Effective Strategies: Employee Mental Health

By Marjory Robertson, JD

AVP, Senior Counsel
Sun Life Financial

By Abigail O’Connell, JD

Senior Counsel
Sun Life Financial

Employers can incentivize healthy behavior in a number of ways while leveraging existing communication channels and benefits programs. Here are some tips for supporting mental health at work.

Design mental health into health insurance programs

Mental health parity laws, on both the state and federal levels, require that employer-sponsored health insurance coverage for mental health and substance abuse be no more restrictive than coverage for other conditions. Encourage employees to seek treatment and adhere to treatment plans by providing mental health counseling and medication with low or no out-of-pocket costs to employees. Employers can encourage pharmaceutical adherence by offering mail order prescription services.

Employers should include questions related to stress and mental health on health risk assessments (HRAs). Employers must be mindful of privacy and disability discrimination law in regard to who collects, reviews, and securely stores the information garnered on HRAs. Questions related to sleep, anxiety, depression, and substance abuse, among other things, can be added to screen for and identify mental health risks.

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