Dive Brief:
- Caring for a developmentally disabled child is a difficult challenge for working parents. With that in mind, Mercer has formed an alliance with Rethink Benefits to provide employees with tools and resources to care for children with developmental disabilities, such as autism.
- According to the joint statement, the alliance connects Mercer's world-class health benefits consulting capabilities and market reach with Rethink's pioneering health technology and evidence-based clinical guidance platform.
- Daniel Etra, Rethink's CEO says there is a unprecedented increase in the number of children with developmental disabilities such as autism, and it creates a significant burden on affected working parents. At the same time, their unique challenges often follow them into the workplace.
Dive Insight:
Dr. David Kaplan, senior partner and leader of Mercer’s Health Innovation LABS, says one out of six children in the US is diagnosed with a developmental disability. And the problems surrounding support for Mercer clients and their employees are real and growing.
"Parents raising children with developmental disabilities have greater levels of anxiety and depression, experience increased absenteeism and work limitations, and face up to twice the health care costs for their children," he says, explaining that the issues go beyond the medical expenditures tied to treatment therapies and gaps in care.
Rethink's program helps employers effectively and affordably support those employees, improving productivity and enhancing workplace culture. ReThink also offers employees a community of experts and peers because they all too often feel they must struggle alone and in silence, according to Etra.
