YPA Survey - Mental Health

On December 8th, 2020, the Yale Postdoctoral Association launched a mental health survey. 150 postdocs participated in the survey.

Mental Health Survey

Nour Al-muhtasib, Michelle Song, Advocacy Committee

PDF version of the report available here .

Details of the mental health survey

Sent out to PDs on Dec 8th 2020
150 total respondents
- ~12% of all postdocs at Yale responded to the survey (using a population of 1,228 PDs as of Aug)

General Demographics

Caretaking Responsibility

Mental Health Survey: Caretaker Responsibilities

Research

Work Environment & Safety

Work Environment & Habits

Mental Health

Mental Health Survey: Word cloud — Word cloud concerns

Concerns raised in comments

Concerns:

Several concerns about childcare and it’s effect on productivity
Concerns about productivity, the job market, retaining current position (contract extensions or funding)
Work/life balance issues
Isolation
Travel and VISA issues

Suggestions:

Flexibility from PIs about productivity
Support from Yale and from PIs (can come in many forms from administrative and departmental levels to monetary support via funding)
Recognition – PDs want to feel seen by the university and PIs
More childcare resources
Job security – contract extensions and/or funding extensions
Understanding from PIs that these are unusual times and that productivity cannot be similar to pre-pandemic times
PIs must allow for work/life balance must be maintained for PD mental health
PIs should check in with their lab for more than just data updates

Suggestions for YPA specifically:

More social/networking events – something to bring back a sense of community
More advocacy

Mental Health Resources at Yale

Magellan Behavioral Health

Phone: 800-327-9240
Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year
Care with one of our network providers that has been pre-authorized by Magellan is covered at 100%.
Separate from Yale and are confidential.
Legal and financial consultation also available.

EAP vs on going counseling

EAP- employee assistant program up to 6 sessions for short term issues per problem.
On going on counseling- for longer term issue or specialty there is no limit with Yale health plan
- If you want to see a therapist on a regular basis, this is the option to pursue.

How to get care?

Call Magellan for a Provider Recommendation
- Call Magellan (800-327-9240), press 2, you will be connected to a licensed mental health clinician. If outpatient treatment is recommended you have two options for getting an appointment:
  - The Magellan clinician will give you names and contact information of providers in our network. You will call the providers to see if they are available and make an appointment.
  - Or you can ask the Magellan clinician to find you the earliest possible appointment with an available provider. Magellan will call you back with the date and time of your appointment.
Adapted from https://yalehealth.yale.edu/directory/department/behavioral-health

Find a provider

Another way to find a network provider is through the Yale Health/Magellan web page. Choose the provider search function from the menu on the top and select the Behavioral Health Network. (Watch a video that walks you through the Magellan Health provider search process.) Once you have selected a network provider from the list and made an appointment call Magellan for treatment authorization.

Warm Lines

Reach Out Greater New Haven Warmline (Clifford Beers) *COVID-19
- (203) 287-2460
- 8:30am - 7pm Monday-Thursday
- 8:30am - 6pm Friday
CT Behavioral Health Partnership Warmline (ctbhp.com) Statewide
- 877-552-8247- Select Prompts 1 & 3
- Para español, seleccione el numero 2 & 2 or 711 for Relay Services
- 9 am – 5 pm Monday - Friday
JoinRiseBe Statewide Young Adult Peer Initiative/Warmline
- 1-855-6-HOPENOW
- 2pm – 9pm; 7 days per week

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

800-273-8255
https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
24 hours/7 days week
Chat option available