More than four out of 10 U.S. adults feel that the stress and worry related to the coronavirus is negatively impacting their mental health, according to a new poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation released on April 2, 2020.

New York created a free emotional helpline to address this need. 

During a meeting with Mental Health Advocates of New York State, Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul says even Buffalo clergy are feeling the stress of the pandemic. 

“We also have an emotional support helpline that I’m telling everyone to call. This is not just for people that you'd traditionally think would be calling a helpline,” she said. “This is for everyone. I was on a call this morning with clergy in Buffalo, New York and they’re under stress. They’re not able to meet the spiritual or physical of their congregants and that puts a lot of stress on them as well.”

No one is immune to needing help and that help is just a phone call away, Hochul said.

The hotline is staffed by volunteers, including more than 10,000 mental health professionals, who’ve been trained in crisis counseling.

It’s open all week, from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. The New York Office of Mental Health also curated a list of resources that can be found here.