It’s especially important to know what health and safety resources area available during the COVID-19 crisis. These resources are available to help protect your health and wellbeing, as well as support those with ongoing needs.
Categories:
Healthcare and Testing
Sexual & Reproductive Health
HIV+ Info
Recovery Resources
Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Resources
Safer Drug Use & Sex Work
HEALTHCARE AND TESTING:
- UPDATE 03/24/20: Where to get tested & what you need to bring
- Highmark is waiving all out of pocket expenses for coronavirus testing for its fully insured Medicare Advantage, and Affordable Care Act plan members. https://www.post-gazette.com/business/healthcare-business/2020/03/05/COVID-19-testing-upmc-highmark-coronavirus-quest-diagnostics-labcorp-pittsburgh-insurance/stories/202003050185
- Cigna is waiving all out of pocket expenses for coronavirus testing for its fully insured plan members. https://www.post-gazette.com/business/healthcare-business/2020/03/05/COVID-19-testing-upmc-highmark-coronavirus-quest-diagnostics-labcorp-pittsburgh-insurance/stories/202003050185
- UPMC offering testing by doctor referral starting Tuesday, March 17th: Beginning Tuesday,
- UPMC will direct patients with symptoms consistent with COVID-19 to a specimen collection site in Pittsburgh’s South Side neighborhood. It will not be open to the public. Patients must be referred by a physician approved by UPMC’s infection prevention team. They must also have an appointment. https://www.wtae.com/article/upmc-addressing-coronavirus-testing-preparedness-efforts/31538782
- UPMC will cover the full cost of diagnostic testing for coronavirus, will allow early refills, offers 24/7 Nurse Line (1-866-918-1591), https://www.upmchealthplan.com/pdf/ReleasePdf/2020_03_13-telehealth-visits.html
- Resources and information about COVID-19 in multiple languages
SEXUAL & REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH:
- PP Direct – Most health providers are not writing new birth control prescriptions, but can extend current prescriptions. If you need a NEW prescription, use the PP Direct app. Download the app for NEW birth control & UTI Rx, shipped directly to your home. Co-pay waived!
- Nurx app – via the app get testing & Rx for: birth control, STI testing, genital herpes treatment, oral herpes treatment, emergency contraception, HIV PreP, HPV screening,
COVID-19 testing & consultation - Maternal/Natal care:
- Contact: Sydney Olberg; I am a trained doula and I can support with postpartum as well as labor (although that is tricky these days as they are often only letting in one person during delivery) but also late trimester pregnancy and even just questions. [email protected]; (612) 886-5268 Availability: open (I have been exclusively working from home)
HIV+ INFO:
- Allies for Health + Wellness: currently open; if you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, do not come in. All current patients should call before coming in. Allies will deliver meds, bus tickets, etc. TOLL FREE: 1 888 204 8821; P: 412 345 7456
- PACT: open, but no walk-ins. Must call for info and appointments. 412-647-PACT (7228) or 1-877-788-7228
- Central Outreach – limited COVID-19 tests available (100 total)
- Shepherd Wellness – currently CLOSED as of 3/16/20 (for two weeks)
- Persad (as of 3/17/20) – Clients can still come to shower, do laundry, and access food pantry. No “drop in” or congregating hours at this time.
RECOVERY RESOURCES:
- SAMHSA Virtual Recovery Resources
- Friends in Recovery Virtual Support Meetings, daily at 12pm & 7pm EST
- Pittsburgh Virtual Meetings
- PA Harm Reduction Coalition – WEBINAR: Opioid Response Advocacy Forum
- Details and registration here
- Online AA meetings: http://aa-intergroup.org/directory.php
- Pause A While, Inc. will also be hosting free phone meetings and Zoom meetings for various recovery and wellness groups
- Check here for a list of all of their meetings and how to access them
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE & SEXUAL ASSAULT RESOURCES:
- You can still get an Emergency Protection From Abuse order (even when courts are closed) – INFO UPDATED 03/18/20
- All PA Domestic Violence Programs – please call (if able) to see if services are altered during the pandemic
- If the corona virus has forced you to self-isolate or self-quarantine in your home and you feel you may be in an unsafe situation for you and your children, help is available:
- Women’s Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh; 24 Hour Hotline: (877) 338-8255; www.wcspittsburgh.org
- Crisis Center North; 24 Hour CCN Hotline: (412) 364-5556 | 24 Hour Toll Free Hotline: (866) 782-0911; www.crisiscenternorth.org
- Alle-Kiski Area Hope Center- Tarentum; 24 Hour Hotline: (724) 224-1266 | 24 Hour Toll Free Hotline: (888) 299-4673; www.akhopecenter.org
- Center for Victims; 24 Hour Toll Free Hotline: (866) 644-2882; https://www.centerforvictims.org/services/victim-services/
- HOPE Center: if social distancing has forced you into unsafe situation, call 724-224-1266 to speak with an advocate. Available to call 24/7. They will help provide domestic violence information, community resources, safety planning, support, and more!
- PAAR (Pittsburgh Action Against Rape)’s office is closed but you can still access resources for sexual assault and violence at the Helpline: Running as usual 24/7 1-866-363-7273. Text/Chat Line: Services available and accessed through our website, https://paar.net/
SAFER DRUG USE & SEX WORK:
- Minimize your need to share supplies—if you are sharing, wipe down mouthpieces with an alcohol swab; avoid sharing cigarettes, e-cigs, joints, pipes, works, etc; do not share needles. Contact Prevention Point Pittsburgh for clean supplies & other harm reduction items
- Put used smoking, snorting, and injecting equipment into a bio-bucket or sharps container so people know they’re used
- Minimize contact. If you are having sex or doing sex work, avoid coughing, kissing, and direct contact with bodily fluids & ensure condom & dental dam use
- Plan & prepare for an overdose—load up on Naloxone/NARCAN; experiment with lower doses; make an OD plan with others & stagger use if possible. Emergency services are stretched & may be slower to respond as a result of the pandemic
- Stock up on supplies. Prevention Point Pittsburgh can be reached at wwwlpppgh.org or (412) 247-3404
- Prepare for a medicine & drug shortage. You might lose access to your drug of choice in an outbreak. Consider alternative drugs or medications that could help take the edge off. If facing potential opioid withdrawal, consider over-the-counter medications to make it less difficult (ibuprofen, pepto-bismol, Imodium). If you take methadone, ask your medical provider about making a plan to prevent disruptions to your dose
- You can find NARCAN at these pharmacies without a prescription
Stay updated with all of our resources and information relating to coronavirus here.