Mobilizing Community and Family Resilience Across Illinois

Findings: To mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and alleviate the pressure on medical resources, state and local governments in Illinois have mandated measures of social distancing, including sheltering at home. While necessary during a pandemic, these measures have the potential to undermine essential social and family ties that individuals depend upon on top of the present-day illness and death from COVID-19, and fears thereof, as well as the associated economic crisis. All Illinoisans are impacted by the strains COVID-19 places upon communities and families, but some persons are more vulnerable than others, including the elderly, and those with disabilities, prior mental illness, financial disparities, and fragile social and family ties.

Prior disasters have taught that mobilizing community and family resilience can help promote positive coping for all, and prevent adverse health and mental health outcomes, especially for the most vulnerable.