Mental Health CareConnect

Mental Health CareConnect (MHCC) is a free, confidential service offered by UW Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. This consultative service provides non-crisis mental health assistance for your questions and concerns.

MHCC is available to Boeing employees and their families in the state of Washington.

Call MHCC at 206.520.CARE (2273)

MHCC details

What can MHCC help with?

No concern is too big or too small. MHCC will coordinate your care with your primary care doctor when available. Get help with:

  • Questions about medications
  • Treatment inquires
  • Need long-term help
  • Have a family member in need
  • General questions about mental health

 This service is not a crisis or suicide hotline. If you or a family member is suicidal or in crisis, you should call 911. You may also contact the National Suicide Prevention Line by phone at 1-800-273-8255 or on the National Suicide Prevention Line website.

When is it available?

MHCC is available Monday – Friday from 8:00am to 5:00pm* PT by phone or text. 

Contact MHCC at 206.520.CARE (2273).

Mental Health CareConnect is an additional behavioral health service and does not replace or alter your mental health and substance use disorder benefits that are administered through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois or services available via the Boeing Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

*Calls, texts, or web chats received after 4:30pm on business days, or received on weekends and holidays, will be responded to on our next business day.

How much does it cost?

It’s free! This confidential service is available at no cost to you or your insurance plan.

All Boeing employees and their families in Washington are eligible for this benefit regardless of if they have enrolled in the Embright Preferred Partnership option.

MHCC providers

Stephanie Chang, MD

Stephanie Chang, MD, says Mental Health CareConnect is a terrific way for people who are wavering about getting mental health care to try it out.

Amanda Focht, MD

Amanda Focht, MD, is an Adult Psychiatrist well-versed in both medication and face-to-face therapies.

Robert Hilt, MD

Child psychiatrist and pediatrician Robert Hilt, MD, prides himself on helping families deal with any mental and behavioral health problems that arise.

Ryan Kimmel, MD

Ryan Kimmel, MD, talks about how psychiatrists can help people learn coping skills to feel better and improve their functioning.

Richard Ries, MD

Addiction Psychiatrist Richard Ries, MD, brings a wealth of experience in seeing patients of all kinds to Mental Health CareConnect.

Frequently asked questions

No. We will not share any information with your employer about the nature of the call, what was discussed, or the call itself.

We believe wellness is more than just physical health. We want to support Boeing employees and their families by providing quicker and more convenient access to mental health care and consultation.

When you call Mental Health CareConnect, you will speak to either a psychiatrist or psychologist. Psychiatrists have earned a medical degree (MD) and have specialized in psychiatry by completing a medical residency. They are well-versed in medications. Psychologists have a Ph.D., have completed extra training in counseling, and are well-versed in psychotherapy. All of the adult and pediatric psychiatrists and psychologists that are part of Mental Health CareConnect have extensive experience in common mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety, and many specialize in specific conditions (e.g. bipolar disorder, addictions) and populations (e.g. children and adolescents, pregnant and new moms, older adults).

If a child calls, our policy is to talk to you and your child together, rather than to your child alone. In most of the cases where we are supporting a youth’s mental healthcare, we will speak only to the parent who has called, offering that parent assistance directly.

In-person or telepsychiatry (via real-time video teleconference) follow-up appointments would be billed to your insurance like a regular healthcare appointment. Follow-up phone calls to Mental Health CareConnect will not be charged.

There is no limit to how many times you can call Mental Health CareConnect. However, if repeated calls do not seem to be helping or meeting your goals, or if you need additional care, our providers will advise you to follow up in person with the community resources we have suggested.

If you or a family member are suicidal, homicidal, or otherwise at imminent risk, you should call the suicide hotline (+1 800-273-8255), call 911, or go to an emergency room. Mental Health CareConnect is not a crisis or suicide hotline, is not a substitute for an emergency room, and cannot coordinate ER visits, psychiatric hospitalization, or law enforcement intervention.

Yes. You may leave a confidential message after hours and the Patient Navigator will get back to you within one business day.

While we cannot address the specific case of a friend or colleague with you, we can provide general information about helpful resources in the community.

The Boeing Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a confidential service designed to connect Boeing employees and their families with experienced counseling professionals for help with personal and family issues. It provides up to six counseling sessions per issue, per calendar year, at no cost to employees or their eligible dependents. The program also offers WorkLife referrals such as childcare, eldercare, and other community referrals. Additionally, limited legal and financial advice is available, as is access to helpful online articles. For more detailed information, please visit http://www.achievesolutions.net/boeing, or call +1 866-719-5788.

Mental Health CareConnect provides access for Boeing employees and their families to UW Medicine and Seattle Children’s Hospital psychiatrists and psychologists for consultation via phone for non-crisis, mental health conditions, and concerns. These consultations may address things such as medication issues, uncertainty about what support is needed, frustration with wait times for an appointment, potential for coordination of care with PCP from an MHCC provider, and second opinions for PCPs regarding needs/diagnosis. This service is provided at no cost to the employee, and the insurance plan will not be billed for this service.

When you call you will be connected with our Mental Health Navigator who will collect your information (please have your subscriber ID #, which is on your insurance card), register you if you are not a prior patient at UW Medicine (this can take about 10 minutes for new patients), and connect you to a psychiatrist. If the psychiatrist is on the phone with someone else at the time of your call, the Navigator will schedule a phone call with the doctor within one business day.