Understanding how youth mental health impacts your workforce
Understanding how youth mental health impacts your workforce
As an employer, the youth mental health crisis in America is likely affecting more of your workforce than you realize.
Since two out of every five workers are parents with a child under age 18, 1 this can have major ramifications for the well-being of your employees and your business. The issue becomes even bigger when we consider that many caregivers of children are not necessarily ‘parents’ in the traditional sense. The health of children affects those who care for them, which in turn affects employee health and productivity. 1 in 6 children have a diagnosable behavioral health condition. 71% of parents said issues with their child’s mental or emotional well-being made the stresses of work much more difficult to cope with. 53% of working parents have missed work at least once per month to deal with their children’s mental health. To address the impact of youth mental health on your workforce, focus your attention on early intervention, access, integrated care and stigma. [SUBTOPIC 1] EARLY INTERVENTION Taking critical action sooner Given how early in life mental health challenges can begin, early diagnosis and treatment are essential to supporting youth mental health. 11 yrs The average delay between when mental health symptoms first appear and intervention is approximately 11 years. 5 1 in 6 U.S. children aged 2–8 years had a diagnosed mental, behavioral or developmental challenge. 6 50% of lifetime mental health conditions begin by age 14 and 75 percent begin by age 24. 7 [THIS IS HOW] PROVIDE RESOURCES AND EDUCATION: Empower your workforce with information around early intervention and youth mental health. • Ask your health plan partner what tools and initiatives they provide in support of early intervention, including school-based programs. • Request educational resources for parents and caregivers on signs of youth mental health challenges, especially on crucial subjects like suicide prevention. [SPOTLIGHT] Anthem BCBS uses predictive analytics to identify youths and adults at high risk for suicide. Care management teams reach out to support members’ mental health and reduce the risk of a suicide attempt. Learn more. [SUBTOPIC 2] ACCESS Getting the care employees need Access to mental healthcare is a complex issue. Regardless of your organization’s location or health plan partner, there are things you can do as an employer to help ensure you’re providing the care your employees need for youth mental health. 25% of all working parents were not sure if their employer offered mental health resources for children. 8 14:100k The U.S. average of child and adolescent psychiatrists to children is only 14 per 100,000. 9 2/3 Almost two-thirds of youth of color that need treatment for major depressive episodes still don’t receive care, revealing racial disparities in access. 10 [THIS IS HOW] PRIOTIZE ACCESS AND EQUITY: • Remind employees clearly and often about the covered care and resources available to them. • Ask your health plan partner how they’re actively addressing inequities in access. • Ensure effective virtual care is available to employees’ families. [SPOTLIGHT] BCBS of Rhode Island is partnering with Braver and Bradley Hospital to help expand access to high-quality outpatient anxiety treatment for kids by reimbursing the use of trained personal coaches, who collaborate with psychologists to work with patients and their families at home or where they need support. [SUBTOPIC 3] INTEGRATED CARE Making patient-centered care easy The shortage of behavioral health providers available to meet the needs of youth is at crisis levels. Since 90 percent of children receive regular medical care from a primary care provider, and integrated care approach can help improve access to behavioral healthcare. 11 75-80% of children, youth and young adults with mental health concerns don’t receive adequate treatment, largely due to barriers to accessing high-quality mental health services. 12 1 in 3 pediatricians say that they have sufficient training to diagnose and treat children with mental disorders. 13 70-80% of prescriptions for medications related to mental health conditions for young people are written by pediatricians and general practitioners, rather than mental health professionals. 14 REIMAGINE HOW WE WORK: • Support health plan partners that are empowering pediatric primary care providers with training and resources in the screening and treatment of youth mental health conditions. • Choose healthcare networks that seamlessly connect pediatric primary care and behavioral health providers. When medical records and resources are shared among providers, they can develop a collaborative care model for patients. [SPOTLIGHT] BCBS of Michigan, in collaboration with the University of Michigan, expanded its Collaborative Care model to pediatric practices, enabling behavioral health care managers and psychiatrists to coordinate whole health, patient-centered treatment from primary care doctors’ offices. Learn more. [SUBTOPIC 4] STIGMA Battling stigma from within Stigma is a prevalent issue among youth facing mental health challenges, especially in communities of color. The stigma of mental health concerns can also prevent employees from being open about their children’s struggles at home. 35% Non-white youths have 35% lower diagnosis rates of major depression vs. white youths, which in part could be due to strong levels of stigma in communities of color. 15 45% of parents affected by their children’s mental health felt they could potentially lose their job or wouldn’t be considered for promotions (43%) if their child’s mental health concerns interfered with work. 16 23% of parents felt comfortable talking to an HR representative about a child's mental health. Even fewer (20%) felt comfortable talking to their supervisor about it. 17 COMMUNICATE OPENLY AND LEAD BY EXAMPLE: • Remind leadership to be outspoken about your organization’s commitment to battling damaging mental health stigmas. • Ask your health plan partner what programs they offer to help destigmatize mental health among youth and encourage those who are struggling to seek care. • Allow employees flexibility with hours and remote work, and assure them their jobs are safe if they need time off. [SPOTLIGHT] BCBS Kansas City launched Shut out the Stigma in partnership with the Kansas City Royals to promote awareness of stigma, with a focus on the behavioral health needs of youths. The initiative will expand in 2023 to address youth stress and anxiety in sports, and how impactful adult behavior can be on young athletes.