Helping guide members to support for lower severity behavioral health needs

Talk therapy isn’t the only way to get care that works for lower severity behavioral health needs.

Helping members access behavioral health care

Research shows that mental health support utilization is up1, which is a positive development since it signals that more Americans are getting mental health support. However, this greater utilization of mental health care is resulting in higher costs for employers—a challenge intensified by the reality that 122 million Americans live in areas with a shortage of mental health professionals.2

~90%

of UnitedHealthcare commercial members have lower severity needs that could be appropriate for low severity solutions3

While employers should look to offer solutions that support the full continuum of behavioral health care needs, the biggest opportunity for supporting their employees and reducing their costs may be in the low-to-moderate severity categories.

“We need to expand our perspective on what care looks like and get people comfortable with trying solutions and support that may work just as effectively as talk therapy,” says Trevor Porath, vice president of behavioral health solutions for UnitedHealthcare Employer & Individual. “Solutions designed for lower severity issues give members immediate, convenient access to care — bypassing provider availability constraints.”

One example of these solutions is Calm Health, an evidence-based wellness app that offers members access to:

  • On-demand mental health screenings
  • Guidance to the right level of support based on results
  • Personalized programs created by psychologists
  • Support for mental health challenges or life experiences
  • Referrals to other mental health solutions or care offered by their employers
  • A library of self-care content for managing stress and anxiety, improving sleep and building life-changing habits
     

Other solutions that can help before a member is in crisis may include self-help digital resources, In the moment telephonic support and behavioral health coaching.

“Historically, a member’s first step into behavioral health has been through a therapist or psychiatrist. What we found is that not all members need that level of care,” says Stacie Grassmuck, director of behavioral health products and innovation for UnitedHealthcare Employer & Individual. “By offering digital tools like behavioral health coaching and Calm Health, members have access to immediate support and practical coping strategies they can use daily — addressing depression and stress triggers before they reach a point requiring more intensive care.”

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