The connection between mental health care and workers' comp
The impact of work-related stresses can be cumulative. CorVel's Karen Thomas advocates for proactive solutions.
PropertyCasualty360 recently published the results of a study indicating that U.S. workers with mental health conditions spend months searching for effective treatment.
Among workers who have tried medication for mental health management, 45% said they tried more than one medication before getting relief. Nearly half of U.S. workers tried multiple medications or dosages before arriving at an effective solution, the July 2023 study from the technology company TELUS Health revealed. Nearly one third of U.S. workers reported that it took more than a year to find an effective treatment for their mental health condition.
We also recently profiled the City of Beverly Hills employee risk management program. There, risk managers recognized an emerging risk coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic was traumatic stress disorder triggered by the significant strains of the pandemic environment. Anxiety, depression, stress, isolation and panic were among the mental health issues exacerbated by the pandemic, especially among essential workers. The city realized that its employees needed access to services to help them cope and became more proactive about offering mental health resources to employees. These steps were among the factors that contributed to the city’s win of the 2023 Excellence in Workers’ Comp Risk Management Award.
Issues surrounding worker mental health and wellness are pivotal for Karen Thomas, vice president of Clinical Solutions at CorVel. In this issue of Insurance Speak, Thomas reveals how she is a passionate advocate for recognizing the importance of mental health issues in workers’ compensation and coming up with innovative ways to address them. Listen to the full episode above or subscribe to Insurance Speak on Spotify, Apple Music or Libsyn.
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