INTRO
A smarter strategy for driving real engagement in mental health care
Mental health benefits are only effective when employees actually use them. Yet even with top-tier resources in place, many employees never take the first step—especially those managing caregiving responsibilities, who are often more stressed but less likely to seek care.
A biotech leader and longtime Cleo customer wanted to close that gap. By embedding Cleo’s proactive, personalized support into the everyday lives of employee caregivers, they found a powerful multiplier effect:
Cleo utilizers were 4x more likely to use the company’s mental health benefit compared to non-Cleo employees (38% vs. 9%).
This surge in engagement represents more than just better benefits utilization—it’s a meaningful step toward addressing a widespread care gap.
Most employees who need mental health care don’t get it— but not for the reasons you think
Mental health conditions are common—and so is not getting help. A 2025 study in JAMA Psychiatry revealed a striking insight: the majority of people with a diagnosable mental health condition never seek care for it.
The #1 reason? “Low perceived need.”
In other words, people aren’t avoiding therapy because they don’t have access—they’re not engagingbecause they don’t believe their needs rise to the level of needing support.
This disconnect is especially true for caregivers, who often normalize high stress levels, anxiety, or burnout as “just part of the job.” For this biotech company, the challenge wasn’t a lack of benefits. It was a lack of awareness, context, and follow-through.
And this is exactly where Cleo comes in.
"If you're a benefits manager, your scariest group is the unmanaged population. Cleo engages those members—especially high-risk ones—and connects them to the resources we’ve already vetted. That’s smart care management."— HR leader
Coaching to and through care: Cleo as the connector
The company partnered with Cleo to close the gap between having mental health benefits and actually using them. Through a personalized coaching model, Cleo helps employees recognize when they need support, understand what options are available, and take confident action.
Here’s how Cleo made an impact:
- Personalized coaching: Cleo Guides and Specialists engage with members around stress, sleep, parenting struggles, burnout, and more—creating natural openings to discuss mental health needs without stigma.
- Benefit contextualization: Cleo explains how and when to use mental health resources like Lyra, Spring Health, or EAPs, in real-life terms—making them feel relevant, not clinical, and not intimidating.
- Proactive screening & referrals: Cleo provides proactive screening, coaching, and contextual support, especially during high-stress life stages such as postpartum, adolescence, and eldercare transitions.
- Ongoing support: Care doesn’t end after the first session. Cleo stays connected to help members navigate setbacks, find new providers if needed, and make mental health care part of their routine that supports daily well-being.
- Bridging the gap: Many members first come to Cleo for support with parenting or eldercare, and through that door, begin taking care of their own mental health, too.
By embedding mental health engagement into everyday life—which means into the caregiving context—Cleo transformed passive availability into active participation.
4x higher utilization of the company’s mental health benefit
- Cleo utilizers were 4x more likely to use the company’s mental health benefit than non-Cleo utilizers (38% vs. 9%).
- The increased engagement was driven by Cleo’s proactive screening and referrals, coaching, and contextual support, especially during high-stress life stages like postpartum, adolescence, or eldercare transitions.
- Cleo helped shift mindsets around mental health—from something people use only when it’s really bad to something that supports daily well being.
- This also led to earlier intervention, fewer downstream issues, and better outcomes across the company s broader health plan.
WHY THIS MATTERS
- Most people with a diagnosable mental health condition don’t seek care, not because they lack access, but because they don’t perceive their need as urgent.
- Cleo bridges that gap—by proactive screening, embedding mental health conversations into trusted relationships, and guiding employees to the right resources at the right time.
- For the biotech company, the result is more than higher utilization— it’s stronger well-being, lower long-term risk, and a workforce that actually uses the benefits designed to support them.
Ready to drive real engagement in mental health care?
Support your people. Prove the impact. Let Cleo help you do both.
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