Why Do I Need a Workers’ Compensation Behavioral Health Network?

Concerns about the impact of behavioral health on work-related injuries has risen in recent years as studies estimate 30% to 50% of adults have a mental illness over the course of their lifetime. Results show 23% of those with mental-health or substance-use disorders drive 60% of overall medical spending. 

Early identification and treatment of both pre-existing behavioral health risk factors and those triggered by a work-related injury often results in improved outcomes.  The longer individuals are out of work, the less likely they will be able to return. It’s vital to catch psychosocial issues early, so individuals can be provided with the cognitive behavioral tools needed to successfully cope with a stressful, painful injury, to comply and prevent a delayed recovery. 

Why is Behavioral Health Relevant in Workers’ Comp? 

• Depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide 

• About 25% of the workforce suffers from depression and these workers are out of work twice as often and have 5 times less productivity 

• People with behavioral-heath conditions suffer two to six times higher frequency of concurrent physical conditions compared with those who don’t struggle with these challenges

• The impact depression and anxiety has on the global economy can be measured in $1 trillion in lost productivity each year 

• 1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year 

• 1 in 20 U.S. adults experience serious mental illness each year 

• 22.8% of U.S. adults experienced mental illness in 2021 (57.8 million people). This represents 1 in 5 adults. 

• Psychosocial factors play heavily into the need for Behavioral Health support for injured workers 

To support this concern, the Coventry Integrated Network includes roughly 120,000 behavioral health providers; individuals have access to psychiatrists, psychologists, counselors, and social workers nationwide. Finding the right provider and gaining timely access to that provider is key to helping individuals get back to work or deal with mental challenges should they arise. Providers can be found through our provider search tool, and Clients using Coventry Connect can link directly to the provider locator tool in the portal.