MIBluesPerspectives Mental Health Toolkit

Amy Barczy

| 3 min read

Amy Barczy is a former brand journalist who authored content at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. Prior to her time at Blue Cross from 2019-2024, she was a statewide news reporter for MLive.com. She has a decade of storytelling experience in local news media markets including Lansing, Grand Rapids, Holland, Ann Arbor and Port Huron.

Young woman working on her laptop
Mental health has never been more important. With all the changes in our world due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s a stressful time. Wherever you are in your mental health journey, it’s never too late to prioritize self-care and seek help. A wealth of resources is available here on MIBluesPerspectives.com – all reviewed by doctors at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.
Mental Health During the Pandemic
While a sense of grief is to be expected as our daily routines have been disrupted, understand that continued isolation and social disruption could cause depression and other mental health issues to flare up.
Help is Available
Seeking help is the first step.
Virtual behavioral health care has expanded due to the pandemic – removing physical barriers to access.
Understand Your Health Plan Coverage
Finding help often starts by finding a provider in your health insurance network.
Members with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan insurance seeking help can find providers, including those participating in telehealth programs, by calling the BCBSM Behavioral Health Services phone number on the back of their member I.D. card. Blue Care Network members can call the number on the back of their insurance card, (800) 482-5982 24/7, and get referrals for providers conducting telehealth groups related to COVID-19. The call center clinical team will direct members with information and referrals. If you don’t have health coverage, there are resources available to help:
Solutions to Manage Stress and Anxiety
Prioritizing self-care can help you manage your stress and anxiety. Here are some ways to incorporate stress management techniques into your everyday life:
Mental Health at Home
Families with children are making difficult choices about how to approach school this year due to the pandemic.
Mental Health at Work
Employers are in a unique position to take a holistic approach to the health of their workers with supports that prioritize mental and physical health.
Learn More About Mental Health
There are many factors that affect our mental health, and much work to do to end the stigma about seeking help.
Photo credit: Nicola Katie

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

2 Comments

B
Blues Perspectives

Oct 27, 2020 at 5:12pm

Hi Colleen. We're sorry to hear that some of your employees are struggling. We appreciate you reaching out for help and searching for resources to better assist your employees. Are you looking to copy and paste the content within this post, including the hyperlinks to other posts? If so, you should be able to copy and paste the text directly into an email and all of the hyperlinks should remain active. We hope this helps! Thank you, Candice

C
Colleen Loc

Oct 27, 2020 at 1:14pm

I am an HR Manager, and our organization carries Blue Care Network. Is it possible to get some kind of electronic link to this information so that I e-mail to our employees? They are struggling. Thank you.

MI Blues Perspectives is sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, a nonprofit, independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association