Behavioral health
starts with humankindness

Behavioral and mental health conditions affect one in five adults in the United States every year. Yet more than 115 million Americans live in an area with no access to a behavioral health professional. CommonSpirit Health is leveraging the power of humankindness to expand access to high-quality behavioral health services that promote emotional, psychological and social well-being.

Your support helps CommonSpirit expand programs that address the stigma around mental health challenges;
more quickly screen patients; and provide better opportunities for patients to see mental health professionals.
It doesn’t happen without your donor funds which launched telehealth services that enable pediatric doctors to
speak in real-time to psychiatrists when a maternal mental health issue occurs.

Health Equity for All

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, medical experts forecast an increasing need for behavioral health care across all communities. For vulnerable or underserved communities, seeking and getting care can be challenging due to the stigma of mental illness, lack of access to care, and prohibitive costs.

The highest rates of mental illness are found among Native Americans (28.3%) and African Americans (18.6%). However, BIPOC populations are less likely to seek help. In addition, Americans living below poverty are twice as likely to report feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness.

Lack of access to behavioral health services can have far-reaching consequences. Early intervention is critical. CommonSpirit Health is developing a more holistic model of care that integrates behavioral health within the full continuum of care. From the CommonSpirit Health Salon Series, which encourages conversations about behavioral health in an environment free from stigma and discrimination, to innovative approaches to opioid abuse treatment, we are developing programs that address the stigmas around mental health and provide more opportunities for people of color to see mental health professionals who can address their specific needs.