Your Mental Health Resources

The Pulse, November 2023

Mental health care is important during every stage of life. From childhood through adulthood, it affects how we think, act and feel. It can change over time depending on many factors like environment or stress.

We want to make sure you know about the support and resources you have through your health plan. Whether you want someone to talk to or are looking for help with medication, resources are available.

You have mental health benefits to get care for:

👉 alcohol or drug misuse

👉 anxiety

👉 depression

👉 eating disorders

👉 stress

👉 and more

Recognizing the Signs in Others

Family and friends don't always open up about their mental health. This can make it hard to know how and when to help them. If your spouse or children are on your health plan, they can also benefit from these mental health resources.

Self-harm, threatening to hurt or kill themselves or others, or making plans to give away personal items are apparent signs of distress. Here are some other signs to look out for:

Pulling away, not returning phone calls, repeatedly canceling plans or not showing up for social activities: This can be especially concerning if your loved one was very socially active and has become much less so.
Acting sad, withdrawn or indifferent for at least two weeks: Take note of constant crying or tiredness or an “I just don't care about anything" attitude.
Sudden panic, paranoia or overwhelming fear: Such feelings could be a sign of an anxiety disorder, especially if they come on for no apparent reason and are getting in the way of everyday activities.
Drastic changes to eating habits, including eating too much or not enough: Also, watch out for behaviors that could indicate an eating disorder, like binging, purging or using laxatives.
Severe mood swings: Everyone is affected by stress sometimes, but sudden or repeated outbursts that seem out of character can be a sign of a mental health issue. Be especially aware of drastic highs and lows or extreme bouts of anger.
Overuse of drugs or alcohol: Pay attention to over-intoxication, drinking at inappropriate times or overusing recreational or prescription drugs.
An inability to take care of basic tasks: Paying bills, grading papers and doing laundry are all examples of daily activities that can seem overwhelming to someone dealing with a mental health issue.
Extreme difficulty concentrating or staying still: This could be a sign of manic behavior or a neurological disorder like Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

If you're in danger of hurting yourself or someone else, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

TRS-ActiveCare & TRS-Care Standard Resources

Provider Finder®
Search for an in-network mental health provider. You can search by location, gender, specialty and more.

Teladoc™
Make a virtual mental health appointment for nonemergency mental health conditions with a licensed therapist, psychologist or psychiatrist. All TRS-ActiveCare Primary and All TRS-ActiveCare Primary+ participants pay $0 for mental health appointments.

Headway
Connect with an in-network mental health provider quickly and easily. You can even get same-day matching with providers who have openings within 48 hours.

Mental Health Personal Health Guide (PHG)
Get real-time help from specially trained PHGs who can help you find a provider or get help in a crisis. Be sure to request mental health help when you call 1-866-355-5999, available 24/7.

TRS-Care Standard Resources

Well onTarget®
Take self-guided courses or get one-on-one support from a credentialed health expert. These wellness coaches can help you with:

stress management
post-partum care
fitness and dietary habits that could affect your mental health

Learn to Live
Get matched with the right digital mental health program for the support you need for issues like:

stress, anxiety, worry
depression
insomnia and sleep problems
social anxiety
substance misuse

Learn more about your mental health resources.

You can also review your Benefits Booklet to review specific mental health benefits, such as inpatient services.

TRS-Care Medicare Resources

Mental Health Virtual Visits

Connect with a mental health professional using your computer, tablet or smartphone. Visit VirtualVisitsMentalHealth.uhc.com to select a health care provider. They can evaluate and treat conditions such as depression and anxiety, and address substance use concerns.

Optum Behavioral Health

Optum Behavioral Health includes more than 87,000 network providers offering inpatient and outpatient services, such as therapy, behavioral health assessment and medication management. To get started, call the behavioral health number on your member ID card or visit your member website and select “Find Care."

On-demand Self Care
Self Care from AbleTo gives you access to self-care techniques, coping tools, meditations and more — anytime, anywhere. With Self Care, you'll get personalized content to help you boost your mood and shift your perspectives. Tap into tools created by clinicians that are suggested for you based on your responses to a short, optional assessment. Self Care is here to help you feel better — and it's available at no additional cost to you. To get started, visit ableto.com/begin.

Questions? We're here to help.
Call UnitedHealthcare at 1-866-347-9507, TTY 711, 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. CT, Monday – Friday.