NFL, NFLPA to expand mental health benefits for players and dependents

The NFL and NFL Players Association plan to launch a Behavioral Health Network to expand mental health support for professional football players and their dependents.

Beginning Sept. 1, active and former players and their family members will have access to a large group of providers jointly selected by the NFL and the NFLPA. The goal is to provide more accessible, affordable mental health care tailored to an individual’s specific needs.

In addition to more personalized support, the Behavioral Health Network will offer unlimited outpatient visits, 100 percent covered by the league and union, meaning players will not need any coinsurance and will not incur any out-of-pocket expenses for treatment. The previous plans covered the cost for eight visits per individual but then required players to pay a portion of the costs for visits that exceeded the limit.

“This is ensuring we eliminate the obvious barriers and … because the NFL and NFLPA both vetted the list of providers … we are ensuring that they are uniquely qualified to see our (players and family members),” said Dr. Amber Cargill, NFLPA wellness director. “It’s not just because they’re in the general (health care provider’s) network.

“This is a curated list of folks who have lots of experience with working with players and families, or they’ve had unique training or professional experiences that make them qualified to work with our population.”

In recent years, the NFL and NFLPA have increased their efforts on the mental health front. Those efforts have only intensified following a year in which the NFL community dealt with the tragedies that saw Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland and Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Rondale Moore both take their lives.

Earlier this year, NFL owners approved a mandate requiring teams to employ a full-time mental health clinician at each facility. Health care plans have also expanded mental health coverage, and players have begun to use those offerings more readily. However, league and union officials believe more can be done, and increasing accessibility and affordability ranks among them.

“While these efforts have been ongoing, and we’ve been talking about them for years, the timing on this (expanded coverage) is good,” Cargill explained. “We’re sort of responding to tragedies in our community in a way that makes sense, and that’s going to make it easier for folks to reach out for help and get that help quickly.”