• You're Invited: Mental Health First Aid Training Coming in March
• Participant Communications: Wespath Update for HealthFlex Participants
• More Information to Come About At-home COVID Tests
• Participant Communications: Well-Being Brochure
• Two Truths and a Lie: A Refresher on New HealthFlex Resources
• HealthFlex Well-Being Documents Updated for 2022

You're Invited: Mental Health First Aid Training Coming in March

We are excited to announce that you can now register for the Mental Health First Aid virtual training sessions on March 10 and 24—and we invite you all to attend. The Mental Health First Aid sessions are offered at no cost and will teach attendees how to identify and understand mental health challenges with empathy, and without judgment.

Here are a few things you should know about Mental Health First Aid:

• While these training sessions were developed in response to the 2021 Clergy Well-Being Survey, they are not just for clergy and you do not need to be covered by HealthFlex to register. Anyone connected with the United Methodist Church (UMC) is invited to attend. Members of UMC congregations, lay employees of the Church and clergy will all find value in the Mental Health First Aid sessions, and we hope this can be a step in improving UMC culture when it comes to supporting those with mental health concerns.
• We would really appreciate your help in promoting the Mental Health First Aid training sessions. Wespath is developing a robust marketing campaign for these training sessions; however, we know we won't be successful without your assistance. You can reach different audiences than Wespath and your endorsement would mean a lot. Please be on the lookout for a media toolkit in an upcoming HealthFlex Express, but in the meantime feel free to share the URL for the Mental Health First Aid website: wespath.org/r/mentalhealthfirstaid
• After the March training sessions, Wespath plans to host more in-depth Mental Health First Aid workshops for a limited number of individuals. The goal is for each UMC conference and HealthFlex Plan Sponsor to have one or two employees attend the workshops. Upon completion of this additional training, these individuals would become mental health champions within their organization. If you know of anyone who is especially interested in emotional well-being and mental health, please encourage that person to contact Wespath Well-Being Manager Jodi Benacka at jbenacka@wespath.org to be considered for this supplemental training. The additional Mental Health First Aid workshops have not yet been promoted to participants and details are still being worked out.

Participant Communications: Wespath Update for HealthFlex Participants

The new edition of the Wespath Update is scheduled to be e-mailed to HealthFlex participants on January 18 and it will be loaded with timely information. In addition to introducing Mental Health First Aid, the e-mail will include:

• An update on both the COVID-19 public health emergency period and the temporary rule that allowed HealthFlex HSA plans (and other high deductible plans) to cover all telehealth at 100% regardless of the reason for the appointment through 2021. Please note that this rule has not yet been extended, though we continue to have reason to believe that it may be. If it is not extended, individuals in HSA plans who access telemedicine services through MDLIVE in 2022 may be subject to normal cost-sharing rules to avoid jeopardizing the tax-free nature of their HSA contributions. We are working with MDLIVE to identify the potentially impacted individuals and communicate to them accordingly.
• A reminder of the temporary flexible spending account (FSA) rules that were introduced in response to COVID-19.
• An introduction to MDLIVE® Behavioral Health.

More Information to Come About At-home COVID Tests

As many of you likely saw in the news, the Biden administration will require group health plans "to cover up to eight home COVID-19 tests per month for people on their plans," according to the Associated Press.

The announcement was made January 10 and is set to go into effect January 15.

HealthFlex will comply with this requirement and is communicating with vendor partners to determine the most efficient and cost-effective way to do so. We will share those details with you and HealthFlex participants as soon as we are able.

Participant Communications: Well-Being Brochure

Beginning with the well-being tri-fold brochure that is scheduled to arrive in mailboxes soon, Wespath will use its well-being communications to highlight five areas of wellness that we know HealthFlex participants need assistance with.

The five areas of focus are emotional well-being, physical well-being, improved diet, improved sleep and living healthy with chronic conditions. These five topics were chosen based on data collected from the Blueprint for Wellness®, Health Check and 2021 Clergy Well-Being Survey.

The tri-fold brochure includes a breakdown of all the well-being programs that can help with each area of focus. There's also a QR code that links to videos which demonstrate how to use each well-being program.

The brochure is scheduled to be mailed out on January 17.

Two Truths and a Lie: A Refresher on New HealthFlex Resources

In recent months, Wespath has introduced several new programs and resources for HealthFlex participants designed to assist with emotional well-being. Despite our best efforts to communicate each new tool's unique features, we understand that there could be some confusion about when to use each resource. After all, Talkspace and MDLIVE Behavioral Health both allow participants to conduct a video call with a therapist or psychiatrist. To provide you with a refresher on the new programs, a quick (and hopefully fun) game of two truths and a lie follows. The "lies" are explained at the end.

Talkspace

1. Participants can connect with a licensed therapist via text message.
2. Participants access Talkspace through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) so they can text with a Talkspace therapist for eight weeks at no cost.
3. After eight weeks, Talkspace is an in-network provider for both Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) and UnitedHealthcare (UHC).

MDLIVE Behavioral Health

1. Video or phone visits can be scheduled, on average, in seven days or less.
2. Participants must be at least 18 to meet with a licensed therapist or a board-certified psychiatrist via video.
3. Participants who already have an MDLIVE account can use their account information to sign in.

Mental Health First Aid

1. The two virtual webinars will teach attendees how to identify and understand mental health challenges with empathy, and without judgment.
2. To attend, you must be a HealthFlex participant.
3. In addition to learning to help others, attendees will learn how to accept and understand their own mental health needs, without embarrassment or shame.

How did you do? Below are the "lies" in the statements above:

Talkspace, 3. Talkspace is an in-network provider for your behavioral health benefit with UHC, but not for BCBSIL.

MDLIVE Behavioral Health, 2. MDLIVE Behavioral Health provides help and support for children ages 10 and up.

Mental Health First Aid, 2. Members of UMC congregations, lay employees of the Church and clergy are all welcome to attend.

HealthFlex Well-Being Documents Updated for 2022

Both the Well-Being FAQs and the "For Your Well-Being" brochure have been updated with 2022 information. The FAQs provide an in-depth look at the HealthFlex well-being programs, while the four-page brochure makes a nice introduction to the well-being programs for new hires.

---

Copyright © Wespath Benefits and Investments,
a general agency of The United Methodist Church
Share your suggestions and comments about HealthFlex Express