Coronavirus on Smart Talk Thursday: Mental health providers face challenge treating from a distance and Pa to see some restrictions eased

• Scott LaMar/WITF
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  Scott LaMar has worked in both radio and television for more than four decades.
  
  Currently, LaMar is the Host and Executive Producer of The Spark program on WITF-FM, 89.5 & 93.3 in Harrisburg, Pa.
  
  Previously, LaMar was WITF TV’s Sr. Public Affairs producer and produced the station’s award-winning weekly public affairs TV program, Smart Talk.
  
  In addition to his on-air duties, LaMar has moderated political candidate debates, including those for candidates running for Pennsylvania governor and the U.S. Senate and was a regular contributor to BBC World News TV before and after the 2020 U.S. Presidential election.
  
  LaMar often emcees or moderates local events and has gone as far as California to emcee a national event.
  
  The American Society of Civil Engineers honored LaMar with their national Excellence in Journalism award in 2020. He has been nominated for five Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards.
  
  LaMar and The Spark have been recognized throughout the Central Pennsylvania community including ADVOZ Lancaster’s “Dignity in Dialogue Award”, the South-Central Assembly’s “Regional Citizen Award” and was named a “Humanitarian Hero” by The Humane Society of the United States/Pennsylvania.
  
  A native of Coatesville, Pa., LaMar has also worked as a broadcast news anchor, sports play-by-play announcer and manager.

 Steve Ruark / AP Photo

Psychologist Mary Alvord, left, holds a video conference with her colleague, psychologist Veronica Raggi, whom she had scheduled to meet in person, in Chevy Chase, Md., Wednesday, March 18, 2020. For people with anxiety disorders, the coronavirus outbreak presents a new set of worries to deal with, psychologists say.

“We’re all in this together.” That is a sentiment that we’ve heard often during the last two months as the coronavirus has changed our ways of life significantly. Staying at home, not being able to visit or even communicate with others, losing jobs, worrying about our finances, and the anxieties that come with protecting ourselves from the COVID-19 virus and becoming ill.

All can affect our mental health.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness has another motto — “You’re not in this alone.”

The COVID-19 pandemic may leave many feeling alone or not part of a larger community. Especially vulnerable are those who suffered from a mental illness before their worlds were turned upside down.

The restrictions may have an impact on their state-of-mind and treatment.

On Thursday’s Smart Talk we’ll discuss mental health during the pandemic with Christine Michaels, National Alliance on Mental Illness, NAMI Keystone Pennsylvania, along with Richard S. Edley, PhD., President/CEO, Rehabilitation and Community Providers Association. NAMI Keystone Pennsylvania helpline: 1888-264-7972

Also, Republican State Senator Scott Martin is one of several Lancaster County government and local officials who have questioned why Lancaster County has been designated as a southeastern county in the state’s plan to lift coronavirus restrictions. Martin and others say the county is more like those in the south central region and not the heavily populated southeastern counties that may be under restrictions longer than other areas of the state.

It’s one of the topics we’ll talk about with Sen. Martin about on Thursday’s Smart Talk.