The Future of Behavioral Health : Innovating Across Sectors to Address the Global Crisis

The Global COVID-19 pandemic, its economic fallout, and the companion global confrontation with issues of social justice have together caused enormous strain on the mental and behavioral health of people across the globe. Everywhere, there have been spikes in anxiety, depression, and other behavioral health issues as people navigate the complexity of the current moment. These spike are extensions of a long-simmering crisis in global behavioral health. But change is coming. We have shared our overarching perspective on the Future of Health already, and the future of behavioral health is a critically important aspect of that overarching vision.

Today’s global challenges have made clear the need for players across the behavioral health landscape—including but not limited to both private and public insurers, care providers, employers, and government policymakers—to innovate to better serve the behavioral health needs of people across the world. Doing so could not only address a pressing social challenge but also improve health care outcomes; reduce health care costs; and create a healthier, happier, and more productive workforce.