Center for Child Traumatic Stress Institutions across the world are working to develop initiatives aimed at supporting the well-being of healthcare workers (HCWs) facing the psychological impacts of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This Commentary identifies risks that HCWs are experiencing, reviews sources of fear and stress, and describes the implementation of a three-tiered model for the provision of emotional support and mental health services for clinical and nonclinical HCWs. The model recognizes the fluid, everevolving nature of the COVID-19 pandemic and includes proactive, visible, and easy-to-access supportive psychological services that expand the safety net and help address immediate and future mental health challenges of HCWs.

Calls for a diverse physician workforce continue to grow, and a key approach to answering these calls lies in ensuring that first-generation (First Gen) undergraduate students are able to become medical students and, eventually, physicians. The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) defines First Gen individuals applying for medical school as candidates "whose parents have not earned an associate's degree or higher" [1]. Although a large proportion of First Gen students in health professions are also underrepresented minority (URM) students, it is important to note that First Gen students come from different racial and ethnic backgrounds, and differ in regard to socioeconomic and immigration statuses [2]. Moreover, the obstacles faced by students differ depending on students' backgrounds. For instance, URM First Gen students face different issues (e.g., ethnic and racial biases) than non-URM First Gen students.Published reports have indicated that 51% of First Gen undergraduate students are from minority backgrounds, while only 30% of non-First Gen undergrads are from minority backgrounds [3]. In addition, 27% of First Gen undergraduate students reported parental incomes of less than $20,000, while only 6% of non-First Gen undergrads reported the same [3]. Additionally, 46% of First Gen undergraduates are not US citizens [4]. In addition to diverse backgrounds, advantages that First Gen students bring to the institutions they attend include personal qualities, such as grit, innovative thinking, and insight into health disparities [5]. While this information on undergraduate First Gen students is valuable, it does not reveal the trajectories of First Gen undergraduates who become medical students.

Ensuring the mental health and well-being of the healthcare workforce globally, especially women healthcare workers (HCWs), is an ongoing challenge that has been accentuated by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Already at high risk of experiencing symptoms of stress, burnout, and depression, women HCWs are now also facing the psychosocial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although different types of mental health interventions have been introduced to support HCW well-being, the current needs of women HCWs have not been emphasized and replicable processes for developing and implementing specific emotional support services for women HCWs have not yet been well-described in the literature. Therefore, in this perspective, we discuss the approach our institution (University of California, Los Angeles) took for developing emotional support services for women HCWs that incorporate aspects of disaster behavioral health models and address various barriers to support and treatment. In addition, we describe and illustrate the process that we utilized to develop individual-level and institutional-level emotional support services. Finally, based on our institution's experience, we share recommendations for developing emotional support services for women HCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic and other future crises.

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