October 10th marks World Mental Health Day, and Protecting Americans’ Coverage Together (PACT) – a voice for employer health coverage – is reaffirming a commitment to support and enhance mental and behavioral health services for American workers and families.
With more than one in five adults living with a mental illness, Americans are all too familiar with this crisis and its impacts. That’s why employers have taken significant steps to improve access to mental health care for employees and their families. According to Business Group on Health’s 2026 Employer Health Care Strategy Survey, 73% of employers reported an increase in the mental health services used by their workforce, and another 17% anticipate an increase in the future. Additionally, a Mercer survey last year found nearly half of large employers provide digital or in-person resources to help manage stress and employers have worked with existing Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) to elevate care options.
Business leaders are emphasizing and investing in the profound benefits of mental health services for their workforces. The Cigna Group found that 30% of workers report experiencing anxiety, whether diagnosed or self-identified. Employers are addressing this issue because they know that what’s good for their workers is good for them. Mental health conditions are not just a personal health issue, but also a business one, associated with lower employee vitality, higher turnover rates, and increased health care costs. These aligned incentives are one reason satisfaction with quality employer coverage is so high.
Congress can also play a crucial role in supporting the growth and adoption of mental health resources. Last year, PACT, a coalition of business voices dedicated to strengthening employer-provided coverage, released three solutions to help improve mental health care in the U.S. These recommendations include:
- Expanding Access through Telehealth: The value of telehealth services cannot be ignored. Many Americans experience barriers to mental health care, such as geographical distance and workforce shortages. Members of PACT are seeking to cement telehealth access by making permanent several pandemic-era telehealth flexibilities, including waiving in-person requirements and removing restrictions on a provider’s ability to administer virtual care based on physical location.
- Strengthening the Mental Health Care Workforce: As demand for mental health services increase, a significant hurdle faced by many is the shortage of providers, particularly in underserved and rural areas. Under current conditions, this shortage is likely to worsen as many existing providers approach retirement age or experience burnout as demand for mental health services increases at an unprecedented rate. PACT acknowledges that to meaningfully address mental health challenges, it is critical to strengthen and grow the workforce of providers and non-clinical personnel who support patients.
- Better Integrating Mental and Physical Health Care: Providers, employers and patients have all acknowledged that mental, behavioral and physical health conditions are often interrelated. By better integrating care for mental and physical conditions, providers and insurers strengthen individuals’ overall health, make care more efficient for patients and reduce stigma around mental health conditions. A recent study found the adoption of the collaborative care model has grown since 2018, a positive sign that employer-provided plans are adapting to meet workforce needs.
American workers trust their places of work to provide robust health benefits. With this trust comes a great responsibility to provide robust mental health services and to expand these offerings as the needs of the workforce evolve. On Mental Health Day, employers recognize – and value – the role that mental health services provide to employees and their families.
The Protecting Americans' Coverage Together campaign is a coalition that includes the U.S Chamber of Commerce, Business Roundtable, Vermeer Corporation, the National Association of Manufacturers, and Council for Affordable Health Coverage. PACT represents leading employer voices focused on strengthening employer-provided coverage and protecting the benefits that American families depend on for their health.
