Health Benefits
A Message from
Dr. Van H. Dunn,
Chief Medical Officer Dear Members, In the Spring issue of For Your Benefit, I talked about the importance of catching up on medical checkups and screenings you may have put off during the pandemic.Whether you have a chronic condition or disease, or you’re generally in good health, staying up to date with checkups and screenings can help prevent serious illness or catch an issue before it becomes serious—so I hope you’ve made your appointments! Now I want to talk about protecting your mental health—which is just as important. Throughout the pandemic, you, our healthcare workers, have worked tirelessly, witnessing great suffering and grief, and all the while fearing for the health of your own families and yourselves. Too often, this meant putting the needs of your patients or residents above your own, taking little time for self-care.You are not alone: Recent research showed that many people have avoided seeking mental healthcare during the pandemic. And while the use of most healthcare services has returned to pre-pandemic levels, mental health services have been slower to rebound. This is occurring at the same time as more people are experiencing pandemic-related mental health issues, such as stress, depression and substance abuse. It doesn’t have to be this way. If you or a family member is struggling with feelings of helplessness, sadness or fear, you don’t have to “tough it out” alone or just hope that these feelings will go away on their own. Instead, I encourage you to contact a trained mental health professional—whether a psychiatrist, psychologist or therapist—who can prescribe appropriate treatment, including talk therapy, medication or both. If fear of visiting a health provider in person is preventing you from seeking help, you can connect with one virtually, by phone or video. If you need help finding a provider, our Member Assistance Program will work with you to find the care you need.
Van H. Dunn, MD Chief Medical Officer
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www.1199SEIUBenefits.org
Help Is Just a Call or Click Away Member Assistance Program: (646) 473-6900 Teladoc: 800 TELADOC (835-2362) Find an 1199SEIU Provider: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/Find-a-Provider National Alliance on Mental Illness: (800) 950-6264; www.NAMI.org
Have You Been Vaccinated Against COVID-19? Stress has also been shown to weaken the immune system, so it’s more important than ever to get vaccinated against COVID-19, if you haven’t already. Getting vaccinated can protect you and those around you from contracting the virus or becoming seriously ill. If you have questions about the vaccine, speak with your doctor. He or she knows your medical history and can help ease your concerns and answer any questions you may have.
