Current Benefit News & Updates

Recently, Penn State Human Resources has been receiving a lot of inquiries about "facility fees" on medical bills. Facility fees are not a new concept in the health care field and to help answers some of your questions, HR has compiled a list of frequently asked questions regarding facility fees.

Within the SupportLinc Mental Health Navigator personalized assessment, a question related to Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) has been added to better support members in their mental health journey. Social determinants of health (SDOH) are the nonmedical factors that influence health outcomes and your quality of life. They are the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live and age. Finding information and tools to address these factors can be challenging. SupportLinc is available to help members navigate needs, find effective strategies and improve overall wellbeing.

Take the guesswork out of your mental health with SupportLinc’s Mental Health Navigator

When life gets hectic, your emotional wellbeing can sometimes fall to the bottom of your to-do list. If you are coping with a stressful situation, uncertainty about the future or challenges at work or home, getting guidance on where to turn can be a big relief. SupportLinc is committed to helping you access the care and support you need to strengthen your emotional fitness. Learn how to get started below:

• If you haven’t yet taken the Mental Health Navigator survey for personalized mental health support, begin here. Complete an anonymous and confidential survey telling us a little about yourself — your emotions and feelings and how they impact everyday life. SupportLinc recently added a question to the survey to help members navigate needs, find effective strategies and improve overall wellbeing.
• Get immediate results with a personalized report that measures your overall wellbeing and recommends care options. The results will provide you with important information that can direct you to help that is relevant to your situation. If needed, SupportLinc will include the new SupportLinc- Quality of Life Resource Kit.
• There are other toolkits and resources available for all types of mental health stress and needs on the SupportLinc website.

• If you are seeking resources specific to your needs, SupportLinc also offers in-the-moment guidance and support that is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, at no cost to you. Call 888-501-3532.

Read more here: Understanding the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) to learn more about the key components and importance of SDOH.

Remember that your SupportLinc EAP is a resource.  SupportLinc is available to Penn State benefits-eligible employees including the household members (spouses, dependents and anyone who lives with you) at no cost and confidentially. The program offers everyone a variety of wellbeing resources to keep everyone at their best whenever, wherever needed, including in-the-moment phone support, coaching, short-term counseling, work life balance support, online courses, videos and tip sheets. Visit your program’s desktop or eConnect mobile app to get started at supportlinc.com with group code pennstate.