Working, parenting, and too busy to get mental health care? It may be easier than you think
Parenting and maintaining a career is not easy. But, with the right tools and resources, it can be easier to get care for your mental health needs than you may think.
If you’re a working parent seeking mental health care, you’re likely to experience the parent’s dilemma: How to find the time for therapy when you have a million other things to do? Thanks to virtual care, you have options.
Idaho | Oregon | Utah | Washington
Regence members have access to in-person and virtual therapy
While in-person care may be the most appropriate choice for some conditions, virtual care options may be the quickest and most convenient way to get the care you need.
Virtual care—seeing a doctor over the phone, video, or even using text messaging—is effective for treating a wide range of common behavioral health conditions. In a 2021 survey of American Psychiatric Association practitioners 96% of respondents said telehealth is therapeutically effective; additional research shows online therapy can be just as effective as in-person therapy for various mental health conditions.
Virtual care can help address barriers of time, geography and stigma
Busy working parents can attend virtual care appointments when it fits their schedule, without having to travel to a doctor’s office.
Virtual care can also help overcome the stigma—the perception that mental health problems are somehow shameful and shouldn’t be discussed openly—that often creates barriers between a patient and needed care.
Most Regence members have access to multiple virtual and in-person mental health providers that treat a wide range of conditions. Some available virtual care tools are even self-directed, enabling members to engage in activities to reduce stress and anxiety before they lead to more acute conditions.
We’re here to help
If you or your loved ones need emotional support or mental health care, we can help you find the behavioral health care option that fits your needs. Most of our health plans offer virtual mental health treatment options from providers such as AbleTo Therapy+, Doctor on Demand, Talkspace, Charlie Health and more. No referral is needed—you can schedule an appointment on providers’ websites.
In addition to the wide range of traditional and virtual mental health providers, most Regence members have access to specialized behavioral health care for those seeking help for eating disorders (Equip), obsessive-compulsive disorders (nOCD), and substance use disorders—Boulder Care, Eleanor Health (Washington only) and Hazelden Betty Ford (Oregon and Washington only). If your employer has an employee assistance program (EAP), you can use the program confidentially and at low or no cost.
We encourage members to visit these providers’ websites or call our customer service team at the number listed on your member ID card to verify which virtual care and traditional behavioral health options are available through your health plan.
If you or someone you know is in a crisis, get help immediately. You can call 911 or call or text the new 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988. When you call, text, or chat 988, you’ll be connected to trained counselors who will listen, understand how your problems are affecting you, provide support, and connect you to resources if needed.