David E. Smith, Executive Director
Illinois Family Institute
Letter to the Editor |Should Illinois legalize assisted-suicide?
Dear Editor,
Should Illinois legalize assisted-suicide? Some state senators think so. If allowed, vulnerable people who are sick, elderly, disabled, and those with mental illness and dementia will become targets.
As the father of a Downs Syndrome toddler, I am extremely alarmed by this proposal.
No one should be comfortable with promoting a cheaper, easier alternative to life’s struggles in order to ignore their responsibilities to people who need their help.
Canada’s law, with 79% support, was promoted as a last resort for the terminally ill. Support has plummeted to 30% because of the disregard toward vulnerable citizens such as anyone with an illness and those who are disabled.
Canadians facing homelessness and poverty are feeling compelled to end their lives rather than be a “burden” to society.
In 2023, 76.2% of Belgium euthanasia was administered to people with physical and psychological issues, including personality disorders, depression, and Alzheimer’s.
A Netherland law that took effect on February 1, 2024, allows parents to euthanize their children even if the child doesn’t want to be killed.
Proponents can call it “dignity,” but it is cruel and heartless to disregard human life.
If you agree, please let your state senator know.
David E. Smith, Executive Director
Illinois Family Institute
David E. Smith, Executive Director
Illinois Family Institute
Holidays are no time to talk turkey, avoiding stress and tension around the table
by Paul ArcoOSF Healthcare
Photo provided
Strive Trauma Recovery Center Manager
Photo:KrakenImages on Unsplash
Surround yourself with people who love and support you.
Many people will be grieving this holiday season. It could be the loss of a loved one or pet, a job, health issues or even the outcome of the election. “When it comes to losing your husband or somebody you know, give them grace, give them that space,” Yehling says. “Let them have a tear or two, and they'll be alright. Let them be.”
And limit your time on social media. Yehling says the best way to avoid overreacting to information you read is to think carefully about responding to posts that cause you angst. Turn off your notifications and reduce the amount of time you spend scrolling through Facebook or X, for example.
Yehling offers other tips to help people get through the upcoming holidays. Don’t over schedule yourself, limit your travel, keep a regular routine, including healthy eating and exercise. Other reminders are managing gift giving, don’t overindulge when it comes to food and alcohol and take time for yourself. Remember to take a needed break from the holiday madness by reading a book, listening to your favorite music, going for a long walk or just curling up for an afternoon nap.
Most importantly, surround yourself with people who love and support you.
“It’s about who is around you and how you interact,” Yehling adds. “What do you want to do? How do you want this to go? Oh, I want to have fun. Then have fun. Put that effort, put that focus into it.”
It’s time to talk about rural mental health challenges
In farming, you often have to work even when you're not feeling well. There are no options to call off or get substitutes when you need time off. The strong work ethic passed down from fathers to sons (and daughters in many cases) is admirable, but it can lead to medical issues if not managed properly.
Photo: Melissa Mayes/PEXELS
by Tim DitmanOSF Healthcare
Lea Anne Varble
The issues
Varble says stress and isolation are often experienced by people living in a rural setting, such as a farmer. There’s also a desire to be self-sufficient – a trope associated with farmers and other rural residents for decades.
“People living rurally often are independent. So, when stress comes, they want to handle it on their own,” Varble says.
Varble also knows the issues – stress, anxiety and even depression – of planting and harvest season.
“Hours and hours,” in the field, she says. “You’re expected to keep working even if you don’t feel well. Even if the stress is getting to you. You have to get up and do it again. Or at least that’s what your father before you did and his father before him.”
The work ethic can be admirable, but it can lead to medical issues if left unchecked.
And, the heads of some rural households are caring for two generations: their kids and their parents. School, chronic illnesses and advanced care planning are just more things to add to the to-do list. Varble adds that older adults in a rural setting are more likely to see themselves as a burden and choose to end their life.
Treatment
Varble says getting better starts simply with noticing the problem and talking about it with a trusted adult, like a friend, family member, faith leader or a medical professional.
The good news is that mental health professionals have made strides in this area, such as telemedicine and mobile health services. And society is more willing to talk about mental health. Farming magazines have articles on mental health, for example.
Other ways to help that Varble has picked up over the years:
- Get to know your neighbors and local organizations, like churches and businesses. Then, lean on them for help when the stress gets to be too much.
- Look into resources offered by state or federal agencies. In Illinois, where Varble works, the Family Farm Resource Initiative operates a 24/7 hotline and email.
“Individuals can receive support from trained professionals who understand the unique challenges faced by those in the agricultural sector,” the initiative website states. “The helpline offers specialized assistance, including mental health resources and agriculture-related support, ensuring that farm families have access to the help they need.”
- Health care professionals should encourage people with rural backgrounds to become therapists.
Unfortunately, mental health crisis hotline services found ineffective nationally
by Terri DeeIllinois News Connection
CHICAGO - Addressing mental illness in America is a source of continued debate and a new report outlined areas in need of change. The study detailed the role of response teams in a mental health episode. Andy Wade, executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness-Illinois, sees a need to strengthen the disconnection between the 988 system and the services and facilities supporting post-crisis recovery services. "The progress has been positive but we need more," Wade asserted. "The crisis system isn't just the phone call. It's also about having a safe and appropriate mental health response, even if that means someone coming out to the house." He called the system "a work in progress" and emphasized 988 operators should have the tools they need to make immediate handoffs to the right services. Wade acknowledged while law enforcement does a good job, there is often an overdependence on police officers who are not always the best responders. He is encouraged by Illinois legislators' commitment to the crisis system, and wants to continue the forward momentum on funding started by state lawmakers. The crisis system in Illinois allows people to use it regardless of their ability to pay, which the report highlights as a success. Angela Kimball, chief advocacy officer for the mental health advocacy organization Inseparable, said state lawmakers are the key to change. "Lawmakers across the country need to understand, one, what does the system look like? And two, what is their role in helping make this happen?" Kimball outlined. "There is no one entity, no one person, that can make a new crisis response system happen." She added the challenge for lawmakers is to navigate the complex emergency service regulations in place in order to create effective legislation. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed House Bill 2595 in 2021, requiring insurance companies to cover medically necessary mental health care services.
It is never too late to kick excessive drinking habits to the curb
Photo: Pavel Danilyuk/PEXELS
There’s no magic number of drinks to have on a night out that will make you immune to alcohol problems.
by Tim Ditman
OSF Healthcare
OSF Healthcare
URBANA - "Days of Our Lives" actor Cody Longo recently died of alcohol abuse, again raising awareness of the issue.
The dangers
How quickly can binge drinking turn problematic?
“Very easily,” says Andrew Zasada, MD, an internal medicine physician at OSF HealthCare.
Dr. Zasada says for women, binge drinking is defined as five or more drinks on one occasion, like a night out on the town that lasts three to four hours. For men, it’s 15 drinks. That takes into account the differences in how men’s and women’s bodies metabolize alcohol.
Dr. Zasada says the internal issues linked with excessive alcohol use can be devastating.
“It can cause brain dysfunction. It can cause liver disease and stomach ulcers,” Dr. Zasada says. “It’s just not a good thing. It can cause a wide variety of problems.”
Not to mention the outward symptoms like: acne, redness on your nose and palms and dry, wrinkled skin that makes you look older. And drinking during pregnancy can lead to a host of problems for the child, like facial abnormalities and developmental deficits.
“A lifetime of misery” for the little one, as Dr. Zasada puts it.
Safety, recovery
Just like there’s no magic way to prevent or cure a hangover, there’s no magic number of drinks to have on a night out that will make you immune to alcohol problems. But for Fourth of July revelers, Dr. Zasada has this advice: take it slow.
“If you’re an average size gentleman, probably a beer an hour is just about the max you can drink,” he says.
Dr. Zasada says are there many ways to help people who are drinking in excess. In the short term, such as during a party, call 911 if the person needs immediate medical attention. If they just need a break, take the person away from the clatter to rest. Take their car keys, and give them some water. A painkiller like Tylenol in appropriate doses can help with that hangover headache the next day.
Long term, a patient’s primary care provider can link them with resources to curb drinking, such as Alcoholics Anonymous or treatment centers. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism also has resources. And within OSF HealthCare’s footprint, Illinois and Michigan have phone numbers to call for behavioral health issues.
“If the person is trying to deny that they drink at all; if they are drinking alone when there is nobody else around; if they're trying to hide or cover up their drinking, those are all fairly serious warning signs that this person needs help,” Dr. Zasada says.
Dr. Zasada says it’s never too late to kick the habit of excessive drinking, but sooner is better.
“It's easier to mitigate any problems that have already occurred earlier, rather than wait for the problem to get very, very serious, very bad, and then quit,” he says. “Yeah, you'll get better. But you won't go back to what you were.”
That “getting better” looks like a lot of things.
“You might lose weight. You might lower your blood pressure. It may increase heart health,” Dr. Zasada says. “You'll think clearer. You'll sleep better.”
Guest Commentary | Getting shot at because you knocked on the wrong door is beyond insane
by Glenn Mollette, Guest Commentator
Knocking on doors is as American as apple pie. Politicians, sales persons, clergy, girl scouts, federal census workers, and the list goes on of persons and professions who have depended on knocking on doors.
When I was a child, I sold Grit newspapers. I needed to knock on a lot of doors to sell 20 papers which made me a cool $1. Serving churches for years, I have probably knocked on over a thousand plus doors to invite people to church. I’m so glad no one shot me.
The recent shooting of a 16-year-old teenager in Kansas City, mistakenly knocking on the wrong door, is beyond insane. The teenage boy was at the wrong house to pick up his brothers who were a block away. Who shoots through a door without reason unless the individual is crazy or on drugs or perhaps both? The problem is, we do have a severe mental illness epidemic in America and a drug crisis. Throw in America’s growing gun violence issues and therefore knocking on strange doors becomes a scary scenario.
I admit hearing someone knock on the door at dinner time is a bit aggravating. Usually for me, it’s a high school band member selling mulch to raise money for the band. Or, it’s someone raising money for another school project. You can’t be irritated with a 15-year-old kid is out trying to raise money for his school. Unless, you are crazy or on drugs. Then anything might tick you off. By all means, don’t be this person.
For the most part, more and more industrious people are relying on social media to try to gain new business. It’s true you can reach more people more efficiently via Internet advertising, social media and other media sources than by taking all day to knock on a few doors. If people want it, they will respond to your advertising.
People have rightfully withdrawn from knocking on doors because they are paranoid of disturbing someone’s favorite television program, meal or nap. This is never a good environment for making a sale or making a friend.
Maybe the day of selling magazine subscriptions, brushes, vacuum cleaners, and stuff like that door-to-door is in the past. Do any ministers ever knock on your door and invite you to church?
If someone does knock on your door, don’t immediately invite them into your house. They should have a picture identification badge for you to see. They also should talk to you about a future appointment when you can make time for the pitch. In addition, they should present you with some information containing a phone number so you can call them if you have further interest. You can always say “no thank you,” and shut your door. If you have a chain lock on your door or a glass locked door you can talk through then you are even better off.
Give consideration to the hard work some people put into knocking on doors. Give careful consideration to how you answer the door.
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Knocking on doors is as American as apple pie. Politicians, sales persons, clergy, girl scouts, federal census workers, and the list goes on of persons and professions who have depended on knocking on doors.
When I was a child, I sold Grit newspapers. I needed to knock on a lot of doors to sell 20 papers which made me a cool $1. Serving churches for years, I have probably knocked on over a thousand plus doors to invite people to church. I’m so glad no one shot me.
The recent shooting of a 16-year-old teenager in Kansas City, mistakenly knocking on the wrong door, is beyond insane. The teenage boy was at the wrong house to pick up his brothers who were a block away. Who shoots through a door without reason unless the individual is crazy or on drugs or perhaps both? The problem is, we do have a severe mental illness epidemic in America and a drug crisis. Throw in America’s growing gun violence issues and therefore knocking on strange doors becomes a scary scenario.
I admit hearing someone knock on the door at dinner time is a bit aggravating. Usually for me, it’s a high school band member selling mulch to raise money for the band. Or, it’s someone raising money for another school project. You can’t be irritated with a 15-year-old kid is out trying to raise money for his school. Unless, you are crazy or on drugs. Then anything might tick you off. By all means, don’t be this person.
For the most part, more and more industrious people are relying on social media to try to gain new business. It’s true you can reach more people more efficiently via Internet advertising, social media and other media sources than by taking all day to knock on a few doors. If people want it, they will respond to your advertising.
People have rightfully withdrawn from knocking on doors because they are paranoid of disturbing someone’s favorite television program, meal or nap. This is never a good environment for making a sale or making a friend.
Maybe the day of selling magazine subscriptions, brushes, vacuum cleaners, and stuff like that door-to-door is in the past. Do any ministers ever knock on your door and invite you to church?
If someone does knock on your door, don’t immediately invite them into your house. They should have a picture identification badge for you to see. They also should talk to you about a future appointment when you can make time for the pitch. In addition, they should present you with some information containing a phone number so you can call them if you have further interest. You can always say “no thank you,” and shut your door. If you have a chain lock on your door or a glass locked door you can talk through then you are even better off.
Give consideration to the hard work some people put into knocking on doors. Give careful consideration to how you answer the door.
Dr. Glenn Mollette is a syndicated American columnist and author of Grandpa's Store, American Issues, and ten other books. He is read in all 50 states. The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily representative of any other group or organization.
This article is the sole opinions of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of The Sentinel. We welcome comments and views from our readers. Submit your letters to the editor or commentary on a current event 24/7 to editor@oursentinel.com.
Guest Commentary | Rolling with the punches, turns & twist of life
by Glenn Mollette, Guest Commentator
Throughout the years, many of us watched Barbara Walters from NBC to ABC. I always tried to watch her special interviews. Often, the people she interviewed on primetime television specials were “the” high profile people at that given time. She became the highest paid journalist of her day being the first to sign a million-dollar contract with ABC.
Regardless of what we do in life we are still confronted by difficulties that often debilitate us. Walters had survived her own personal struggles, like we all do, including four divorces. Unfortunately, her reported battle with dementia took its toll on her health. We can all accomplish much in life. Maybe not as much as Walters or maybe even more. Regardless, there is much about life we can’t do anything about other than try to deal with it and do the best we can.
At least 37 people died from the recent winter storm in Buffalo, New York. Families are grieving. Hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, freezing temperatures, and snow have wreaked devastation on our country in the last twelve months. Loss of life can come from disease, weather, accidents or unconscionably by design.
We all have been horrified by the death of four college students in Moscow, Idaho. It’s been beyond us how four beautiful people could be stabbed to death in their beds reportedly between 3:00 and 4:00 in the morning. A young man who is a student at nearby Washington State University on the Pullman campus has been arrested at his parents’ house in Albrightsville, Pennsylvania. Moscow police believe they now have the murderer in custody.
How anyone could commit such a heinous crime is beyond our comprehension. I’m sure it was beyond the scope of thought for these innocent young adults. We never know who is taking note of our lives, whereabouts and activities. Regardless of how calm and safe your community seems you can’t take anything for granted. Lock your doors. Lock your bedroom door. Keep your handgun on your lampstand and try your best to create an environment that protects you as much as possible. With so many people sleeping in the rental house in Moscow, I’m sure these young college students felt safe. What appeared to be safe for them became an opportunity for an evil mind.
Typically, the attacker has the element of surprise on his side. It’s always best to try to think ahead. Sadly, four Idaho University students were killed by someone who planned, plotted, and was patient enough to find the right moment to carry out the murders.
Accepting and dealing with what we cannot change is one thing. Preparing for life but rolling with the punches, the turns, and twists, is another. Being watchful, careful, and never taking anything for granted could make the difference between life and death
Pray for these families and all the many friends and loved ones as they grieve and suffer from such devastating loss.
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Throughout the years, many of us watched Barbara Walters from NBC to ABC. I always tried to watch her special interviews. Often, the people she interviewed on primetime television specials were “the” high profile people at that given time. She became the highest paid journalist of her day being the first to sign a million-dollar contract with ABC.
Regardless of what we do in life we are still confronted by difficulties that often debilitate us. Walters had survived her own personal struggles, like we all do, including four divorces. Unfortunately, her reported battle with dementia took its toll on her health. We can all accomplish much in life. Maybe not as much as Walters or maybe even more. Regardless, there is much about life we can’t do anything about other than try to deal with it and do the best we can.
At least 37 people died from the recent winter storm in Buffalo, New York. Families are grieving. Hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, freezing temperatures, and snow have wreaked devastation on our country in the last twelve months. Loss of life can come from disease, weather, accidents or unconscionably by design.
We all have been horrified by the death of four college students in Moscow, Idaho. It’s been beyond us how four beautiful people could be stabbed to death in their beds reportedly between 3:00 and 4:00 in the morning. A young man who is a student at nearby Washington State University on the Pullman campus has been arrested at his parents’ house in Albrightsville, Pennsylvania. Moscow police believe they now have the murderer in custody.
How anyone could commit such a heinous crime is beyond our comprehension. I’m sure it was beyond the scope of thought for these innocent young adults. We never know who is taking note of our lives, whereabouts and activities. Regardless of how calm and safe your community seems you can’t take anything for granted. Lock your doors. Lock your bedroom door. Keep your handgun on your lampstand and try your best to create an environment that protects you as much as possible. With so many people sleeping in the rental house in Moscow, I’m sure these young college students felt safe. What appeared to be safe for them became an opportunity for an evil mind.
Typically, the attacker has the element of surprise on his side. It’s always best to try to think ahead. Sadly, four Idaho University students were killed by someone who planned, plotted, and was patient enough to find the right moment to carry out the murders.
Accepting and dealing with what we cannot change is one thing. Preparing for life but rolling with the punches, the turns, and twists, is another. Being watchful, careful, and never taking anything for granted could make the difference between life and death
Pray for these families and all the many friends and loved ones as they grieve and suffer from such devastating loss.
Dr. Glenn Mollette is a syndicated American columnist and author of Grandpa's Store, American Issues, and ten other books. He is read in all 50 states. The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily representative of any other group or organization.
This article is the sole opinions of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of The Sentinel. We welcome comments and views from our readers. Submit your letters to the editor or commentary on a current event 24/7 to editor@oursentinel.com.
Guest Commentary: This has to stop. Will it ever?
by Glenn Mollette, Guest Commentator
We are unfortunately informed once again of another horrific, senseless school shooting. They don’t stop. When will the next one be? Who will be the next shooter and who will be the next unsuspecting victims?
Once again, American kids go to school to pursue education and American life but are murdered by a classmate while walking the hallway or sitting in a class. This has to stop. Will it ever?
According to news reports, on November 30, 2021, Ethan Crumbley, a fifteen-year-old, took the lives of four schoolmates and injured seven others at Oxford High School, a Detroit, Michigan suburb.
Crumbley has once again reminded us of the horrific outcomes of mental illness and the importance of parents, teachers, churches and communities working together to protect each other.
According to news reports, the Oxford school was alerted to Crumbley’s disturbing social media posts, drawings depicting violence, and other actions that had called for his parents to come to the school for a serious talk about their child. Reports of the parents buying a semi-automatic weapon for their son’s Christmas present and taking him to a shooting range for practice is revealing their denial of, as well their failure to address, their son’s problems.
My dad gave me some shotgun lessons when I was growing up. I was turned loose in the hills of Appalachia to hunt for squirrels at the age of 12 with a hunting license. Parents teaching their children to shoot a weapon and hunt are as old as our nation. However, parents should never provide their children access to guns when there are obvious warnings of mental illness.
Past school shooters have talked about being bullied by classmates or not fitting into any of the school social groups. Rejection, being bullied, failure to make the school team or feeling outright mistreated makes anyone feel bad, dejected and disappointed. Such feelings should be a push to any of us to look at ourselves to see how we either must adjust, change, work harder, problem solve as to what is happening or even find a different school or community in which to live. Hurting others never resolves anything and only increases our pain, darkness and sentences the rest of our lives to prison or regret of how we handled our feelings.
School can be a difficult life learning ground. What we face in the local school often is only preparing us for what we may face at the office, the factory, the workplace and the neighborhood. Throughout life we know everyone is not going to like us, accept us, applaud us or even try to get along with us. There are always people who don’t like us. However, there are people who will affirm, support, and befriend us. Sometimes it just takes a while to find those communities, houses of faith, social groups, and others with whom we can emotionally connect.
The Ethan Crumbleys of the world are sad, scary and wreak destruction. They need help now. His life and many other lives are forever destroyed. Apparently, his parents were living in some sort of disconnected denial of what their son was really about to do to himself, them and many others.
Schools and work places must have all authority to protect themselves quickly. Oxford school officials were alarmed by some of his actions. They were trying to work with the parents. Looking back, he should have been escorted out of the school and barred from its grounds until a professional counselor had given written permission for his return. I know, hindsight is always 20/20.
Sadly, for those who are now dead, it’s too late. Maybe the other Ethan Crumbleys can be stopped today, right now, before it’s too late.
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We are unfortunately informed once again of another horrific, senseless school shooting. They don’t stop. When will the next one be? Who will be the next shooter and who will be the next unsuspecting victims?
Once again, American kids go to school to pursue education and American life but are murdered by a classmate while walking the hallway or sitting in a class. This has to stop. Will it ever?
According to news reports, on November 30, 2021, Ethan Crumbley, a fifteen-year-old, took the lives of four schoolmates and injured seven others at Oxford High School, a Detroit, Michigan suburb.
Crumbley has once again reminded us of the horrific outcomes of mental illness and the importance of parents, teachers, churches and communities working together to protect each other.
According to news reports, the Oxford school was alerted to Crumbley’s disturbing social media posts, drawings depicting violence, and other actions that had called for his parents to come to the school for a serious talk about their child. Reports of the parents buying a semi-automatic weapon for their son’s Christmas present and taking him to a shooting range for practice is revealing their denial of, as well their failure to address, their son’s problems.
My dad gave me some shotgun lessons when I was growing up. I was turned loose in the hills of Appalachia to hunt for squirrels at the age of 12 with a hunting license. Parents teaching their children to shoot a weapon and hunt are as old as our nation. However, parents should never provide their children access to guns when there are obvious warnings of mental illness.
Past school shooters have talked about being bullied by classmates or not fitting into any of the school social groups. Rejection, being bullied, failure to make the school team or feeling outright mistreated makes anyone feel bad, dejected and disappointed. Such feelings should be a push to any of us to look at ourselves to see how we either must adjust, change, work harder, problem solve as to what is happening or even find a different school or community in which to live. Hurting others never resolves anything and only increases our pain, darkness and sentences the rest of our lives to prison or regret of how we handled our feelings.
School can be a difficult life learning ground. What we face in the local school often is only preparing us for what we may face at the office, the factory, the workplace and the neighborhood. Throughout life we know everyone is not going to like us, accept us, applaud us or even try to get along with us. There are always people who don’t like us. However, there are people who will affirm, support, and befriend us. Sometimes it just takes a while to find those communities, houses of faith, social groups, and others with whom we can emotionally connect.
The Ethan Crumbleys of the world are sad, scary and wreak destruction. They need help now. His life and many other lives are forever destroyed. Apparently, his parents were living in some sort of disconnected denial of what their son was really about to do to himself, them and many others.
Schools and work places must have all authority to protect themselves quickly. Oxford school officials were alarmed by some of his actions. They were trying to work with the parents. Looking back, he should have been escorted out of the school and barred from its grounds until a professional counselor had given written permission for his return. I know, hindsight is always 20/20.
Sadly, for those who are now dead, it’s too late. Maybe the other Ethan Crumbleys can be stopped today, right now, before it’s too late.
Dr. Glenn Mollette is a syndicated American columnist and author of American Issues, Every American Has An Opinion and ten other books. He is read in all 50 states. The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily representative of any other group or organization.
This article is the sole opinions of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of The Sentinel. We welcome comments and views from our readers. Submit your letters to the editor or commentary on a current event 24/7 to editor@oursentinel.com.
With more workers struggling with the pandemic’s aftermath, employers begin to expand mental health benefits
Photo: Farah/Burst
by Michelle Andrews
Kaiser Health News
Kaiser Health News
As the covid-19 pandemic burns through its second year, the path forward for
American workers remains unsettled, with many continuing to work from home
while policies for maintaining a safe workplace evolve. In its
2021 Employer Health Benefits Survey, released Wednesday, KFF found that many employers have ramped up mental
health and other benefits to provide support for their workers during
uncertain times.
Meanwhile, the proportion of employers offering health insurance to their workers remained steady, and increases for health insurance premiums and out-of-pocket health expenses were moderate, in line with the rise in pay. Deductibles were largely unchanged from the previous two years.
“With the pandemic, I’m not sure that employers wanted to make big changes in their plans, because so many other things were disrupted,” said Gary Claxton, a senior vice president at KFF and director of the Health Care Marketplace Project. (KHN is an editorially independent program of the foundation.)
Reaching out to a dispersed workforce is also a challenge, with on-site activities like employee benefits fairs curtailed or eliminated.
“It’s hard to even communicate changes right now,” Claxton said.
Many employers reported that since the pandemic started they’ve made changes to their mental health and substance use benefits. Nearly 1,700 nonfederal public and private companies completed the full survey.
At companies with at least 50 workers, 39% have made such changes, including:
- 31% that increased the ways employees can tap into mental health services, such as telemedicine.
- 16% that offered employee assistance programs or other new resources for mental health.
- 6% that expanded access to in-network mental health providers.
- 4% that reduced cost sharing for such visits.
- 3% that increased coverage for out-of-network services.
Workers are taking advantage of the services. Thirty-eight percent of the largest companies with 1,000 or more workers reported that their workers used more mental health services in 2021 than the year before, while 12% of companies with at least 50 workers said their workers upped their use of mental health services.
Thundermist Health Center is a federally qualified health center that serves three communities in Rhode Island. The center’s health plan offers employees an HMO and a preferred provider organization, and 227 workers are enrolled.
When the pandemic hit, the health plan reduced the copayments for behavioral health visits to zero from $30.
“We wanted to encourage people to get help who were feeling any stress or concerns,” said Cynthia Farrell, associate vice president for human resources at Thundermist.
Once the pandemic ends, if the health center adds a copayment again, it won’t be more than $15, she said.
The pandemic also changed the way many companies handled their wellness programs. More than half of those with at least 50 workers expanded these programs during the pandemic. The most common change? Expanding online counseling services, reported by 38% of companies with 50 to 199 workers and 58% of companies with 200 or more workers. Another popular change was expanding or changing existing wellness programs to meet the needs of people who are working from home, reported by 17% of the smaller companies and 34% of the larger companies that made changes.
Beefing up telemedicine services was a popular way for employers to make services easier to access for workers, who may have been working remotely or whose clinicians, including mental health professionals, may not have been seeing patients in person.
In 2021, 95% of employers offered at least some health care services through telemedicine, compared with 85% last year. These were often video appointments, but a growing number of companies allowed telemedicine visits by telephone or other communication modes, as well as expanded the number of services offered this way and the types of providers that can use them.
About 155 million people in the U.S. have employer-sponsored health care. The pandemic didn’t change the proportion of employers that offered coverage to their workers: It has remained mostly steady at 59% for the past decade. Size matters, however, and while 99% of companies with at least 200 workers offers health benefits, only 56% of those with fewer than 50 workers do so.
In 2021, average premiums for both family and single coverage rose 4%, to $22,221 for families and $7,739 for single coverage. Workers with family coverage contribute $5,969 toward their coverage, on average, while those with single coverage pay an average of $1,299.
The annual premium change was in line with workers’ wage growth of 5% and inflation of 1.9%. But during the past 10 years, average premium increases have substantially exceeded increases in wages and inflation.
Workers pay 17% of the premium for single coverage and 28% of that for family coverage, on average. The employer pays the rest.
Deductibles have remained steady in 2021. The average deductible for single coverage was $1,669, up 68% over the decade but not much different from the previous two years, when the deductible was $1,644 in 2020 and $1,655 in 2019.
Eighty-five percent of workers have a deductible now; 10 years ago, the figure was 74%.
Health care spending has slowed during the pandemic, as people delay or avoid care that isn’t essential. Half of large employers with at least 200 workers reported that health care use by workers was about what they expected in the most recent quarter. But nearly a third said that utilization has been below expectations, and 18% said it was above it, the survey found.
At Thundermist Health Center, fewer people sought out health care last year, so the self-funded health plan, which pays employee claims directly rather than using insurance for that purpose, fell below its expected spending, Farrell said.
That turned out to be good news for employees, whose contribution to their plan didn’t change.
“This year was the first year in a very long time that we didn’t have to change our rates,” Farrell said.
The survey was conducted between January and July 2021. It was published in the journal Health Affairs and KFF also released additional details in its full report.
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To the Editor: Focus on mental health year-round
Dear Editor,
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and it has probably never gotten as much public attention as it has this year. That’s both good and bad.
To address the stigma around mental health disorders, we must talk about them openly and honestly year-round. As the Rosecrance Central Illinois Executive Director, it has been refreshing to see mental health in the spotlight for a sustained period.
Unfortunately, I also know that is because many of us are struggling. Mental illness affects one in five adults and one in six youth in a normal year. With COVID-19, that number doubled for adults. The past 12 months have been particularly difficult for those who struggle because they had to adjust to isolation and care by phone or video.
It is tough to talk about something this sensitive, but maybe now is the best time any of us might have to ask how our loved ones truly are doing. Once you have that first conversation, don’t let it be a just a May thing, or wait until we’re reminded again during Recovery Month in September. Make relationship-building check-ins a part of your life every day. The more you connect, the brighter someone’s world becomes through the joy of real relationships.
If you’re a little nervous about speaking up, or if you’re struggling with mental health now, know that you’re not alone. Whatever your concerns, there are many resources available to help you find information, support groups, or treatment. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is one place to turn. The Illinois Department of Health Call 4 Calm text line (text “talk” to 552020) is another great
resource for emotional support. And, as always, caring Rosecrance Central Illinois staff would be delighted to talk with you or point you to valuable groups and resources.
Please remember that together we can help those who struggle with mental illness, and we can continue to work to end the stigma.
Life’s waiting.
Joey King, Central Illinois Executive Director
Rosecrance
To address the stigma around mental health disorders, we must talk about them openly and honestly year-round. As the Rosecrance Central Illinois Executive Director, it has been refreshing to see mental health in the spotlight for a sustained period.
Unfortunately, I also know that is because many of us are struggling. Mental illness affects one in five adults and one in six youth in a normal year. With COVID-19, that number doubled for adults. The past 12 months have been particularly difficult for those who struggle because they had to adjust to isolation and care by phone or video.
It is tough to talk about something this sensitive, but maybe now is the best time any of us might have to ask how our loved ones truly are doing. Once you have that first conversation, don’t let it be a just a May thing, or wait until we’re reminded again during Recovery Month in September. Make relationship-building check-ins a part of your life every day. The more you connect, the brighter someone’s world becomes through the joy of real relationships.
If you’re a little nervous about speaking up, or if you’re struggling with mental health now, know that you’re not alone. Whatever your concerns, there are many resources available to help you find information, support groups, or treatment. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is one place to turn. The Illinois Department of Health Call 4 Calm text line (text “talk” to 552020) is another great
resource for emotional support. And, as always, caring Rosecrance Central Illinois staff would be delighted to talk with you or point you to valuable groups and resources.
Please remember that together we can help those who struggle with mental illness, and we can continue to work to end the stigma.
Life’s waiting.
Joey King, Central Illinois Executive DirectorRosecrance
Filling time productively key to reducing loneliness
Photo: Cottonbro/Pexels
Bond set for the accused in St. Joseph murder, victims' identities are released
Judge Tom Difanis set bond for Jonathon Perry, accused of killing his girlfriend Kimberly Coyne, age 54, and her daughter Blair Coyne, age 24, at $2.5 million earlier today.
Perry, who is 28 years old, is being held responsible for shooting both women early Monday morning in the home they shared located just north of Interstate 74 at 1600 N. and CR2200E. He is charged with four counts for each victim for at total of eight.
The accused was located at his parent's home in Homer by the deputies after his mother contacted dispatchers around 4:15am. She made the call after her son made statements that raised her concern about the well-being of his girlfriend and her daughter.
Deputies were simultaneously dispatched to the Homer and St. Joseph. Kimberly's body was found in the home while Blair's was located face down in the driveway both with gunshot wounds yet to be disclosed investigators. Weapons were reportedly found near both of the deceased.
At the time of his arrest Perry was wearing multiple pairs of pants and had an empty gun holster in the leg of one pair. When questioned where the guns were, he said the guns were "with the Devil and the Anti-Christ".
Perry, who was released from prison in July 2016 after serving about four years of an an eight year sentence for residential burglary, is scheduled to be back in court on April 16 for a probable cause hearing.
ViewPoint | There are a few things our culture needs to admit
In 2016, there were 11,004 gun homicides in the United States. Additionally, 10,497 people were killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes. Why do leftists demonize guns but are silent when it comes to alcohol's role in DUI deaths?
Some big government types want new legislation severely restricting gun purchases. But it won't work.
Recently, a convicted felon walked into the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago and open fired with a rifle; another convicted felon with an extensive criminal history of weapons opened fire on Philadelphia police officers, wounding six; and a shooter, also a felon, killed a California Highway Patrol Officer.
Current gun laws did not stop these criminals who are already legally barred from possessing a firearm from using guns to attack others.
We should stop the feckless politicking and political correctness and admit that we have a cultural problem. We should look at the rise in secularization, family breakdown, drug abuse, mental illness, identity-politics and demand personal responsibility and accountability.
BTW - with the legalization of weed, the numbers of intoxicated drivers and deaths will certainly increase in the coming years, as will violence-related marijuana-induced psychosis.
Forgetting God and His ways have consequences.
Some big government types want new legislation severely restricting gun purchases. But it won't work.
Recently, a convicted felon walked into the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago and open fired with a rifle; another convicted felon with an extensive criminal history of weapons opened fire on Philadelphia police officers, wounding six; and a shooter, also a felon, killed a California Highway Patrol Officer.
Current gun laws did not stop these criminals who are already legally barred from possessing a firearm from using guns to attack others.
We should stop the feckless politicking and political correctness and admit that we have a cultural problem. We should look at the rise in secularization, family breakdown, drug abuse, mental illness, identity-politics and demand personal responsibility and accountability.
BTW - with the legalization of weed, the numbers of intoxicated drivers and deaths will certainly increase in the coming years, as will violence-related marijuana-induced psychosis.
Forgetting God and His ways have consequences.
David E. Smith, Executive Director
Illinois Family Institute
Tinley Park, IL
Illinois Family Institute
Tinley Park, IL
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