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Getting started on a successful behavioral health strategy

A successful behavioral health strategy starts with recognizing and de-stigmatizing mental health challenges, and identifying key conditions.

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Take the first step in creating a supportive, comprehensive plan.

De-stigmatizing care

Think of 10 people on your team. Statistically, in the last year, four of them have reported symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder, up from one in ten who reported these symptoms in the first half of 2019. (Kaiser Family Foundation) Chances are, none of them have received proper treatment.

Over the last year, behavioral health has caught America’s attention—and for good reason. It’s increasingly evident that we’re suffering from heightened levels of stress, anxiety, depression, and other complex mental health conditions that have a direct impact on our healthcare system, our companies, and our families.

But it isn’t just anecdotal evidence supporting that—studies have shown that behavioral health issues are responsible for 217 million lost workdays every year and are the number one cause of disability and workplace absenteeism.

Americans missed 217 million workdays last year due to behavioral health issues.

Behavioral health issues impact your people and your company

As a benefits leader, your role isn’t just to make sure you have an effective behavioral health strategy—you also have to consider the costs associated with it. Overall, the U.S. spends roughly $212 billion each year to treat behavioral health—more than any other condition. Now is the time to focus on behavioral health benefits to keep your employees healthy and happy, and we’re here to help you cast a wider net to find the right solutions.

Defining behavioral health

Before we look at solutions, let’s take a step back. How do we define “behavioral health”? We often hear “behavioral health” and “mental health” used interchangeably, but these terms evoke two very different feelings. “Mental health” often feels narrow and stigmatizing, with many people associating the phrase with serious biological conditions. “Behavioral health,” on the other hand, feels more welcoming and inclusive, serving as more of an umbrella term for all layers of mental wellness. Naming matters when it comes to de-stigmatizing these issues—the way we categorize them in our benefits and communications can affect people’s emotional ability and willingness to engage with a service, treatment, or program.

So, what conditions are we talking about? To help you best understand your population’s needs, we’ve separated behavioral health into five key areas:

  • Stress and anxiety
  • Depression and mood disorders
  • Substance use disorders
  • Caregiver stress
  • Psychoses and other complex conditions

We’ll be using this framework to help guide your tour through the behavioral health landscape and in turn, you can use it to make sure your strategy is covering your people’s different behavioral health needs.

Ready to start?

We’re here to help! Check out our quick overview of some of the most innovative behavioral health solutions available. Or if you still have questions, fill out the form below to schedule time to talk with our team.

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