Thousands Of Psychiatric Solutions, Inc. Workers Wear Yellow To Raise Awareness Of Mental Health

“Each day is a brighter day” for thousands of patients at Psychiatric Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: PSYS) (PSI) facilities nationwide. Staff members will be using that theme to raise awareness of mental health issues and to underscore the importance of behavioral healthcare for overall health and economic impact.

In honor of Mental Health Month in May, PSI is asking approximately 23,000 workers at about 100 facilities to wear yellow on May 26 to emphasize “Each day, a brighter day.”

“Mental health workers across the country provide a valuable service, helping some of the most vulnerable members of our communities,” said Joey Jacobs, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Psychiatric Solutions, Inc. “Helping them improve their lives helps us all. We are proud that our work extends past the walls of our facilities and helps us become a worthwhile contributor to our society and our nation’s economy.”

Jacobs is referring to a new study commissioned by the National Association of Psychiatric Health Systems (NAPHS) that takes a close look at the impact inpatient psychiatric facilities have on the economy. The study found not only do such facilities help develop a healthy mind, they also help develop a healthy economy.

The study shows for every dollar spent by psychiatric hospitals and residential treatment centers, the national economy realizes $2.97. In 2009, facilities across the United States had $20.6 billion in direct expenditures, translating into a total economic impact in the U.S. of $61.2 billion. Researchers found that everything psychiatric hospitals and residential treatment centers buy, provide or pay for make a significant difference to the overall economic health of the U.S.

But the numbers aren’t just dollars and cents. Approximately 223,000 people currently are working in inpatient psychiatric facilities nationwide. This, in turn, creates other positions in the national labor market in industries such as real estate and pharmaceuticals. The NAPHS study found every one job directly held in the inpatient psychiatric hospital sector resulted in the addition of nearly two jobs in that particular community.