Aetna Behavioral Health and the Aetna Foundation are proud to sponsor "Out of the Shadow" as part of our ongoing effort to confront the issues impacting the millions of Americans living with mental illness today. Aetna is committed to taking a proactive role in dispelling the stigma associated with mental health issues and we believe that "Out of the Shadow" can help educate people about the complexities around some mental illnesses. Most importantly, we want people to know that, in many instances, there is hope for a better life through proper health care treatment.

About Aetna Behavioral Health

Aetna Behavioral Health understands that everyone is not the same and that each member has different needs, lifestyles and aspirations. Aetna’s flexible offerings tailor clinical outreach, EAP programs, service delivery and care management to the unique needs of members and their families. It accomplishes this by integrating behavioral, medical and lifestyle data to develop the most comprehensive, accurate understanding of employees and their families in the health care industry.

Aetna Behavioral Health serves its members with a nationwide network of over 62,000 behavioral health providers offering inpatient care, day treatment programs and other treatment settings. Aetna’s total integration, as well as its focus on case management and disease management, can lead to improved medical outcomes, increased productivity, and better management of overall medical costs.

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Panel Discussion

In June of 2006, Aetna taped a panel discussion which took a closer look at the issues that were touched on in "Out of the Shadow". The panel, lead by Jennifer Smith Turner, Former Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development in Connecticut, consisted of Susan Smiley, director of "Out of the Shadow", Dr. Jack Rowe, Executive Chairman of Aetna, and Dr. Hank Schwartz, Psychiatrist-in-Chief, VP for Behavioral Health, at the Institute of Living in Harford, Connecticut. The discussion touched on three main points: the impact of mental illness on families and society, the gaps in mental healthcare and stigmas associated with mental illnesses, and hope for the treatment of the individuals and their families who suffer from mental illness.

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Learn more about "Out of the Shadow"