Mental Health Disorders Costly for Employers, Part 2

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Work Outcomes

To gain a better understanding of the barriers to mental health evaluation and treatment — and to make it more affordable for employers — the National Institute of Mental Health sponsorsthe Work Outcomes Research and Cost Effectiveness Study at Harvard Medical School.

In the first phase, the study featured a randomized, controlled trial of telephone screening and depression care management for workers at 16 large companies. Mental health clinicians employed by an insurance company identified workers who might need treatment, provided information about how to access it, monitored adherence to treatment and provided telephone psychotherapy to workers who did not want to see a therapist in person. The 304 workers assigned to the intervention were compared to 300 individuals in a control group who were referred to clinicians for treatment but did not receive telephone support.

Workers assigned to the telephone intervention reported significantly improved mood and were more likely to keep their jobs when compared to those in the control group. They also improved their productivity, equivalent to about 2.6 hours of extra work per week, worth about $1,800 per year (based on average wages), while the intervention cost employers an estimated $100 to $400 per treated employee.

The outcome study team is now focusing on ways to improve access to mental health care in the workplace and further quantify costs and benefits for employers. In the long term, employers who invest in mental health care for employees who need it will see positive results in terms of a healthier workforce and a better bottom line, researchers said.

Understanding Prevalence, Types of Mental Illness Among Adults

The National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Mental Health Findings features results from a series of scientifically conducted annual surveys of approximately 67,500 people. It is considered a primary source of information on mental and behavioral health. Some survey highlights:

• 38 percent of adults with a mental illness in the past year received mental health services.
• 4.4 million adults with serious mental illness in the past year did not receive services.
• 24 percent of women and 16 percent of men experienced some form of mental illness.
• Adults who had past-year major depressive episodes (MDE) were more likely than those without past-year MDE to have used illicit drugs. A similar pattern was observed for specific types of drugs.
• An estimated 11 million of 13.5 million adults without mental illness in the past year took medication prescribed for a mental or emotional condition.

Source: http://oas.samhsa.gov/NSDUH