Mountlake Terrace, Wash., January 13, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – Premera Blue Cross, the official health plan of the Seattle Kraken, partners with the NHL hockey team to destigmatize mental health issues and encourage people to seek care.
In the United States, 1 in 5 Americans struggles with mental health problems; however, more than half of adults do not receive treatment. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, eight out of 10 workers say that shame and stigma prevent them from seeking treatment for a mental health condition.
Premera will launch a new campaign this month, in which Kraken players will share their real-life experiences with mental health and how they have worked to normalize that mental health is as important as physical health. The campaign will be featured in Hockey Talks, an annual initiative in which NHL hockey clubs raise awareness about mental health and offer fans the opportunity to participate through social media.
“Stigma plays an important role in why people struggling with behavioral health issues don’t seek the care they need,” said Jim Havens, director of communications and marketing for Premera. “Very often our friends, family and loved ones suffer in silence. Through our campaign, we seek to share that it is okay not to be well and to show that people are not alone ”.
The campaign features a new television spot called “Skate Marks,” which captures the intense training of an isolated hockey player. The lone gamer represents the 1 in 5 Americans who are affected by mental health, while the marks on their skates reveal one of the most important first steps in seeking care: asking for help. The ad will begin airing in mid-January and throughout the rest of the NHL regular season. There will be additional placements at the Winter Olympics.
The campaign features a series of videos from Kraken players Riley Sheahan, Brandon Tanev, Chris Driedger, and Haydn Fleury, discussing mental health issues, including stigma, communication, and how to seek help. Fans are encouraged to share personal messages and messages of support to create open dialogue and awareness about mental health, using #HockeyTalks. Stories will also be shared on Premera and Kraken social channels.
“We are proud to participate in this important conversation to end the stigma of mental health,” said Tod Leiweke, executive director of Seattle Kraken. “Our players have shared stories about their own mental health journeys, and I hope they can be a source to help change our communities for the better.”
Premera also sponsors the Kraken game on January 15, which is Hockey Talks Mental Health Awareness Night. During the game, 18,000 Kraken flags will be distributed, 80 percent teal and 20 percent white. The colors represent 1 in 5 Americans who are affected by mental health problems. During the game, a video of Sheahan will talk about his mental health journey. Sheahan is the co-host of a podcast called “Speak Your Mind,” which raises mental health awareness and works to help people feel more comfortable talking about personal issues.
Following Sheahan’s message, fans will be asked to raise the white flags, which will indicate the number of people facing mental health issues.
To find more information on addressing mental health and to find resources for care, visit www.Premera.com/Hockeytalks.
About Cruz Azul Premera
Premera Blue Cross, an independent non-profit licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association based in Mountlake Terrace, Washington, is a leading health plan in the Pacific Northwest, providing comprehensive health benefits and personalized services to over 2.5 million people, from individuals to Fortune 100 companies. For more information visit www.premera.com.
.
