EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn., May 7, 2004 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Today’s workers are more stressed than ever before. While some stress is natural, CIGNA Behavioral Health (CBH) call center data shows an increasing number of workers reaching out for help as they struggle to balance work and family life and manage ongoing concerns about national security, their financial future and other issues. In response, CBH has created an integrated approach that gives physicians, consumers and managers tools and information to better deal with stress.
“Knowledge is key to recognizing that you are suffering from stress and learning how to handle it better,” adds Jodi Aronson Prohofsky, Ph.D., LMFT, senior vice president of clinical operations for CBH. “That’s why we’re encouraging consumers to take our online ‘CBH Stress Test’ to see if they might be in need of support and find out what they can do to more effectively manage their stress.”
The eight-question “CBH Stress Test,” along with some helpful stress reduction tips, are available to the public at http://www.cignabehavioral.com/. CBH members can also take the test and then link to the company’s online counseling program or be referred to a professional for added help if needed.
Behavioral health problems, such as stress, anxiety and depression, account for more than 20 percent of all disability claims in the United States, according to the National Institute for Mental Health. Stress exacerbates existing physical conditions, such as heart disease or diabetes, complicates mental health conditions, and is linked to weight gain and other problems as well. Consumers are beginning to recognize the need to better manage stress and are accessing EAP and behavioral health information at a growing rate. As a result, CBH has created a three-pronged approach to deal with this behavioral health concern.
“Stress impacts every part of our lives. It can change our eating or exercise patterns, cloud how we relate to those closest around us, or inhibit our ability to successfully manage conflict,” states Keith Dixon, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of CBH. “Our integrated approach to stress management involves physicians, employers and consumers, helping ensure that our members have access to the most appropriate and effective behavioral health care and helping them learn to manage stress more successfully.”
To encourage behavioral change, CBH stress management tools include: -- Physician outreach - CBH has found that primary care physicians are often the initial “go-to” people for consumers with behavioral health concerns. As a result, the company has designed a program to strengthen primary care physicians’ knowledge of mental health issues and works with them to improve compliance with clinical guidelines for the care of stress, anxiety, depression and other concerns. -- Consumer education - Access to behavioral health information is available via the CBH Web site and through its customer call center. Unique to the industry, CBH offers its EAP and managed behavioral health members confidential online counseling and support for stress, anxiety and depression, three of the most common mental health concerns. The online counseling program, designed to complement face-to-face counseling or be used alone for stress, anxiety or depression support, is available 24/7 and is staffed by licensed behavioral health practitioners. -- Coach Approach for Managers - “The Coach Approach” is a unique program that offers professional coaching alongside an EAP as a means to change manager behavior and reduce the pressure workers might experience. “The Coach Approach” has already helped more than 100 managers around the country improve their employees’ job performance and alleviate stress and can be tailored to managers of all levels, from front-line supervisors to executives. Employers interested in learning more about “The Coach Approach” should contact CBH at (800) 637-1257.
CIGNA Behavioral Health (CBH), Inc., a subsidiary of CIGNA , provides behavioral care benefit management, EAPs, and work / life programs to consumers through health plans offered by large U.S. employers, national and regional HMOs, Taft-Hartley trusts and disability insurers. CBH, with headquarters in Eden Prairie, Minn., operates five care management centers around the U.S. in support of a national network of more than 47,000 independent psychiatrists, psychologists and clinical social workers and more than 4,000 facilities and clinics. For more information, visit http://www.cignabehavioral.com/.
CIGNA Behavioral Health, Inc.
Contact: Gwyn Dilday, CIGNA, +1-818-500-6370, gwyn.dilday@cigna.com
Web site: http://www.cigna.com/
Web site: http://www.cignabehavioral.com/
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