Over the months of June to December 2020, research on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health functioning has established significant negative mental health consequences related to the onset of the virus and ensuing quarantine and lockdown periods. However, few studies have focused on Latin America.
ISWS funded the CCC Guatemala program, which is dedicated to not only supporting but to examining the short-term and long-lasting effects of COVID-19 on this underrepresented population. The CCC callers continued to contact hundreds of households for follow-up supportive outreach. The establishment of a “warm line” telephone service was begun by area mental health professionals; the goal is to continue this service beyond the conclusion of the pandemic to continue to monitor the extreme effects of the pandemic on the most vulnerable populations.