Prioritizing Employee Mental Health

Everyone was affected differently by the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether that meant adjusting to a new work-life routine, dealing with a job transition, or losing a loved one, these stressors helped contribute to rising numbers of mental health and substance use disorder cases.

Employers saw the change in their employees and jumped into action to make meaningful changes.

During the pandemic, large employers worked quickly to expand access to mental and behavioral health services for employees. But as employers struggled to innovate and improve care, outdated laws, rules, and public policies created significant challenges in offering more robust and tailored benefits.

In 2021 ERIC’s report, “Prioritizing Employee Mental Health: Solutions for Congress,” we lay out comprehensive solutions, including key recommendations to increase patient access to critical mental and behavioral health services.