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Everyone. This is Jacob Emerson with the Becker's

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Pay Your Issues podcast.

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Thrilled today to be joined by doctor Matt

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Hereford, who is the president and CEO at

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Community Care Behavioral Health, which is a part

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of UPMC

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Insurance Services. Doctor Herbert, thanks so much for

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taking the time to be with me on

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the podcast again.

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It's a pleasure to be back. Thanks, Jacob.

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Yeah. Absolutely. And before we dive into everything

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we wanna talk with you about, can you

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reintroduce yourselves for our listeners? Tell us a

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little bit more about your career background, and

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then give us an overview of what you're

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doing today at Community Care Behavioral Health.

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Sure. I'd be happy to.

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I'm Matt Hereford. I'm a psychiatrist

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by training. I'm currently the president and CEO

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of Community Care Behavioral Health.

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That's one of UPMC

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University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

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insurance service division's companies.

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We're focused on supporting

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the mental health and substance use disorder recovery

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for over 1,000,000 Pennsylvanians

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that are covered under Medicaid in Pennsylvania.

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We work with 43 of Pennsylvania's sixty seven

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counties,

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to do that work and partner with thousands

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of providers and practitioners,

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in support of our members' health journey.

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Prior to joining UPMC

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about ten years ago, I was the chief

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medical officer for the city of Philadelphia's Department

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of Behavioral Health and have worked in,

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some pretty diverse mental health settings, including city

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environments, public community mental health centers,

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and even a stint with the Indian Health

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Service,

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in Arizona.

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Fantastic.

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So, Matt, as you know, May is Mental

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Health Awareness Month. Talk to us a little

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bit about how UPMC

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is supporting members, supporting patients,

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through what is a very important month to

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recognize.

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Yeah. This is such an important,

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time of the year. Of course, at UPMC,

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we we really feel that every month should

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be mental health awareness month, but it is

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an opportunity

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every May as a country for us to

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really shine a additional spotlight

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on the important role that mental health plays

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in the whole health and wellness

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of people, including our members. And so there's

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a bunch of things that we're doing. I'm

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really excited

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about them because I think, the needs are

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great, but the opportunities

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are are even greater.

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So we're, very much aligned with,

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Mental Health America's theme for Mental Health Awareness

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Month, this year, which is turning awareness

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into action.

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Mental Health America is a leading

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consumer driven organization,

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and

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their focus,

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on turning awareness into action aligns very well

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with how UPMC

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is prioritizing

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going from,

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not just raising awareness and education about the

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important role of mental health, but really helping

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to make that an important difference in people's

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lives.

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And as a payer who's part of an

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integrated

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delivery and finance system,

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we think about this at three different levels,

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all of which are oriented towards improving the

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health and well-being

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of our members. So we think about it

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at the staff level, our team members, the

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provider level, all of the practitioners and folks

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that are in our network, as well as

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the community level.

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Let me talk a little bit about some

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of the ways in which some of the

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things that we'll be doing this month and

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throughout the year, at each of those three

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levels.

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It really starts with our staff.

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We know from the data, but also just

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from common sense, that when people's mental health

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is addressed

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and really optimized,

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they're gonna be happier, more engaged, and more

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effective ambassadors for mental health for our members.

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And we wanna make sure that we are

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messaging to our staff the importance

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about their mental health in their whole health.

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So we, provide short and longer form education

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about mental health that can be little bite

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sized,

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sort of lunch and learn type of,

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educational opportunities as well as on demand content

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that they can access at any time. We

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provide incentives for our staff to engage

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in,

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healthy activities that promotes mental health and and

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and physical well-being throughout the year.

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And we also make sure that staff know

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that we've got a really great employee assistance

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program that is available to them if they're

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covered under a health plan at any time

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to help, you know, with their

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mental health. It could be anything from problems

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of living every day into, you know, mild

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to moderate symptoms of depression or anxiety or

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other ways that stress might be impacting their

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lives. So it really does start with our

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team, and we wanna make sure that we're

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prioritizing

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them so they can be the most infect

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they can be the most effective,

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supports for our members.

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But the other, of course, key

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resource for our members are our providers.

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And we have we're fortunate in Pennsylvania

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and where UPMC

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works that we've got fantastic

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mental health treatment providers.

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But our goal is really to broaden this,

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and we wanna think not just about a

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single front door for mental health. We want

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an entire

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health care neighborhood

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so that we can engage people whenever, wherever

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there's an opportunity

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to do so. So we do that through

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expanded

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trainings around things like integrated care. So we're

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working with our primary care partners

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and specialty

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non behavioral health providers

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to improve their rates of things like screening

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for depression, anxiety,

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suicide, and substance use disorder.

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That improves our ability to identify folks that

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may have unmet or undermet

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mental health needs and follow-up with them so

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that we can get them into treatment or

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supports or just give them information about mental

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health.

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And then finally, that third level is

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or at the community level. So

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simply put, we can't do this alone. No

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one in health care can. We need

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everyone,

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engaged in this

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from everything from identifying somebody who might be

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struggling out there in the community that hasn't

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yet come to the attention of the health

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care system,

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to folks that are gonna be following up

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with people once they perhaps leave care.

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And vast majority of people spend their lives

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not in a doctor's office,

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not in, an inpatient

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psychiatric facility or in a drug and alcohol

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rehab facility. They spend it out in their

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communities, at their jobs, with their families,

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in their places of worship, or

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playing baseball or softball. And so we've engaged

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with lots of non traditional stakeholders who are

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trusted ambassadors, trusted stakeholders within the community. One

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example is we're working with barbers and stylists

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who

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came to us and said, listen,

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a lot of people are talking to us

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about their mental health. They're telling us they're

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feeling depressed or anxious. They're even talking about

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things like suicide.

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We wanna know more about these mental health

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topics so that we can tell them how

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to get help. So we have a program

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where we call Our Hair, where we work

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with those barbers and stylists. We train them,

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we educate them,

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and they really become mental health

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ambassadors in their communities. And they can,

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not just do use techniques like motivational interviewing,

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to help support their clients,

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but in that theme of going from awareness

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to action, we also set up a concierge

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phone line so that they can then give

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that

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number right back to, their clients and help

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connect them to formal treatment resources if that's

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something the client's interested in. And this has

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been a really effective strategy. We've replicated it

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in a number of communities across Pennsylvania,

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and our evaluation research shows that not only

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do those barbers and stylists

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feel more empowered,

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and more educated to help their clients, but

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folks from that those communities end up accessing

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more mental health and substance use disorder treatment.

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So it's been a great technique for us

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to go,

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and kind of expand that whole neighborhood I

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was talking about earlier where we can engage

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folks around their mental health needs.

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Absolutely. And it's such a good reminder, Matt,

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that the that the mental health of your

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staff and your employees is just as important

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as the mental health of of the people

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that you serve and all the communities

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that UPMC operates in.

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If we're backing up for a second for

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our audience, can you expand for us on

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some of what you're seeing from from the

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perspective of one of the nation's largest integrated

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care delivery and financing systems? What are some

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of the most pressing needs in mental health

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right now in May of twenty twenty five?

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Yeah. Well, we've got a a lot of

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challenges. That's for sure. I mean, coming out

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of the pandemic, we have seen some alarming

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trends as it relates to suicide,

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particularly in some,

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certain demographics like, older white males.

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That continues to be a real struggle,

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for large segments of the population.

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And I would say also,

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children's mental health, if you kinda move to

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the other end of the life cycle continuum,

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is really a growing concern. And we've got

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things like social media playing a really outsized

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role

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in the social and emotional well-being,

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of our young people.

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And,

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a large portion of them, were deprived some

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of the social interaction opportunities

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during COVID lockdowns, etcetera,

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and just may not have,

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been equipped with the same,

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tools

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and opportunities

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to engage with,

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not only their peers, but also,

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with support systems

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at school or elsewhere. Excuse me. Around their

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emotional and and and social well-being and health.

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So we see in some of that, some

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trends related to,

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higher rates of depression,

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higher rates of anxiety,

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and in some communities, some elevated rates of

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self harm behavior.

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And so these are areas where,

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again, we need everyone at the table. So

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not just in our role as a health

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plan, but working closely with providers,

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particularly those that are engaging directly with, schools,

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with child welfare, with other services and supports,

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that really helped to wrap

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around the entire lives of young people. And

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then the third area, I think,

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is really around social isolation.

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So, we know from, the prior surgeon general's

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communications,

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just how important social isolation,

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and social connectedness

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in are in our overall health and well-being.

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And a lot of attention has been focused

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on the role of social isolation in older

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adults, and that's an area of significant concern,

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especially as,

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lifespans

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do increase.

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Older people are finding that more of their

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support structures and systems, their peers, their friends,

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their partners, or spouses

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may have passed away.

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And with people living

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in very in in less concentrated areas, they

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may not have immediate family nearby.

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But this issue really extends, again, across the

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life cycle.

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And helping people to understand the important role

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that social connectedness, meaningful social relationships

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is such an important,

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year long priority. But mental

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health awareness month really gives us a a

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unique opportunity,

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once a year to draw attention to this

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because it makes sense to people. That when

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folks are isolated, whether it's you yourself or

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somebody you care about,

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we often see it reflected in somebody's mood.

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So it's not something you need to have

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gone to graduate school to wrap your head

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around. It really does just make sense, and

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the solution is pretty obvious too. Pick up

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the phone, ask somebody out to lunch, maybe

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spend less time on the computer or behind

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a screen and and get out and engage

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with your community or or go for a

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walk with friends. Pretty simple solutions,

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but the data and evidence is

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quite compelling

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about how much that can help somebody's overall

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health and well-being.

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Absolutely. And I hear you loud and clear.

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And I wonder if if you have any

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advice to offer in terms of how can

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people be more empowered around their individual mental

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health, Matt? How can people get over that

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hump of taking that first step,

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toward towards bettering themselves?

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Yeah. Well, you know,

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so pun fully intended, but I I think

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sometimes we can get a little too much

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in our heads about all this mental health

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stuff. And and I I mean, we really

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don't need to overthink this.

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Most people who have mild to moderate symptoms

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can do a lot of things on their

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own right now to greatly improve their mental

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health. Things like improving their sleep, the quality

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and quantity of sleep,

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getting regular exercise,

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helping to have a better overall healthier diet,

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and as we talked about just moments ago,

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increasing the amount of meaningful, healthy social interactions

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and engagement.

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All of these things are evidence based interventions

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that help your mental health, but you don't

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need a prescription. There's usually no co pay,

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and there's no known side effects to any

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of them. They tend to be low cost

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or free as well.

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So it really does check all the boxes

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for a great intervention.

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And there's loads of resources. So at UPMC,

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if you're a member of our health plan,

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we have all sorts of resources on our

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website,

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where members can go and learn about the

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kinds of exercises,

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some of which are, you know, more aerobic

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exercises like running and weightlifting, but also simple

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things like yoga,

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mindfulness meditation,

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deep breathing, etcetera, all of which can be

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really helpful. And same goes for things like,

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diet and nutrition and, and how to improve

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your overall sleep. Limit your caffeine, limit your

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use of alcohol,

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and eliminate,

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illicit drug use. All of those things,

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are not just healthy in and of themselves,

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but they can improve your sleep, which can

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improve your overall health.

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So this some of this stuff,

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can be hard because it's habit changing and

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habit forming.

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So it falls under category of it's simple,

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but not necessarily easy.

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But that really beats complex,

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and hard.

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So, good news here, lots of tools available

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to people,

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to kinda find the motivation.

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And once again, Mental Health Awareness Month, great

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opportunity for you to do a mental health

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check-in for yourself.

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Find out how you're doing. Really ask yourself

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candidly and honestly, how am I feeling? Do

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I have more good days than bad days?

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And educate yourself about some of the things

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you can do. And then finally, I would

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just say,

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do and think about

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mental health as you would any other health

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concern in somebody you care about. So if

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you saw that somebody was coughing or lip

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sick or had a new limp, you you

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wouldn't think twice about reaching out,

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or commenting and saying, hey. Are you feeling

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alright? You know, I noticed,

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you got this new cough or you're walking

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differently. We should be doing the same thing.

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When we notice people aren't showing up for

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work or they don't seem to be enjoying

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00:15:10,355 --> 00:15:13,049
activities as much as they used to, We

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00:15:13,049 --> 00:15:14,350
need to be able to say,

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hey. How are you feeling? And

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that helps really normalize,

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that mental health is a part of everyday

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health. And it also sends a really important

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signal that you are you care enough about

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this person

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to ask them what they're going through and

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what they're feeling. And then

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be educated and be prepared to come up

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with some of these,

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suggestions

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about how they can,

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address some concerns. And, of course, if at

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any time somebody's in mental health crisis, is

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having thoughts about hurting themselves or anyone else,

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obviously,

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you wanna get emergency help, whether that's by

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calling 911 or taking them to a health

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care facility.

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But fortunately for most people, those are not

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usually what's the driving effect. It's usually something

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that they're worried about,

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or they're feeling down about. And just showing

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that you care enough to ask about it

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is oftentimes the first step in helping to

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empower them

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to get their mental health into a better

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place.

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00:16:13,500 --> 00:16:15,500
Well, it's all really great advice, Matt. And

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and before we go, that's the last question

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00:16:17,419 --> 00:16:19,019
I would extend to you as well is,

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00:16:19,019 --> 00:16:20,779
do you have any any more advice or

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00:16:20,779 --> 00:16:23,205
any final thoughts for the health plan leaders

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00:16:23,205 --> 00:16:26,345
listening in also looking to improve their members'

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00:16:26,404 --> 00:16:27,144
mental health

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00:16:27,684 --> 00:16:29,065
outcomes moving forward?

440
00:16:29,764 --> 00:16:31,285
Well, I would just encourage all of us

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00:16:31,285 --> 00:16:33,384
to not think of mental health as something

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00:16:33,605 --> 00:16:36,500
separate. It shouldn't be carved out. It shouldn't

443
00:16:36,500 --> 00:16:38,040
be in its own silo.

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00:16:38,580 --> 00:16:40,840
The head and the body are connected,

445
00:16:41,379 --> 00:16:44,100
and the same is true about our health

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00:16:44,100 --> 00:16:46,340
care. So the more we think about this

447
00:16:46,340 --> 00:16:48,764
in a holistic manner, the better we can

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00:16:48,764 --> 00:16:50,225
do, not just to improve people's

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00:16:50,605 --> 00:16:52,924
mental health, but also think about all of

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00:16:52,924 --> 00:16:55,004
those chronic conditions that we're dealing with as

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00:16:55,004 --> 00:16:55,985
health care providers

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00:16:56,444 --> 00:16:59,024
day in and day out. All of them

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00:16:59,164 --> 00:17:02,144
can be improved in terms of their overall

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00:17:02,740 --> 00:17:05,460
outcomes if people are in a better place

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00:17:05,460 --> 00:17:06,599
with their mental health.

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00:17:07,299 --> 00:17:09,380
Fantastic. Well, doctor Hereford, thank you so much

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for taking the time to sit down with

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00:17:10,900 --> 00:17:12,420
us and for sharing your insights with our

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00:17:12,420 --> 00:17:15,059
listeners. We really appreciate it. Thank you, Jacob,

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00:17:15,059 --> 00:17:18,005
and, happy mental health awareness month. Yeah. Absolutely.

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00:17:18,545 --> 00:17:20,625
If you'd like to listen to more podcasts

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00:17:20,625 --> 00:17:24,085
from Becker's HealthCare, you can visit beckershospitalreview.com.