Premise Health President Speaks to Shortage in Mental Health Services

The pandemic is shining a light on employee burnout, and one thing is making matters worse – a shortage in mental health services. While 40% of employees said working remotely helps with work-life balance, they continue to struggle keeping work from bleeding into their nights and weekends. In addition to COVID-19 crisis, there’s a mental health issue that’s really been exposed during this pandemic.

The pandemic has overwhelmed the healthcare system, including mental health providers, making it more difficult for many to find the professional help they require. In a survey of 1,800 psychologists by the American Psychological Association, 74% said they were seeing more people for anxiety disorders than before the pandemic, while 60% were seeing more patients for depression.

“Behavioral health providers of all types and levels have long been in short supply and this need has compounded during the pandemic,” said Jami Doucette, president of Premise Health. “There are not enough psychiatrists, clinical psychologists and licensed social workers to meet the demand that we are currently experiencing.”

Doucette noted that the current work-from-home trend — despite widely reported benefits like more freedom for employees and more cost savings for employers — has also had a negative impact in that it has led to an epidemic of loneliness, loss of social structure and pressure around balancing family and work responsibilities.

To learn more about what this means for the employers, read the full article here.