Alliance Mental Health Forum highlights changing post-COVID workforce needs
Bringing together mental health experts, employers and employee assistance leaders, the Alliance’s forum ‘Bolstering Mental Health in the Post-Pandemic Hybrid Workplace’ shined a light on the meeting the changing needs of the workforce.
The demand for mental and behavioral health support has grown substantially since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and employers, health plans and providers are enhancing efforts to ensure they are meeting their employees needs by meeting their employees where they are, whether it is in person or online.
Speakers included:
- Sandrine Pirard, MD, PhD, MPH, West Region Chief Medical Officer, Carelon Behavioral Health
- Nancy Board, Co-Founder/COO, Global Women 4 Wellbeing and Clinical Services Manager at the WA State Employee Assistance Program
- Sarai Childs, Executive Director, Business Health Trust
- Bill Dinger, Head of Caregiver Benefits and Wellbeing, Providence Healthcare
- Michael Garrett, MS, CCM, Consultant
- Jeff Meyerhoff, MD, Senior Behavioral Health National Medical Director, Optum
Highlights:
Highlighting the growing gaps in mental health care in Washington state, Dr. Sandrine Pirard, notes that 21 counties had no psychiatrists.
“The workforce is approaching a retirement age and we don’t have new individuals entering the pipeline…. There’s a rising need, but many of the mental health professionals, like other care professionals, are leaving the workforce,” said Pirard.
While the pandemic has brought on a “tsunami” of issues such as increased anxiety and substance abuse disorders, Dr. Jeff Meyerhoff said a shift to a hybrid model for mental health care has some clear benefits.
“It’s really actually been beneficial. What we are finding is people are getting care where they want it. We are meeting them where they are … what that is resulting in is greater access and quicker time to get care and surprisingly better adherence,” said Dr. Meyerhoff.
An Employee Assistance Program, EAP, is crucial as employers work to meet the mental health needs of their employees, but what are some aspects that should be prioritized with an EAP?
Nancy Board, Co-Founder/COO, Global Women 4 Wellbeing and Clinical Services Manager at the WA State Employee Assistance Program, highlighted what is realistic for an EAP today.
“I believe today any EAP should be driven with a strong commitment to DEI and belonging, I think it’s critical. I think we need to innovate and change and look at our population,” Board said.