May 13, 2021

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The state of mental health in America

At Empire, we take a comprehensive approach to improving health in all its forms. We are leveraging data to inform our approaches to predict, prevent, identify, and treat behavioral health conditions.

Our 2021 State of the Nation’s Mental Health report can help you understand your clients’ mental health needs. It’s based on an analysis of 27 million behavioral healthcare claims and a nationwide clinician survey. Here are some key findings:

• In spite of the increased mental distress due to the pandemic, mental health diagnoses did not increase in 2020.
• The pandemic is the likely reason for the overall decline in 2020 diagnoses. National and global data show that individuals’ normal patterns of care were disrupted during the pandemic, for both physical and mental health.
• Despite the decrease in overall diagnoses for mental health, diagnoses and treatment for anxiety and PTSD did increase in 2020. Research also shows that four in 10 adults reported anxiety or depression, up from one in 10 in 2019.
• Diagnoses for children and adolescents decreased. This may be attributed to less face-to-face interaction with teachers, coaches and other adults who may have recognized potential mental health concerns.
• Nearly 70 percent of those surveyed said loneliness had a significant negative impact on their mental well-being, while 58 percent reported financial issues as a root cause.

As the effects of the pandemic ease, it’s important that our members get access to mental and physical healthcare to avoid long-term impact on their overall health.

We encourage you and your clients to visit ThinkAnthem throughout May for new Ask the Expert videos and a blog series focused on behavioral health as part of whole health. Mental health is health, and Empire is committed to focusing fully and compassionately on the holistic health of our members and communities.