Six Boston Scientific benefits that support employee mental health

MARLBOROUGH, Mass., Feb. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- One in five American adults has a diagnosable mental health condition. Yet all too often, our friends, co-workers, neighbors and family members suffer emotionally and either don't recognize the symptoms of a disorder or don't feel comfortable asking for help. And sometimes, we're the ones suffering in silence.

Boston Scientific is committed to reducing the stigma of mental illness in the workplace and helping employees discover the tools, techniques and resources they need. Your employee benefits may vary based on where in the world you join us. For Mental Health Awareness Month, learn about the ways we support the wellbeing of our workforce in the U.S.

1. Out-of-network? Not anymore!

Access should never be a barrier to mental health care. Yet between the current national shortage of mental health providers and the cost of care in the U.S., it can often be difficult to find available providers within an insurance network, yet expensive to go outside the network. That's why Boston Scientific covers a range of services for behavioral and mental health – and should you require those covered services out-of-network, we simply cover it as though it were "in-network," so you can get the support you need.

2. Telehealth for adults and teens

Mental health among adolescents is worsening, continuing a decade-long downward trend, according to a distressing recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report; it discovered that 42% of high school students felt persistently sad or hopeless, and 22% seriously considered attempting suicide. Worried about your teenager? Think they may need to talk to someone? Virtual mental health appointments through Teladoc offer a convenient and cost-effective way of getting care for both adults and adolescents. Therapists are available by appointment via phone or video seven days a week to assist your teen with issues like school stress, family challenges, depression, eating disorders and more. And of course, they're always there for you and other eligible family members, too.

3. Free counseling sessions

Our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a no-cost, supportive service to help employees and their families address personal issues that may arise. It is staffed by master's and doctoral level clinicians who are prepared to listen and help you find ways to cope. We provide five free, confidential sessions per topic per year for employees and their household family members. (For example, you and each of your household family members could have five sessions for anxiety counseling and five sessions for grief counseling—up to five sessions per year for five separate topics.) In addition, EAP provides expert help to guide you through life stressors such as finances, elder care situations, parenting issues and legal needs.

4. Therapy in your pocket 24/7

Also available for free through our EAP, Computerized Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CCBT) is a digital self-care tool available anytime on your mobile phone. Created by a team of mental health professionals, it consists of simple, science-based activities, personalized to fit your life. Use the app to enhance your mental health and well-being, tackle stress and anxiety and improve mindfulness and sleep – on your schedule.

5. A personal healthcare advocate

Navigating healthcare can be a little like running through a maze: confusing, sometimes overwhelming, quite possibly endless. Wouldn't it be nice to have someone to guide you through the mental health journey? Guess what: Expert guidance is but a phone call away with our third-party health care advocates. Whether you're looking to find a therapist or understand your medication plan, need case management or admittance support or have billing or coverage questions, your advocates are ready to help simplify your healthcare experience at every point in the process.

6. Year-round wellbeing webinars, seminars and events

Mental health awareness is integrated into daily life at Boston Scientific in so many ways. Take our fitness centers, for example, where you're encouraged to drop in for a stress-relieving workout, borrow a bicycle for a lunchtime ride or attend a calming meditation session. Throughout the year, you can also attend virtual seminars on a number of mental health topics or take advantage of our periodic on-site mental health fairs. In addition, we are rolling out a new training for people leaders in collaboration with Zevo Health to recognize common signs of mental distress and identify support for colleagues. And because a support network is crucial for mental health, our WellBeing SharePoint site, WellBeing Yammer group and LEAD (Leadership, Education and Allies for Disabilities) employee resource group give employees a place to connect and share.

Learn more about what makes Boston Scientific a "Best Place to Work" by exploring its wide range of employee benefits.