This event typically has featured breakout sessions, keynote speakers, panel discussions and resource tables. However, the event will be virtual this year and focus on the emotional and mental health effects of the coronavirus. The event will be held from 7 to 8 p.m. Sept. 1 via Zoom.

Felicia Houston is this year’s featured speaker. Houston, the community development liasion for UChicago Medicine at Ingalls Memorial Hospital in Harvey, is a licensed professional counselor and has more than 20 years of experience in the mental health field. She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in human development counseling from Bradley University in Peoria.

Daniel Martin, the safe community coordinator for the village of New Lenox, said the task force that plans the event felt attendees might benefit from learning coping skills, either to help themselves or others.

“We’re living in unprecedented times right now,” Martin said. “There is a lot of stresses in the word right now – the unknown and fear of the unknown. That looks like a lot of things to a lot of different people.”

Adults may fear getting sick or losing their jobs. Students may be afraid of new school environments and what could happen there, of not playing the sports they love and of what might happen after graduation, Martin said.

“Felicia is going to provide some insight, and perhaps some guidance, as to how one can overcome some of the anxiety,” Martin said.

According to an Aug. 14 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a number of mental health challenges are associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. This is due to the actual virus and certain activities to mitigate it, such as staying at home and social distancing.

From April to June, the CDC saw a rise in symptoms of both anxiety and depression compared with the same period in 2019.

In June, the CDC surveyed more than 5,000 adults and found that 40.9% of respondents said they had at least one symptom of a mental health or behavioral disorder.

Hispanic respondents had more symptoms of anxiety or depression, traumatic or stressor-related disorder, substance abuse and suicidal thoughts than did non-Hispanic whites or non-Hispanic Asian respondents, according to the CDC survey.

Black respondents also increased their use of substances and experienced “serious consideration of suicide” more than white and Asian respondents, according to the survey.

Essential workers and unpaid caregivers also considered suicide at a higher rate, according to the survey.

CDC officials suggest community-level prevention and intervention to help address various mental health conditions, especially during the current pandemic.

“A Pathway to Hope and Healing” is free, but registration is required via eventbrite.com.