In the era of COVID-19, a lot of attention has been given to maintaining physical health. However, mental health challenges are as pressing a concern as physical health, particularly in today’s era of uncertainty and social isolation. Unfortunately, access to consistent and quality mental healthcare is not always easy to find. This article looks at…
By Missy Plohr-Memming, senior vice president, Group Benefits, MetLife Acting as a vital bridge between employers and individual contributors, a managers’ role has become even more critical over the last year and a half. Indeed, managers have not only stepped up to the challenge of navigating recent shifts in the workplace, but also meeting…
By Holly Devine Editor’s Note: Holly Devine grew up knowing how to advocate for herself and what she needed – as it related to being a person with a physical disability. But it wasn’t until she was working at her first job after college that she learned how to ask for support with a…
By Dan Jolivet Editor’s Note: Dan Jolivet’s very personal story about his experience with being a person with obsessive-compulsive disorder captured our collective attention immediately. This is a story everyone should read. Dan is honest and vulnerable, and you will gain perspective from Dan’s observations. [Note: The author’s representations here solely reflect his personal opinion…
Remote learning isn’t new. But, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, it became extremely prominent last year so children could continue to attend school. At one point during the pandemic, over 50 million children weren’t able to take classes in person. Some schools relied solely on platforms like Zoom to keep going. Others used their own…
By Fred Schott Editor’s Note: In this fourth installment in The Council for Disability Awareness’ research mini-series, Fred Schott reviews the state of American adults’ mental health during the last quarter of 2020. I’ve always been interested in the topic of mental health, but never has it been more interesting to follow than during the…
By Fred Schott Editor’s Note: This article is #2 in a multi-part series on research conducted by The Council for Disability Awareness prior to and throughout the pandemic. During April 2020, the U.S. Census Bureau, together with five federal agencies, launched an experimental survey “designed to deploy quickly and efficiently, collecting data to measure household experiences…
By Carol Harnett Editor’s Note: The Council for Disability Awareness – led by Fred Schott and its research committee – has closely monitored the impact of mental health on short-term, long-term, and individual disability claims for several years. Given the exponential increase in attention the pandemic and recent societal events brought to this topic, we…
As the effects of COVID-19 caused offices to close and send workers home, they lost access to many of the perks they might have relied on for comfort and well-being. Given that employees routinely say that benefits play a large role in their job satisfaction, this deficit can lead to a loss of productivity, especially…
By Cheryl Jones, Director of Mindfulness at Aetna As if the intensity of dealing with the coronavirus pandemic with its health and economic implications wasn’t enough, we now find ourselves in the midst of rising racial and political tensions. It feels as though our sanity and our humanity are at risk. I believe mindfulness (awareness that…
