Mental health benefits become a ‘must have’ in the workplace

Mental health benefits are no longer a “nice-to-have” workplace benefit but have become a “really big, must-have pain point, especially in technology or other industries where they're recruiting for talent.”

That was the word from Sarah Malavenda, psychotherapist and cofounder of Samata Health. She and Samata Health CEO and cofounder Elizabeth Owings are presenting a session on “How Employers Can Offer Valuable and Affordable Mental Health Benefits” during the National Association of Benefits and Insurance Professionals Annual Convention.

“People are burned out. It’s what we hear every day,” Malavenda said. “People are looking for help, and they’re telling us that their insurance plans don’t work for them when it comes to getting help for their mental health.”

Even employees whose workplace health plans cover mental health often find those benefits don’t help them when they seek care, Malavenda said. She pointed to plans that have networks of therapists that aren’t taking new patients or have no availability for appointments. In addition, she said, fewer than half of therapists take insurance because of difficulty in getting paid, low reimbursement rates or complying with the insurance carrier’s requirements.

Malavenda cited a secret shopper study that looked at 12 different health plans across six states and found 80% of the mental health providers listed as in-network were either unreachable, were actually out of network or were not accepting new patients.

Another issue Malavenda said workers may not understand when accessing mental health treatment is that many employers have wellness stipends, depending on the insurance plan that they provide. “I always like to say, don’t forget you can get mental health programs with those wellness stipends. A lot of people think that only works toward your physical health, but mental health is a pain point and a lot of the benefits services are for mental health.”

Not everyone who is experiencing mental health issues needs to go to therapy, Malavenda said. Many issues can be dealt with through short-term mental health resources.

“If it’s something like, you’re going through your first move or your first difficult breakup, using short-term resources, perhaps covering three sessions, can help. It reduces the stigma about needing mental health care and reduces the misconceptions about therapy. Human resource workers can tell their teams that this is a short-term resource, and this is the best way to use it.”

Malavenda listed three types of mental health resources she sees employees using.

1. Meditation apps. Apps such as Headspace and Calm “are good tools for people who are budget restricted,” she said. “But this is a Band-Aid fix. It’s only going to help someone in the short term.”
2. Chat-based apps. “These are good because they’re less expensive than visiting a therapist,” she said. “A lot of them also have 24-hour support so you can access it whenever you want. But it’s more difficult to actually find a human to talk to. It’s a shorter-term fix.”
3. Therapy programs. Therapy “doesn’t have to be a forever thing,” she said. “It could be as few as six or eight sessions. Therapy gives you a chance to have a relationship with a mental health professional who knows you and that therapy also can personalized to your needs. An in-person therapy option also is popular with older workers.”

 

 

Susan Rupe is managing editor for InsuranceNewsNet. She formerly served as communications director for an insurance agents' association and was an award-winning newspaper reporter and editor. Contact her at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @INNsusan.

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