HealthCare Access Maryland is pleased to present a three-part Speaker Series, “Re-thinking Mental Health”, taking place virtually this spring.  

HCAM’s Speaker Series brings together health experts and top business leaders for engaging conversations on issues that impact employee and community health. Each event offers our supporters the opportunity to gather, connect, and gain insights into effective health and wellness practices for Maryland businesses.  

It’s been a year since the world’s “normal” has drastically shifted. HCAM recognizes the prevalence of mental health challenges and the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on mental health and the ways that people are accessing mental health care. Now more than ever, it’s critical to have conversations about mental health and the important role businesses must play in supporting their employee’s well-being. Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to filling the need for trusted information on national health issues, found that during the COVID-19 pandemic, four out of ten adults in the United States reported symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder. This is a significant increase compared to January through June 2019, when one out of ten adults reported these symptoms.* 

The three events in the “Re-thinking Mental Health” Series will address timely issues including caring for the mental health of essential workers, access to care in communities of color, and how businesses can support working parents and caregivers. “HCAM is pleased to host the second year of our Speakers Series and are especially delighted to be focusing on mental health. We believe in the power of conversation to reduce stigma around mental health and improve health equity,” Traci Kodeck, CEO of HCAM stated.  

The first installment in the Series, “Re-thinking Mental Health: Supporting Maryland’s Essential Workers”, will be held Wednesday, March 24th from 2:00-3:30pm. Register to attend here. 

Series events are presented without cost to participants. Donations are encouraged to support our programs as we continue our work to make Maryland healthier. 

Follow us on social media (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram) to stay up to date on HCAM events and programming. You can also sign up for our email list to receive invitations for all events. 

* https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/issue-brief/the-implications-of-covid-19-for-mental-health-and-substance-use/