Editor's note: Mental Health Musings (MHM) will focus on community resources and stories throughout the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing protests against police brutality.

As COVID-19 cases surge across the nation and in Western New York, medical professionals on the front lines of the pandemic are showing signs of anxiety, emotional exhaustion, burnout and more, according to a survey done by Mental Health America (MHA) released December 1.

“Health care workers have been thrust onto the front lines, exposed to a deadly virus daily,” Paul Gionfriddo, president and CEO of MHA, said. “With the skyrocketing number of COVID-19 cases, it is getting worse by the day and health care workers aren’t getting a reprieve. They are frustrated, anxious, overwhelmed, burned out and worried about exposing their loved ones, nurses in particular.”

Of the 1,119 health care workers surveyed, 93 percent reported experiencing stress, 86 reported experiencing anxiety, and 76 percent reported exhaustion and burnout.

But 39 percent of those surveyed reported not feeling that they have adequate mental health support.

“Every hospital and health care system treating COVID-19 patients needs to have supports and mental health resources readily available for health care workers to access,” said Russell Petrella, a clinical psychologist.

MHA offers mental health services and resources for frontline workers.

“We collectively see glimmers of hope on the horizon with a vaccine and more effective treatments for COVID-19,” Gionfriddo said. “But right now, we need to focus on supporting our health care workers in getting through this new wave of infections so that they can see to the other side.”

There are resources for health care workers in New York, including a 24/7 emotional support service line that they can text NYFRONTLINE to 741-741 to for help.

The COVID-19 Emotional Support Hotline at 1-844-864-9314 is available for all New Yorkers in need of mental health services.

Jewish Family Service of Buffalo & Erie County received a $75,000 grant from the Western New York COVID-19 Community Response Fund, to help provide free and confidential telemental health services and other resources to people on the front lines of the pandemic.

Find out more about these services, by visiting their website or by calling 716-883-1914.