Mental health is no longer just a personal issue — it’s a workforce crisis.
Nationwide, conditions like depression, anxiety and PTSD now cause more long-term health problems than any other illness. A new report from McKinsey & Company shows that mental health disorders account for 32% more disability than heart disease, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory illness combined.
When mental health suffers, so does productivity. Workers may call in sick, struggle to concentrate or leave the workforce altogether. The ripple effects are evident in higher turnover, increased healthcare utilization and diminished morale. In Arizona alone, untreated mental illness is estimated to cost the state a whopping $11 billion annually in lost wages, hospitalizations and incarceration.
This is not just a public health concern — it’s an economic imperative.
What can employers and community leaders do? First, recognize that investing in mental health isn’t a nicety — it’s a necessity. The McKinsey report shows that every dollar spent on effective mental healthcare yields up to $6 in return through improved productivity and reduced healthcare costs.
Second, support approaches that prioritize early intervention, fast access to care and coordination between mental health and medical providers. When people can access therapy, psychiatry and primary care under one umbrella — and when those services are available quickly and with flexible options like telehealth or after-hours appointments — outcomes improve.
Third, lead by example. Employers can set the tone by offering robust mental health benefits, reducing stigma in the workplace and creating environments where people feel supported in seeking help. Healthy teams don’t just perform better — they stay with the company longer, collaborate more effectively and fuel sustainable business growth.
Arizona is rapidly emerging as a hub for innovation, with major semiconductor and technology companies investing heavily in the region’s future. To fully realize the potential of this economic expansion, business leaders must ensure the workforce powering it has access to the mental healthcare needed to thrive.
The bottom line is clear: Arizona businesses cannot afford to treat mental health as separate from physical health or from business performance. Mental healthcare is an investment — in people, in productivity and in the long-term health of the state’s economy.
Graham B. Johnson, MAcc, CPA, is the CEO of Denova Collaborative Health, Arizona’s largest provider of behavioral health services, offering psychiatry, therapy, primary care and case management.
