With ongoing concerns over the Coronavirus (COVD-19), Person County Schools is working in partnership with the Person County Health Department in sharing information and preventative measures to ensure the health and safety of our students and families.

What is COVID-19 (Coronavirus)?

COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) is a new disease that causes respiratory illness in people and can spread from person to person.

What You Need to Know - English

What You Need to Know - Spanish

Share Facts - Know the facts about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and help stop the spread of rumors.

Share Facts - English

Share Facts - Spanish

NC 2-1-1 - an information and referral service that families and individuals can call to obtain free and confidential information on health and human services resources within their community. NC 2-1-1 operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year and resources are available in most languages. Call 2-1-1 or 888-892-1162. Text COVIDNC to 898211 to sign up for COVID-19 updates

Cardinal Innovations is proud to partner with our members, providers, and communities to address the impact of COVID-19.  In addition to our broad efforts in partnership with DHHS to ensure provider stability, member access to care, and community support, Cardinal Innovations is taking immediate steps to respond to the rapidly increasing need for mental health services.

Effective immediately, Cardinal Innovations has launched a new, easy to remember, easy to dial crisis line number that will connect individuals who may be experiencing a mental health crisis to the right help at the right time in the right place: 

**Ask (or star, star, 275) improves access to our established crisis line, and helps us support our local community hospitals by keeping our Emergency Rooms free for those who need them the most during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Individuals in a Mental Health crisis frequently resort to the Emergency room, call 9-1-1 or use other services that may not be equipped to help them appropriately at this time. Through the use of this line, Cardinal Innovations will respond in person within seconds to calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days per year.   Our licensed clinicians can help connect callers to services and supports that meet their immediate needs.

We will be investing throughout our 20 counties to help launch this new number so that we can reach as many people as possible. Please help us share the number with your communities so that together, we can ensure that vulnerable individuals get the immediate help they need in the right setting.

Click here for their press release to learn more. 

All the news about COVID-19 (Coronavirus) can be concerning for parents and students. Here are some tips to help address your child’s social and emotional needs:

• Create time to listen to and talk with your child. Be honest with young people and share with them as much information as they are developmentally able to process.
• Reassure children that adults at home and school are working to take care of their health and safety. If they have concerns, they should talk to an adult they trust.
• Remind children that most people will not get (COVID-19) coronavirus. School and health officials are being especially careful to make sure as few people as possible get sick.
• Try to keep routines as normal as possible. 
• Limit the amount of exposure to television and social media regarding COVID-19 (Coronavirus).
• It is important that all students and staff treat everyone with respect and not jump to conclusions about who may or may not have COVID-19 (Coronavirus).

If your child seems distressed about COVID-19 (Coronavirus), please reach out to your school counselor, psychologist, or social worker for support.

Additional resources to provide emotional support to children:

• Talking to Children About COVID-19 (Coronavirus): A Parent Resource (National Association of School Psychologists) 
• Talking to Children About Coronavirus (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry)

Thank you for your continued support of Person County Schools.  If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to our Communication Officer, Tracy Scruggs at scruggst@person.k12.nc.us or 336-599-2191 ext 22110, and she will direct your questions accordingly.