The Cost Behind Reporting: Meeting the Mental Health Needs of Journalists
Eliminating every barrier to mental health
Spring-branded professional practices are independently owned and operated by licensed physicians.
Spring-branded professional practices are independently owned and operated by licensed physicians.
Eliminating every barrier to mental health
CASE STUDY | HEARST
The Cost Behind Reporting: Meeting the Mental Health Needs of Journalists
CASE STUDY | HEARST
ABOUT SPRING HEALTH
Spring Health is a comprehensive mental health solution for employers and health plans. Unlike any other solution, we use clinically validated technology called Precision Mental Healthcare to pinpoint and deliver exactly what will work for each person—whether that’s meditation, coaching, therapy, medication, and beyond. Today, Spring Health supports over 4,500 organizations, from startups to multinational Fortune 500 corporations, and is a preferred mental health provider to companies like General Mills, Bain, and DocuSign.
ABOUT SPRING HEALTH
Spring Health is a comprehensive mental health solution for employers and health plans. Unlike any other solution, we use clinically validated technology called Precision Mental Healthcare to pinpoint and deliver exactly what will work for each person—whether that’s meditation, coaching, therapy, medication, and beyond. Today, Spring Health supports over 4,500 organizations, from startups to multinational Fortune 500 corporations, and is a preferred mental health provider to companies like General Mills, Bain, and DocuSign.
In recent years, mental health support has become an expected workplace benefit. But certain industries—like journalism—and companies—like Hearst—require a more customized solution that goes beyond a traditional employee assistance program (EAP). Reporters on the frontlines become first responders, covering distressing events of all kinds, from war to epidemics to violence.
According to the DART Center for Journalism & Trauma, research suggests between 80 and 100% of all journalists nationally have been exposed to work-related traumatic events, and according to Nieman Lab, over 60% report experiencing high levels of anxiety.
The expectation to be constantly “on” and break stories in a 24/7 news cycle can also lead to burnout, exhaustion, and limited work-life balance. All these factors can affect the mental health of journalists on the frontlines of news coverage.
Hearst Newspapers—with approximately 2,400 colleagues nationwide—recognized early the need for specialized mental health services and partnered with Spring Health to launch a variety of benefits, including expedited appointments with therapists, virtual behavioral health options, a diverse provider network, and manager and HR training.
To better understand their journalists’ needs, Hearst ran focus groups, which revealed the stress and danger their work entails, and the emotional toll it can take. Hearst was highly thoughtful about its criteria for selecting a proven mental health solution. "We’re very data-driven, so we wanted a vendor that aligned to that,” Maria explains. Hearst also wanted to solve for access, which meant being able to find a provider quickly. This had been challenging in large metropolitan areas like New York City and San Francisco, where colleagues were waiting for weeks or even months for a therapy appointment.
Against the backdrop of the pandemic, Hearst needed a mental health solution that would offer precise mental health care as quickly as possible. The company chose Spring Health, which is personalized to each enrolled member, and has evidence-based results and proven net-positive financial ROI.
Speak to one of our specialists to learn how Spring Health can modernize your behavioral health benefits and transform your EAP.
How the pandemic made mental health a priority at Hearst
Working as a journalist has always been a mentally and emotionally challenging career path, but coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic brought these issues to the forefront at many media organizations.
When one particularly overwhelmed colleague reached out for help at Hearst Newspapers, they were directed to a resource that’s given to many journalists—not just at Hearst—for mental health support. But the resource didn’t offer enough support around trauma.
We had journalists on the frontlines during the pandemic, and no one knew very much about the effects of reporting from hospitals and high-stress areas. That’s when we recognized that the traditional EAP programs we had for our colleagues may not be as specialized as needed.
- Maria Walsh, SVP & head of global benefits, Hearst
Customizing care: Why Hearst needed a tailored mental health solution
According to the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, the national average wait time for a therapy appointment is 48 days in the U.S.—far too long when people have acute mental health needs like trauma support. Since switching to Spring Health, Hearst colleagues and their dependents can now make a therapy appointment in an average of 1.3 days and a medication management appointment in 1.8 days.
To help ensure Hearst colleagues find the right provider fit from the start, they can select from Spring Health’s extensive directory, which includes provider credentials, areas of specialization, languages spoken, and other details. Spring Health’s data-driven provider matching technologies help enrolled members and their dependents identify clinicians and coaches who could be a good fit. This helps ensure therapeutic alliance, which is the primary predictor of positive clinical outcomes, along with continuity of care. To help support long-term success after Hearst colleagues have accessed their eight covered therapy visits each year, they can continue to work with their in-network therapist at a lower cost. This strong focus on provider fit contributes to the high ratings Hearst colleagues gave to Spring Health’s care teams in 2023—an average of 9.3/10.
The value of hiring a dedicated in-house clinician
Once Spring Health was rolled out for Hearst’s colleagues, journalists began to share that, although they had faster access to mental health resources, they still needed more—specifically, therapists who understood their unique culture and experience. Spring Health worked with Hearst to develop a very specific job description for an in-house clinician who was highly trained in trauma and PTSD and licensed in both California and Texas. Spring Health found Mariah Winslow. Based at the San Francisco Chronicle, Mariah has dual-state licensing, so she can support Hearst colleagues at the Houston Chronicle, Plainview Herald, and San Antonio Express-News as well.
Shortly after Mariah was brought on, a Hearst colleague tweeted about their new in-house clinician. This led to coverage in Poynter, celebrating the much-needed mental health support in journalism. The praise internally has been just as positive.
“Mariah is the best therapist I've ever worked with,” a Hearst colleague says. “In the last few months, I've made more progress, found more inner peace, than I have with any therapist I've ever worked with. I've processed a lot of trauma, and am finding my way to actual happiness.”
Another adds, “Mariah is leading me to be a happier, less stressful person with more purpose to improve my current emotional and physical well-being.”
Mariah, who says her role as in-house clinician has been a career highlight, feels like her mission is closely aligned with that of the journalists. “I’m always curious about stories and people telling me more about their lives,” she shares. "I hope that, more than anything, I can really help people understand that there’s enough space for what they’re going through, too. Just because you’re taking care of other people’s stories doesn’t mean your story isn’t important.
In recent years, mental health support has become an expected workplace benefit. But certain industries—like journalism—and companies—like Hearst—require a more customized solution that goes beyond a traditional employee assistance program (EAP). Reporters on the frontlines become first responders, covering distressing events of all kinds, from war to epidemics to violence.
According to the DART Center for Journalism & Trauma, research suggests between 80 and 100% of all journalists nationally have been exposed to work-related traumatic events, and according to Nieman Lab, over 60% report experiencing high levels of anxiety.
The expectation to be constantly “on” and break stories in a 24/7 news cycle can also lead to burnout, exhaustion, and limited work-life balance. All these factors can affect the mental health of journalists on the frontlines of news coverage.
Hearst Newspapers—with approximately 2,400 colleagues nationwide—recognized early the need for specialized mental health services and partnered with Spring Health to launch a variety of benefits, including expedited appointments with therapists, virtual behavioral health options, a diverse provider network, and manager and HR training.
How the pandemic made mental health a priority at Hearst
Working as a journalist has always been a mentally and emotionally challenging career path, but coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic brought these issues to the forefront at many media organizations.
When one particularly overwhelmed colleague reached out for help at Hearst Newspapers, they were directed to a resource that’s given to many journalists—not just at Hearst—for mental health support. But the resource didn’t offer enough support around trauma.
We had journalists on the frontlines during the pandemic, and no one knew very much about the effects of reporting from hospitals and high-stress areas. That’s when we recognized that the traditional EAP programs we had for our colleagues may not be as specialized as needed.
- Maria Walsh, SVP & head of global benefits, Hearst
To better understand their journalists’ needs, Hearst ran focus groups, which revealed the stress and danger their work entails, and the emotional toll it can take. Hearst was highly thoughtful about its criteria for selecting a proven mental health solution. "We’re very data-driven, so we wanted a vendor that aligned to that,” Maria explains. Hearst also wanted to solve for access, which meant being able to find a provider quickly. This had been challenging in large metropolitan areas like New York City and San Francisco, where colleagues were waiting for weeks or even months for a therapy appointment.
Against the backdrop of the pandemic, Hearst needed a mental health solution that would offer precise mental health care as quickly as possible. The company chose Spring Health, which is personalized to each enrolled member, and has evidence-based results and proven net-positive financial ROI.
Customizing care: Why Hearst needed a tailored mental health solution
According to the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, the national average wait time for a therapy appointment is 48 days in the U.S.—far too long when people have acute mental health needs like trauma support. Since switching to Spring Health, Hearst colleagues and their dependents can now make a therapy appointment in an average of 1.3 days and a medication management appointment in 1.8 days.
To help ensure Hearst colleagues find the right provider fit from the start, they can select from Spring Health’s extensive directory, which includes provider credentials, areas of specialization, languages spoken, and other details. Spring Health’s data-driven provider matching technologies help enrolled members and their dependents identify clinicians and coaches who could be a good fit. This helps ensure therapeutic alliance, which is the primary predictor of positive clinical outcomes, along with continuity of care. To help support long-term success after Hearst colleagues have accessed their eight covered therapy visits each year, they can continue to work with their in-network therapist at a lower cost. This strong focus on provider fit contributes to the high ratings Hearst colleagues gave to Spring Health’s care teams in 2023—an average of 9.3/10.
The value of hiring a dedicated in-house clinician
Once Spring Health was rolled out for Hearst’s colleagues, journalists began to share that, although they had faster access to mental health resources, they still needed more—specifically, therapists who understood their unique culture and experience. Spring Health worked with Hearst to develop a very specific job description for an in-house clinician who was highly trained in trauma and PTSD and licensed in both California and Texas. Spring Health found Mariah Winslow. Based at the San Francisco Chronicle, Mariah has dual-state licensing, so she can support Hearst colleagues at the Houston Chronicle, Plainview Herald, and San Antonio Express-News as well.
Shortly after Mariah was brought on, a Hearst colleague tweeted about their new in-house clinician. This led to coverage in Poynter, celebrating the much-needed mental health support in journalism. The praise internally has been just as positive.
“Mariah is the best therapist I've ever worked with,” a Hearst colleague says. “In the last few months, I've made more progress, found more inner peace, than I have with any therapist I've ever worked with. I've processed a lot of trauma, and am finding my way to actual happiness.”
Another adds, “Mariah is leading me to be a happier, less stressful person with more purpose to improve my current emotional and physical well-being.”
Mariah, who says her role as in-house clinician has been a career highlight, feels like her mission is closely aligned with that of the journalists. “I’m always curious about stories and people telling me more about their lives,” she shares. "I hope that, more than anything, I can really help people understand that there’s enough space for what they’re going through, too. Just because you’re taking care of other people’s stories doesn’t mean your story isn’t important.