Raising Awareness of Behavioral Health

  • General News
    Published May 13, 2019

    New Day Northwest

    Did you know that one in five Americans deal with some form of mental illness in their lives? And yet, most people won’t seek help because they think it will pass, or they’re scared to say something, or they can’t get access to the care they need. One major reason mental health goes undiagnosed is the stigma around mental illness.

    A national emphasis on Mental Health Awareness during the month of May is intended to help remove the stigma. Premera Blue Cross is joining in that effort.

    Reducing the stigma

    For many people, the subject of behavioral health is still taboo—yet the impacts of mental illness are far reaching. To bring awareness to mental illness, Bill Bernat, TED speaker and mental health awareness advocate, and Dr. Shawn West, medical director for Premera, recently appeared on New Day Northwest, a talk program on KING-5 TV in Seattle. They provided tips for starting conversations with friends, family, and coworkers about mental health. They also explored the importance of getting people connected with safe, effective treatment.

    What all your clients will want to know

    • Behavioral health is a real issue that can affect people in the workplace, at home, and throughout their day.
    • Premera has programs and services that support the behavioral health of members. Behavioral health benefits are included in every individual and group health plan.
    • Premera is supporting efforts in the community that focus on improving behavioral health.
      • We recently gave close to $600,000 to six behavioral health organizations. Learn more about this donation.
      • In April we supported a benefit for the Associated Students of Washington State University (ASWSU) Cougar Health Fund by matching 100 percent of the proceeds (up to $25,000) from ticket sales for the Washington State University’s spring football game This fund is a student-run, student-led initiative to support WSU students on all campuses in the areas of mental health and sexual-violence prevention.

    Share now with your group clients

    Help your group clients foster a culture where it’s easy to seek help and to talk about mental health.

    Share the Tips to talk about mental health guide by using this copy-and-share message in an email:

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    May is mental health month. Premera is committed to lessening the stigma surrounding mental health. For many people, the subject of behavioral health is still taboo—yet the impacts of mental illness are far reaching.

    This useful guide with handy tips from Premera will help your employees better understand how to communicate with those friends, family, and coworkers struggling with a behavioral health issue.

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