Is COBRA worth it after a layoff? - any advice?

The COBRA quote for my family is $400 a month and I do not know how to afford it. I worked as a procurement assistant before this. My old employer will not help with the premium. Did anyone switch mid-year?

Thanks for writing this out. I went through something close to it 9 months ago, and it got easier once I kept a simple log of every call and form.