Amazon adds mental health to employee health services

Amazon is launching a new employee mental health benefit that is accessible in-person or digitally.

The benefit, Resources for Living, provides every U.S. employee, their family, and their household with 24/7 access to free counseling sessions in-person or through the phone, video, or text.

Other resources offered as part of the program include:
•    Free one-on-one counseling sessions—three sessions per person, per topic. Amazon will fund up to 24 million counseling sessions per year for its U.S. employees.
•    Flexible options including in-person, phone, video, or text conversations for counseling sessions.
•    Interactive self-care programs, including self-assessments, and a stress resource center.
•    Crisis and suicide-prevention support and access to a licensed mental health clinician any time of day.
•    Access to a self-paced app that offers computerized cognitive behavior therapy, mindfulness resources, and personalized support for a broad range of mental health and wellness issues.

Amazon has been providing its on-demand Amazon Care omnichannel health service to employees since 2019, and has started offering Amazon Care to other companies based in its home state of Washington. Quick-service restaurant chain Chipotle Mexican Grill has also just launched a custom mental health platform, known as Strive. 

“Easy and affordable access to mental health care has become increasingly important as we all continue to navigate different everyday challenges,” said Beth Galetti, Amazon senior VP of people experience and technology. “Providing access to—and awareness around—mental health care is a critical responsibility for employers. This new offering will help us remove barriers and unnecessary stigma around getting help, to ensure our employees and their families feel safe and supported.”