Every snowflake is one of a kind. That’s because each one takes a different path as it moves through the sky, picking up water vapor along the way and ultimately forming a shape all its own.
You can say the same thing about people. We all travel different paths through life and each experience touches us and uniquely shapes our personalities.
And, as we face inevitable ups and downs, many of us also may need help to make sense of things and be our best at work and at home.
Mental Health Awareness Month gives us an opportunity to shine a light on the importance of caring for our mental health.
One in five adults lives with a mental illness according to the National Institute of Mental Health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports more than four in 10 students in grades 9-12 felt persistently sad or hopeless and nearly one-third experienced poor mental health. The CDC further reports children as young as age two have been diagnosed with a mental, behavioral, or developmental disorder.
Behavioral health issues – encompassing mental health and substance use disorders – do not discriminate by age, gender, race, income, geography or other distinguishing factors.
The good news is that most mental health and substance use conditions are common and treatable.
Because each person faces their own unique challenges, there is also no one-size-fits-all approach to treatment. That’s why Regence members have access to a wide range of tools and resources to live life to the fullest.
We’re here to help
If you or your loved one needs emotional support or mental health care, we can help you find the behavioral health care option that fits your needs. Most of our health plans offer virtual mental health treatment options from providers such as AbleTo Therapy+, Doctor on Demand, Talkspace, Charlie Health and more. No referral is needed – you can visit the provider website and fill out their intake form for an appointment.
In addition to the broad range of traditional and virtual mental health providers, most Regence members have access to specialized behavioral health care for those seeking help for eating disorders (Equip) and obsessive-compulsive disorders (nOCD).
Regence also offers access to traditional and virtual substance use disorder treatment providers such as Boulder Care, Eleanor Health (WA only) and Hazelden Betty Ford. If your employer has an employee assistance program (EAP), your use of the program is confidential and at low or no cost.
We encourage you to visit these providers’ websites or call our customer service team at the number listed on your member ID card to verify which virtual care and traditional behavioral health options are available through your health plan.
Remember 988 – the new National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. When people call, text, or chat 988, they will be connected to trained counselors who will listen, understand how their problems are affecting them, provide support, and connect them to resources if needed.
Contributed by: Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon
*Sponsored content provided by AOC Business Partner.