Mental health reform strengthens Florida’s workforce

As president of the Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, I work closely with employers across the state who are focused on building a strong, dependable workforce. For decades, the workplace norm was to separate personal challenges from professional performance.

Today’s reality and modern science show that the approach does not work.

Florida is home to many working-age individuals living with serious mental illness who want to contribute productively to their families, employers and communities. Yet employees often face administrative insurance barriers that delay timely access to mental health care — creating ripple effects that impact not only patients, but also businesses and the broader economy.

Employees struggling with poor mental health miss more workdays and experience substantial reductions in productivity, with depression alone accounting for millions of lost workdays nationwide each year. These challenges drive billions of dollars in indirect costs for employers, including absenteeism, turnover, and higher health care spending.

Serious mental illnesses, like schizophrenia, are complex and highly individualized, requiring personalized treatment. Treatment decisions should be made by health care providers in partnership with patients, not delayed by administrative red tape. When individuals are forced to wait weeks or months for the right medication, the consequences are real: increased hospitalizations, higher disability rates, lost workdays and, in many cases, permanent detachment from the workforce. These outcomes are devastating for families and place avoidable strain on public systems and private employers alike.

Florida businesses, especially small and minority-owned businesses, cannot afford these inefficiencies at a time when workforce shortages are already limiting growth.

That is why recent efforts to modernize mental health policy represent more than a health care policy win — they are an economic one. By improving access to appropriate treatment, the state is helping more Floridians remain stable, employed and engaged in the workforce. Timely access to effective mental health treatment is one of the most cost-effective workforce investments a state can make.

Research consistently shows early intervention reduces long-term costs, while untreated mental illness often contributes to more expensive health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and stroke.

Florida’s leaders are recognizing that innovation and access go hand in hand, a principle business leaders understand well.

By streamlining outdated step-therapy barriers and modernizing mental health policy, the state is sending a clear message: keeping people healthy and productive is essential to economic success.

But this progress must continue. A strong economy depends on a healthy workforce, and that means prioritizing access, innovation and adherence in mental health care. Policies that reduce administrative hurdles and support timely treatment do not just improve health outcomes. They strengthen families, businesses and communities across Florida.

Florida has an opportunity to lead the nation by demonstrating that mental health reform is both compassionate and economically sound.

A healthier population lowers long-term costs and creates the conditions for a more resilient economy.

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Julio Fuentes is president and CEO of the Florida State Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.