In this episode of the Pulse, we will explore the powerful connection between an organization’s culture and environment and employee mental health. Beyond traditional EAP services, we’ll discuss how improving workplace culture, physical spaces, and social connections can boost resilience, reduce anxiety and depression, and create a stronger sense of belonging.

Mental health service usage increased 17% in 2024 and 62% since 2020. Don’t miss this opportunity to discover new ways to support your team and improve employee mental health.

Our Guests:

Andrea Davis, Director of Wellbeing at The Alera Group

Sara Johnson, PhD. Co-President & CEO at Prochange Behavior Solutions and Senior Research Fellow at HERO (Health Enhancement Research Organization)

Joan M. Troester, MBA, CEBS, SPHR, Senior Assistant Vice President, Deputy CHRO at The University of Iowa

Guests will:

• Explore the influence of resiliency and a sense of belonging on mental health
• Uncover strategies employers can put in place to improve a sense of belonging
• Examine the factors that impact resiliency, much like we would focus on improving diet for better cardiovascular health

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic led to an increase in pregnancy-related complications. This trend has persisted. In this episode, we’ll explore the factors contributing to this ongoing issue and discuss strategies to help reverse the trend.

Panelists will:

• Take a closer look at the data surrounding pregnancy with complications
• Explore treatment patterns, coding practices and potential revenue-driven care decisions within hospital systems
• Uncover strategies to optimize maternal health programs and proactively reduce complications before pregnancy begins

This episode includes guest speakers:

Cindy Basinski, MD, OBGYN, Founder of Basinski and Juran, MDs, LLC

Morgan F McDonald, MD, FACP, FAAP, National Director for Population Health at Milbank Memorial Fund

Join us for Part 2 of our insightful podcast series dedicated to improving outcomes for those affected by substance use disorders. In this episode, we'll explore effective early intervention strategies and the essential steps for building a robust support structure. Additionally, we’ll discuss how employers can ensure compliance with Mental Health Parity laws while reducing unnecessary medical expenses that contribute to wasteful spending.

Panelists will discuss:

• Strategies for enhancing early treatment of substance use disorders to prevent progression to catastrophic care.
• Publicly available resources to help identify the most appropriate treatments and high-quality care options.
• Provisions in current carrier contracts that enable them to retain a percentage of costs as revenue, while limiting access to in-network providers.
• Understanding the Mental Health Parity laws and your obligations as a health plan provider.

This episode includes guest speakers:

Kirsten Suto Seckler, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer at Shatterproof

Danielle Capilla, JD, SVP of Compliance and Operational Strategy for Alera Group's Employee Benefits division

Lisa Kugler, Psy.D., SVP for Shatterproof’s Treatment Atlas team