At Maven, mental health is core to our mission to empower women and families to take care and take on the world. For World Mental Health Day marked by the World Health Organization on October 10th, join us in helping to raise awareness, break stigmas, and improve access to compassionate, convenient mental health care that meets you where you are. Check in with yourself and with friends, family, neighbors, employees, and colleagues—today and more frequently.

Here are five (of many) reasons we have mental health at the center of our family benefits solutions.

1. Individuals want and need access to better, more convenient mental health care.

With more people speaking openly about mental health issues like anxiety and depression—important dialogue that we hope will only continue—more companies are recognizing the importance of providing access to mental health without out-of-pocket costs. 1 in 4 employees want more mental health support from their employer (according to the 2019 Business Group/Optum Well-being Survey).

2. When it comes to navigating any path to parenthood, mental health needs are especially critical—and often go untreated.

Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) are extremely common, affecting 1 in 7 women worldwide. According to the Seleni Institute, as many as 20% of new mothers in the United States suffer from anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or (more rarely) postpartum psychosis, either during or after pregnancy. And data shows that between 5-10% of new fathers experience depression.

But while these are extremely common, in a national survey that Maven conducted of 700 new mothers, 54% said that they were never even given the chance to discuss any mental health issues, as they were not screened during pre- and postnatal care. Through Maven, checking in on mental health is an important piece of care at any point in an individual’s journey—and we follow-through from screening to treatment. Our providers and Care Advocates ensure there is continuity of care on our platform so that a member has appointments with mental health providers when they need them.

3. Community matters: When it comes to mental health support, no one should ever feel alone.

Emotional support is often left out of healthcare provided to individuals on unique paths to parenthood which is why community is a key component of our programs that fill gaps in any path to parenthood—all on one platform. For instance, members share stories and connect with others who have experienced a miscarriage or are struggling through fertility treatments. And mental health support and community forums can make a difference for couples who are navigating adoption, especially as they experience long periods of waiting and uncertainty.

4. On-demand, virtual care breaks barriers to access.

Video and chat appointments with mental health providers any time, from the privacy of your own home or wherever you are, makes a huge difference when it comes to mental health—in terms of lowering costs, improving access, and saving time. Plus, more individuals are using virtual care generally: 74% of millennials prefer to see a doctor virtually whenever possible. We see this on Maven, as well: 1 in 3 members seek mental health support through our virtual clinic.

5. Maven’s model of coordinated, end-to-end care drives healthier outcomes and lowers costs.

Far too often in the traditional healthcare system, care delivery is fragmented and individuals’ holistic health and well-being aren’t addressed in a coordinated way. Maven is filling these gaps for women and families: our care delivery model not only improves outcomes for individuals, but also benefits employers, including through lower costs and improved employee productivity and satisfaction.

The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that lost productivity due to depression costs American companies $44 billion annually. And when it comes to women and families, seeing mental health specialists in pregnancy or postpartum can directly impact costs: women who experience perinatal mood and anxiety disorders are more likely to deliver preterm or by C-section (which carry significantly higher costs), and women who experience postpartum depression, despite being quite common, incur 90% higher healthcare costs than those who don’t.

Words of wisdom from a Maven Mental Health Provider

As you take a moment to reflect on what World Mental Health Day means for you, we’ll leave you with one final thought: a message from Maven Mental Health Provider Mercedes Samudio to be intentional with your self-care more regularly—words many of us may need to hear.

"Women take on a lot of roles. We’re wives. We’re moms. We’re working. If you’re depleted in your career, take some time off. Actually schedule some vacation. If you’re a mom and you’re depleted, is there a way to pull in a nanny or home cook for a few days? Be intentional in your self-care."

“Be intentional in your self-care.”

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“I work in sales and am always traveling. Maven Milk has enabled me to get my breast milk home to my baby easily and without fear that something might happen. I am so grateful to my company for giving me this benefit. I love Maven Milk!”

For Breastfeeding Awareness Month in August, we surveyed Maven’s members who use our breast milk shipping service, Maven Milk, to hear what they think and invite feedback. We’re excited to share the results, which tell us that we’re providing the stress-free, seamless support and positive experience we set out to.

Here’s how our members responded to our survey

92%

of members say they want to breastfeed for 7-12 months, which means they need a solution for their return to work.

91%

say they are using Maven Milk for work, while the other 9% have used Maven Milk for personal travel.

100%

of respondents would recommend Maven Milk to a friend or colleague who is pumping and travels for their job.

Top reasons why members would recommend Maven Milk

• Quick Shipping (30%)
• Ease of Use (20%)
• Keeps Breast Milk Cold (20%)
• Size of Kits (10%)
• Reusable (10%)
• Easy Requesting (10%)

Top answers reported by members surveyed to the question: Why would you recommend Maven Milk to a colleague or friend who is pumping and traveling for work?

What is Maven Milk?

Maven’s easy-to-use breast milk shipping and travel kits empower working parents to continue on their nursing journey, improving health outcomes for baby and mom. Maven Milk does all the legwork for moms, delivering TSA-approved travel kits to hotels and shipping milk back home reliably and safely. We know breastfeeding can become an impossible feat when work requires time away from baby, and traveling with pumping kits and shipping breast milk are daunting tasks. Maven Milk is helping to solve those problems.

It’s also a source of support, holistic healthcare, and clinical guidance. With Maven Milk, members have a dedicated Care Advocate who helps choose and order the perfect kit for their needs, among other things. They also have unlimited, on-demand access to Lactation Consultants in Maven’s network at any hour of the day or night for support.

While the benefits of breast milk shipping for employees are quite clear, Maven Milk does more for your company than help you retain more working parents. Here’s how we drive outcomes for employers:

• Lower lifetime healthcare costs: Breastfeeding decreases the risk of mothers developing breast and ovarian cancer, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and postpartum depression, according to the World Health Organization.
• Fewer medical claims: Breast milk strengthens a child’s immune system and lowers his or her chances of developing allergies.
• Increased productivity and engagement at work: Maven Milk reduces hours spent researching and arranging travel logistics, among other benefits.

Here’s what members are saying about Maven Milk

We loved hearing from our members about the support and value we’re providing them through Maven Milk, and look forward to continuing to improve upon our member experience while partnering with companies to provide this service to more working, traveling, pumping all-stars who will benefit from it.

We’ll end with a few of our favorite member quotes from the survey.

“I couldn’t have extended my breastfeeding relationship without the help of Maven as a working and traveling mom.”

“It is an easy process to request the supplies, easy to use, and easy to ship. Maven Milk helps take away some of the stress of travel as a new mother. In addition, the milk arrived home within 24 hours.”

“[My Maven Care Advocate] emailed and stayed in contact with me through every step. And the second time around was a breeze!”

“Being away from my baby is hard enough, but Maven Milk has helped me feel less guilty. I’m still able to provide her with my breast milk and not worry myself about building up a freezer stash prior to my work trips. It’s an invaluable service and one I am so grateful for.”

“The kit made it very easy to ship overnight and milk remained cold until delivered.”

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Did You Know?  

An engaged Maven member sees more than 5 provider types in Maven’s network, on average.

Why this matters

This emphasizes something we often hear from our members: that the breadth of Maven’s provider network makes all the difference. Maven fills critical gaps in care for women and families by complementing and augmenting their in-person doctors, and giving them needed access to providers across areas that are not covered by traditional insurance carriers—all in one place.

With an engaged member seeing more than 5 provider types, individuals are accessing care across a range of specialties based on their own unique path to parenthood and where they are in that journey.

Here are the 5 types of providers in our network that are booked most frequently by Maven’s members:

So, why these specialties?

Let’s unpack why Maven members turn to these provider types so often—wherever they may be in their own unique path to parenthood—and how these specialties help to drive positive outcomes for individuals and employers.

• OB-GYNs complement care members receive from their in-person doctor by giving second opinions and answering questions outside of traditional doctor’s office hours. OB-GYNs who specialize in high-risk pregnancies also have a special role to play in managing members’ unique conditions and driving healthy, full-term pregnancies. Seeing OB-GYNs on Maven reduces time and costs of in-person visits, and eliminates the need for anxiety and panicked Google searches!
• Lactation Consultants play a critical role in the postpartum and return-to-work period as new parents navigate the physical and emotional challenges of breastfeeding. Maven removes common barriers to access to Lactation Consultants (including time and costs).
• Pediatric sleep coaches provide tips and guide new parents through sleep training, and address any sleep issues infants struggle with. By providing unlimited virtual access to sleep coaches, Maven lowers high out-of-pocket costs, ranging from $300+ for virtual consultants through $7,500 for in-home training.
• Nutritionists provide guidance to improve holistic health during different stages of any path to parenthood. For instance, nutrition counseling can improve fertility for both men and women (National Center for Biotechnology Information).  
• 1 in 3 members seek mental health support on Maven, filling a major gap for individuals at various key moments in any journey, and improving productivity and return-to-work transitions.

DID YOU KNOW?

An engaged Maven member sees more than 5 provider types in Maven’s network, on average.

Holistic care drives outcomes & lowers costs

By seeing 5 provider types, Maven’s engaged members are accessing the type of coordinated, end-to-end care that they need through every step of their own individual path to parenthood. Through our holistic care delivery model, Maven helps to improve maternal outcomes, lower employer costs, and drive employee retention and productivity.

For instance, seeing mental health specialists in pregnancy or postpartum can directly impact costs: women who experience perinatal mood and anxiety disorders are more likely to deliver preterm or by C-section (which carry significantly higher costs), and women who experience postpartum depression, despite being quite common, incur 90% higher healthcare costs than those who don’t.

Maven’s network of 1,400+ providers in over 20 specialties sets us apart as a unique family benefits and virtual care platform. Maven’s providers cover clinical, behavioral, and wellness specialties, and our comprehensive care delivery model means on-demand video or messaging appointments are available with providers or Care Advocates at any time, day or night, with no out-of-pocket costs.

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