Culturally competent care is the key to inclusive mental health benefits

Despite the significant push to improve mental health benefits, the communities that need support the most are still struggling to find it. 

Among adults who reported fair or poor mental health, only 39% of Black and 36% of Hispanic adults say they received mental health services in the past three years, according to data from the Kaiser Family Foundation. This compares to 50% of white adults — a discrepancy that organizations can help address through comprehensive and inclusive benefits and practices. 

"We know that minority communities face significant challenges accessing mental health treatment, with stigma also serving as a barrier," says Abinue Fortingo, principal population health consultant at insurance and risk management firm Brown & Brown. "Ensuring that those communities gain that access remains a priority and it's something leaders should be working to solve for." 

Read more: How benefit managers can keep a focus on DEI

But creating access means more than just having mental health benefits, Fortingo says. Those benefits also need to address the unique needs of minority groups. That's been a challenge for those seeking care: 55% of Asian adults and 46% of Black adults were more likely to report difficulty finding a provider who could understand their background and experiences, compared to just 38% of White counterparts. 

As a result, many employees in minority groups forgo seeking care altogether, putting them at greater risk for long-term health challenges. Benefit leaders have a responsibility to provide accessible and effective options, and are in the position to do so, Fortingo says. 

"The relationship between the patient and the provider is really important," Fortingo says. "Leaders need to understand this challenge and ensure that in their network are providers who come from backgrounds that understand the minority workforce, who can relate to them and who can speak to them in a shared language." 

Keeping mental health accessible and diverse

Most high functioning EAP programs come equipped with free or discounted therapy sessions. By ensuring that those providers include diverse mental health professionals, benefit leaders are guaranteeing that employees in minority groups have the same care opportunities as the rest of their colleagues. Leaders could also run preliminary checks with telehealth vendors to ensure that their solutions cater to the needs of a diverse workforce. Most importantly, the communication of those benefits should also be inclusive.    

Read more: Modern Health's new FlexEAP aims to meet employees' mental health needs

"That means sending out communications, [like mailers and email] translated in multiple languages for populations where English may not be the primary language spoken at home," Fortingo says. "Use imagery and language that resonates and helps remove any stigma associated with seeking mental health treatment in some communities." 

Making mental health benefits inclusive is a continuous effort, and requires revisiting existing policies and making small changes in order to eventually drive permanent and positive impact. Diversity is a top-down approach that will require participation from every leader across the whole organization. 

"The goal is not to make managers or leaders therapists — that is not their role," Fortingo says. "It's simply to give them the education, the tools, the guidance and the skill set so that they can disseminate information on helpful mental health benefits to the workforce."