This content is sponsored by CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield.
Behavioral health is a comprehensive term that serves as an umbrella encompassing a wide range of mental health and substance use-related issues.
Unlike traditional models that may compartmentalize physical health and mental well-being, the concept of behavioral health recognizes the interaction between one鈥檚 behaviors, emotions and overall health.
鈥淢ental health is something every one of us has to some degree or another,鈥� said Oleg Tarkovsky, the director of behavioral health services at CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (CareFirst), the largest not-for-profit health plan in the mid-Atlantic region.
鈥淚t鈥檚 our ability to deal with day-to-day ups and downs, and ultimately, for most people, it鈥檚 the ability to persevere through tough times,鈥� Tarkovsky added.
Mental illness, on the other hand, is a set of diagnostic criteria for which you can get diagnosed with a mental disorder, such as major depressive disorder, schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 important to define what we mean by the words behavioral health,鈥� Tarkovsky said. 鈥淥ften we use those words along with mental health and mental illness somewhat interchangeably, so I think it鈥檚 important to give some definition to those terms.鈥�
According to Tarkovsky, the state of behavioral health in the D.C. metro region is 鈥渇airly strong.鈥�
While there are extreme cases of mental health issues highlighted in news stories, those are often anomalies as opposed to a consistent pattern of behavior across the whole population.
鈥淚f you鈥檙e able to wake up in the morning and fulfill the obligations of your role every day, whether you鈥檙e a parent at work or a student at school, most people are doing relatively well,鈥� Tarkovsky said.
There are many contributing factors when it comes to the state of behavioral health.
Human beings are social animals, so a lot of what happens around society can potentially be viewed as a contributing factor.
鈥淵our family, your colleagues, your friends and what you see on television influences your life every day,鈥� Tarkovsky said. 鈥淵ou almost can think of it as being contagious, like when people around you are feeling down, you can鈥檛 help but to be sucked into that emotion.鈥�
Behavioral health barriers
There are a number of barriers that exist in communities nationwide that may stand in the way of individuals being able to access behavioral health services.
Stigma is a common barrier that is found in most places, including in the D.C. area.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the idea that we don鈥檛 want other people to know about our mental health because it makes us feel weak,鈥� Tarkovsky said. 鈥淚t makes us feel judged in some way, and nobody really likes that.鈥�
According to Tarkovsky, social stigma has decreased over the years, especially recently.
鈥淲e accept that people need to get their mental health addressed, especially if they have a diagnosable illness,鈥� Tarkovsky said. 鈥淭hat individual stigma where the person sort of judges themselves is still around, however.鈥�
Equity is another barrier.
Not everyone 鈥� depending on their race, gender or socioeconomic background 鈥� can access behavioral health treatment and services in the same way financially.
There is also transportation.
If the only therapist someone can find is 30 minutes away, and they don鈥檛 have a reliable way to get there, it鈥檚 going to be difficult.
鈥淐areFirst has thought a lot about these barriers, and we have tried to make it as easy and as accessible as possible for our members to get high quality behavioral health services.鈥� Tarkovsky said.
For example, CareFirst offers members telehealth appointments so they can see a provider using video technology without having to travel somewhere.
Additionally, there are specific populations who need a slightly different approach to their treatment, including kids, adolescents and people struggling with addiction disorders.
That鈥檚 why it鈥檚 critical to have specific programs staffed with the right clinicians to be able to address those disorders in those populations.
鈥淐areFirst, over the last several years, has been building both the network of those providers as well as different modalities in which our members can access those clinicians,鈥� Tarkovsky said.
Moving in to 2024, the field of psychology and psychiatry is continuing to grow rapidly.
Tarkovsky said he鈥檚 encouraged to see different technologies, medications and approaches being used in new and progressive ways.
鈥淎 lot of times in this field, it鈥檚 easy to take your eyes off the ball and have things roll back down the hill,鈥� Tarkovsky explained. 鈥淵ou have to constantly be vigilant about making sure that all of the services are of high quality and are delivered in an equitable and affordable way.鈥�
To see behavioral health resource available through CareFirst, visit .
