Mental Health Awareness Month

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and Highmark wants to use this time to remind you to regularly screen your patients for mental health disorders.

A 2020 report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) contains some concerning statistics on mental health diagnoses and a lack of treatment.

According to the report:

  • 40.3 million individuals ages 12 or older have a Substance Use Disorder (SUD) but only 1.4% received treatment

  • 52.9 million adults ages 18 or older have Any Mental Illness (AMI) but only 46.2% received treatment

  • 14.2 million adults ages 18 or older have been diagnosed with Serious Mental Illness but only 64.5% received treatment

  • 17 million adults ages 18 or older have been diagnosed with Co-Occurring AMI and SUD but only 50.5% received treatment

  • 4.1 million adolescents ages 12 to 17 have been diagnosed with Major Depressive Episode but only 41.6% received treatment

  • 21 million adults ages 18 or older have been diagnosed with Major Depressive Episode but only 66% received treatment

Follow-up care is especially important for those who have been seen in an emergency department (ED) for mental illness and/or substance use. It’s essential to make sure that they are receiving appropriate care following that ED visit.

Highmark’s Virtual Behavioral Health Providers

To make care even more accessible for our members, Highmark has partnered with several virtual behavioral health providers in addition to our network of community behavioral health specialists. With the increased need for behavioral health care, our goal is to help members access care quickly and reduce the number of those diagnosed with a mental illness or SUD who are not receiving treatment.

You can click on the name of each virtual provider below to learn more about their services and how to refer one of your patients.

  • Bright Heart Health: provides comprehensive addiction treatment services for opioid use disorder

  • Freespira: offers a digital therapeutic approach to significantly reduce or eliminate symptoms of panic attacks and PTSD in 28 days

  • Joon Care: provides virtual mental health therapy for teens and young adults ages 13-24

  • MAP Care Solutions: offers virtual peer recovery support for members with a mental health or substance use condition

  • Meru Health: offers treatment for depression and anxiety through a digital therapeutic program

  • NOCD: specializes in obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)

  • Ria Health: uses a harm reduction model to treat alcohol use disorder

  • Tempest: treats alcohol use disorders through a digital recovery program

Other Highmark Resources

  • Highmark’s Behavioral Health Toolkit: This toolkit provides best practice recommendations, screening tools, clinical practice guidelines, and other resources for providers that can assist in behavioral health care for a range of diagnoses for mental health as well as substance use disorder.

  • axialHealthcare: Highmark has collaborated with axialHealthcare to offer a wide range of tools and resources to providers in Delaware, Pennsylvania and West Virginia that aim to support the health and safety of patients on opioids and other controlled substances. This program connects patients, providers, and health plans with an end-to-end platform that covers the entire substance use spectrum.

More information regarding these resources and policies on telehealth and reimbursement are available on the Behavioral Health Resources page on the Provider Resource Center under Care Management Programs.

Disclaimer: Highmark does not recommend particular treatments or health care services. This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. You should determine the appropriate treatment and follow-up with your patient. Coverage of services is subject to the terms of each member’s benefit plan. Additionally, state laws and regulations governing health insurance, health plans and coverage may apply and will vary from state to state.

 

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