Marc Hackett: Investing in mental health care is just good business

Hoosiers, the state of our mental health is not strong. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently released a report illustrating that nearly one in five U.S. adults has been diagnosed with depression. The rates vary by state. In Indiana, 21.9% of Hoosiers reported a lifetime diagnosis of depression. The National Alliance on Mental Illness reports that more than 1.1 million adults in Indiana have a mental health condition.

The state of mental health is not only a health concern but also a business concern. Untreated mental health challenges can cost businesses productivity, money and employee talent. A recent National Institutes of Health study found workers experiencing mental illness can result in “more than $200 billion annually in health care utilization and lost work productivity” as well as “more days of work lost and a higher likelihood of working while impaired, as well as higher employee turnover.”

Employers must invest in resources for employees to combat and treat mental health challenges, including burnout, depression, anxiety and more. Burnout is a distinct mental health challenge from anxiety and depression, and employers need to recognize the signs: exhaustion, lower-quality work, uncharacteristic mistakes, irritability, cynicism and more.

Investing in mental health help for employers is good for business and highly valued by employees. According to the American Psychological Association’s 2022 Work and Well-being Survey, “seven in 10 workers (71%) believe their employer is more concerned about the mental health of employees now than in the past. In fact, 81% of individuals said they will be looking for workplaces that support mental health when they seek future job opportunities.”

Support can take a number of forms. Corporate benefits such as employee assistance programs are work-based intervention programs to assist employees in resolving personal problems that might be affecting their performance. Smaller-scale workplace-specific endeavors are also important.

At the Jane Pauley Community Health Center, a number of behavioral health therapists reported feeling isolated from one another while working from home and while geographically separated across the network of our care centers. They wanted more opportunities for professional collaboration. To support optimal clinical care and protect against burnout, we instituted weekly peer collaboration groups for all our therapists. These groups are held virtually, each consisting of five or six therapists, and are each facilitated by one of our psychologists. Our hope is that they increase the sense of community among our providers, protect against burnout and support improved clinical care.

To ideate new programs like this in your organization, start by checking in with employee engagement surveys and regular managerial reporting mechanisms to be aware of general employee well-being and sentiment. Work with benefit providers to ensure robust mental health care options are included in your plans and ensure employees are clear about these resources. Also consider providing educational opportunities, as the Jane Pauley Community Health Center did during Mental Health Awareness Month with shared resources and lunch-and-learn events to help reduce the stigma of seeking care. Actively address and normalize mental health care among your employees.

The value of these benefits can’t be overstated, and it’s therefore worth emphasizing that mental health care needs to be more accessible at all levels. In Indiana, additional resources are being dedicated to emergency and crisis mental health care, but do not wait until one of your employees is in crisis to help them. Employer-supported mental health care—from specific benefits established through human resources to informal support groups and more—can help combat burnout, identify emerging mental health concerns and encourage early treatment. It’s just good business.•

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Hackett is CEO of the Jane Pauley Community Health Center.