USA Swimming announced a new partnership on Wednesday with the mental health service Talkspace, that will give new mental health services at no cost to all members of the US National team and the 2016 Olympic team.
“Our role in the National Team division is to support our National Team athletes and to understand how we best provide for their physical, emotional and mental well-being,” USA Swimming Managing Director Lindsay Mintenko said in a press release from USA Swimming. “Partnering with a leader such as Talkspace to provide easy, reliable access to mental health services will hopefully motivate more athletes to prioritize their mental health, while also creating a legion of inspiring role models for the younger generations to further the dialogue to stamp out the stigma.”
“Providing USA Swimming athletes with access to Talkspace as they prepare for competition and ‘life after the pool’ gives the athletes the opportunity to achieve their peak mental performance in a de-stigmatized, flexible way,” Talkspace Chief Commercial Officer, Lynn Hamilton, said in the USA Swimming press release. “By partnering with Talkspace, USA Swimming athletes will be able to connect with providers in a way that respects their individual schedules and needs. We are proud official partners of this accomplished organization.”
Many US national team athletes have come forward in the last few years about their struggles with mental health issues like Michael Phelps, Allison Schmitt and most recently, Tom Shields. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), approximately one in four young adults between 18 and 24 has a diagnosable mental health condition and only 1 in 5 of these individuals get professional help.
Mental health is a major component of an athlete’s performance and development – both while competing and in preparation for their post-athletic career.
With the help of Talkspace, USA Swimming national team athletes will have access to trained and licensed professionals to improve their health and safety.