling Mind
- Additional resources for Adolescents
Resolve Crisis Network (Allegheny County): 1-888-796-8226
Your Physical and Mental Health Needs
General Health
If you are experiencing symptoms and are concerned about COVID-19, please call your primary care provider. If you do not have one, call the PA Department of Health hotline at 1-877-PA-HEALTH (724-3258). Many doctors, therapists, counselors, and psychiatrists are now offering telemedicine visits and telephone visits. Call your doctor for physical or mental health needs.
If you want to start care with a new therapist or psychiatrist, you can call the number on the back of your insurance card or look in this online directory to find options. You can limit your search to online counseling.
COVID-19 infection or antibody testing through LabCorp is available.
- Healthy Start, Inc. support programs for infant/child health and well-being, including a new virtual doula initiative.
- Tips for Coping with a New Baby During COVID-19
- for "Breastfeeding During COVID-19 Pandemic
- Breastfeeding Center of Pittsburgh - Virtual Visits
- Allegheny County Health Department Breastfeeding Hotline
- Pittsburgh Black Breastfeeding Circle
- La Leche Leagueonline support groups
- Family Support Centers for families with a child, five years of age or younger
- Try Life Center, which supports expecting parents by providing them with the necessities they need to care for their children.
Mental, Emotional, and Physical Wellness
- For individuals with UPMC insurance, there is a free, individual, and confidential online program designed to help with depression, anxiety, and coping called “Beating the Blues”. You can activate access by calling 1-855-770-8762 or registering online.
- Many support groups have gone online, such a AA meetings, and many other groups are available too.
- Register for the Jewish Family and Community Services virtual support group. Call (412) 904-5960 for a call back from a professional within 24 hours.
- Mental health resources for African Americans from the ADAA.
- Apps for parents to help with stress, anxiety, sleep, depression.
- Calm, andadditional free resources from Calm
- Mindfulness
- Headspace, which includes sections specifically for health care workers and teachers.
- Smiling mind
- UCLA Mindful App available in English and Spanish.
- Simple Habit
- 10 Percent
- Sanvello
- Brain Manager
- Coronavirus anxiety workbook
- Print and audio guide on "Doing What Matters in Times of Stress" from the World Health Organization.
- EMBRACE Pittsburgh and Coping with COVID-19.
- Hope Grows or call (412) 369-4673 for support for caregivers, including phone and email check-ins
- Customizable yoga through the Down Dog yoga app
- Awaken Pittsburgh offers free online meditation, see newsletter for more information
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy information and practices focusing on suicide prevention
- Free, online summer camps for all students (grades K-12) throughout western Pennsylvania
Hotlines
- Pennsylvania Support and Referral Helpline “available 24/7 to counsel Pennsylvanians struggling with anxiety and other challenging emotions due to the COVID-19 emergency and refer them to community-based resources that can further help to meet individual needs”: 1-855-284-2494 (TTY: (724) 631-5600).
- Resolve Crisis Network (Allegheny County): 1-888-796-8226.
- Other Allegheny County Crisis Hotlines
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
- Linea Nacional de Prevencion del Suicidio: 1-888-628-9454
- Crisis Text Line: Text PA to 741-741
- Veteran Crisis Line: 1-800-273-8255
- Disaster Distress Helpline 1-800-985-5990
- Get Help Now Hotline (for substance use disorders) 1-800-662-4357 (HELP)
- Concerns about child abuse or neglect: (412) 473-2000 or 1-800-932-0313. This number is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Calls can be made anonymously.
- Concerns about the well-being of a person over the age of 60, please call (412) 350-6905 or 1-800-344-4319. This number is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Calls can be made anonymously.
- National Domestic Violence Hotline, call 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE) or text LOVEIS to 22522, if you’re unable to speak safely.
- Crisis counseling for victims of domestic and sexual violence through the Blackburn Center or call 1-888-832-2272 or (724) 836-1122.
- Poison Control Center: 1-800-222-1222
Food, Utilities, Unemployment
Food
- Food distribution sites, including Grab and Go school lunches, food pantries, and county-wide distribution sites
- Many of the families responding to the survey have told us about difficulty getting to food distribution sites. Please call 2-1-1 and let them know you need assistance with getting food for your family.
- Food distribution map
- Information in Arabic, Chinese, Nepali, Spanish, and Swahili
- Information in Russian
- Information in Chinese
- Food delivery & transport
- Many of the families responding to the survey have told us about difficulty getting to stores, stores that accept SNAP/WIC/EBT, or food distribution sites. Please call 2-1-1 and let them know you need assistance with getting food for your family.
- Community Delivery Hotline can be contacted at (412) 568-3579 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Read news coverage on this hotline.
- Women, Infants and Children (WIC)
- Compass: state health and human service programs and benefit information, including SNAP and CHIP
- Summer Youth Cafe: serving kids 18 and under free, healthy, and nutritious meals during the summer.
- Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank
- East End Cooperative Ministry, which provides community nutritional services as well as other social services.
Financial Assistance
- Unemployment Compensation
- Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General Guide on Unemployment Rights and Resources.
- Where to apply for unemployment compensation.
- Status of unemployment compensation claims processing.
- Pandemic Unemployment Assistance
- Pandemic Unemployment Assistance for individuals not eligible for regular unemployment.
- Economic Impact Payment information
- Information on these payments, also called stimulus payments
- For those who filed tax returns in 2018 and 2019 and most seniors and retirees, the IRS says no further action is needed.
- Steps to take to receive payment as a “non-filer” for those who did not file in 2018 or 2019 and do not receive social security or disability.
- Housing Opportunity Fund
- Coronavirus Financial Bridge Loan Program
- Emergency Basic Needs Fund
- Emergency Relief Fund
- Mutual Aid Funds
Utilities
- PWSA: All water shutoffs are stopped through May 31st.
- Duquesne Light: Service shutoffs stopped through at least May 1st; Late fees waived through May 1st. Access payment assistance information.
- Dollar Energy Fund utility assistance
- Information from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission
- Internet
- Spectrum: 60 days free broadband and Wi-Fi access to households with K-12 and/or college students who don’t already have a Spectrum broadband subscription. Call 1-844-488-8395.
- Comcast: free Internet Essentials for new customers. Click here to learn more.
- Free access to current Comcast Xfinity hot spots.
- For technology-related questions, contact the Pitt Community Technology Help Desk
Housing
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Rent Help PGH offers rental and mortgage resource navigators and eviction or foreclosure prevention assistance, including legal assistance.
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Call 412-534-6600 or support@renthelppgh.zendesk.com (English)
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Or 412-530-5244 or housing@phdcincubator.org (Spanish)
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CARES Rent Relief Program or call 412-248-0021 or write AHICaresRRP@actionhousing.org
- Foreclosures and evictions for mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration are suspended until the end of April. Learn more.
- The Pennsylvania Supreme Court prohibited evictions, ejectments, or other displacements from a residence based on failure to make a payment through April 3rd. Click here to learn more.
- PITTSBURGH ONLY: Households in need of rental, mortgage payment, and/or utility assistance, specifically because their work hours were cut due to COVID-19, may call the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh at (412) 227-4163 or complete an application online. More information is available from URA.
- If you need safe shelter or to be referred to a shelter call Allegheny Link at 1-866-730-2368.
- For questions about health and safety within your home, call the Allegheny County Safe and Healthy Homes Program (412) 350-4048.
- To connect around parenting
- Allegheny County Family Support Facebook Page
- Information about Family Support Centers for families with a child, five years of age or younger
- Highlands Family Center, offering services for families in the Highlands School District and surrounding area with children prenatal to age 5.
- "Parenting through the Pandemic" videos on Facebook from DBT in Schools, LLC
- UPMC Family Care Connection in Hilltop/Mt. Oliver, a unique center serving multicultural families in a warm and welcoming environment
- Brown Mamas, creating a lane for Black moms.
- To connect around community response to COVID-19
- Pittsburgh Mutual Aid Fund
- Attend the What Black Pittsburgh Needs to Know About Covid-19 virtual town hall on Tuesdays at 2pm. Visit their Facebook page to participate.
- Take Action Mon Valley
- To connect around mental health
- To connect around culture/religion
- Casa San Hose, a community resource center that supports Latinos who have recently arrived in and around Pittsburgh
- Covenant Church of Pittsburgh which offers Drive-Thru Prayer every Sunday
- Victory Family Church which offers church services online.
- Jewish Family and Community Services Pittsburgh, offering comprehensive social service programs in the Greater Pittsburgh region.
- To connect around buying a bicycle, joina local Pittsburgh bike swap that matches people in the community in need of a bicycle with others that have one to offer.
- To get help for others in your community
- For concerns about child abuse or neglect call (412) 473-2000 or 1-800-932-0313. This number is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Calls can be made anonymously.
- For concerns about the well-being of a person over the age of 60 call (412) 350-6905 or 1-800-344-4319. This number is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Calls can be made anonymously.
- Contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline or call 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE) or text LOVEIS to 22522, if you’re unable to speak safely.
Families and Relationships
- Allegheny Child Care: a search tool for childcare centers with open spaces
- Child Care Works Subsidized Child Care Program from the Early Learning Resource Center
- Family Support Centers for families with a child, five years of age or younger
- For Familylinks, which provides a wide range of social support services to families, Click here.
- Arsenal Family and Children's Center providing parenting and other classes
- Positive Parenting & COVID-19: 10 Tips to Help Keep the Calm at Home
- Co-parenting During COVID-19
- Caring for children in foster care during COVID-19
- Teens and COVID-19
- How to Shape and Manage Your Child's Behavior
- Feeling Overwhelmed with Parenting Demands
- Concerns about child abuse or neglect: (412) 473-2000 or 1-800-932-0313. Calls are answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and can be made anonymously.
- National Domestic Violence Hotline or call 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE) or text LOVEIS to 22522, if you’re unable to speak safely.
- Center for Victims, trauma-informed support for victims of crimes
- Click here for Pittsburgh Action Against Rape or call 1-866-363-7273.
- Free webinar on Parenting During COVID-19
- Aha! Parenting: helpful tips for parents
Supporting Learning and Fun
- For technology-related questions, Pitt IT Community Technology Help Desk
- Allegheny County Libraries
- Pittsburgh Parks
- Pitt Healthy Child Facebook Page
- Get kids active
- Get kids learning
- Register for academic support and tutoring from Gwen's Girls
- Pittsburgh Learning Collaborative Family Hotline (Spanish: (412)335-7446; English and all other languages: (412)256-8536)
- Khan Academy: free resources to keep everyone learning
- Simple ways to entertain and boost your baby's development at home.
- Parent and Educator Toolkit on teaching children about environmental health
- For fun reading lessons for kids, download the Duolingo ABC app
- ABCmouse: Educational games, books, puzzles, and songs for kids.
- Education YouTube channel sugestions for kids
- Parents as Teachers
- Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.
- At-home learning ideas from the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children
- Audobon Pennsylvania
- Online courses allowing high schoolers to pursue independent study over the summer for free:
- Virtual oportunities for elementary, middle, and high schoolers
- Girl Scouts Virtual Summer Camps
- Bring the Children's Museum to You
- Kidsburgh: guide for all things kids in Pittsburgh.
- Public Broadcasting Service, WQED is the local affiliate.
- The Kids Are All...Home podcast
- Bring the Pittsburgh Zoo to You
- Pittsburgh Parks Prescription.
- Carnegie Science Center online learning
- Boys and Girls Club of Western PA Teen InstaClub House
- Working and Learning from Home During the COVID-19 Outbreak
- Healthy Start, which supports maternal and infant/child health and well-being.
- Cosmic Kids Yoga YouTube Channel
- Tinkergarten: outdoor activities for kids.
- Resources on Boredom
- Internet options:
- Spectrum: 60 days free broadband and Wi-Fi access to households with K-12 and/or college students who don’t already have a Spectrum broadband subscription. Call 1-844-488-8395.
- Comcast: free Internet Essentials for new customers
- Information on free access to current Comcast Xfinity hot spots