United Soccer League Players Association Launches New Mental Health Services for Members

The United Soccer League Players Association (USLPA), CWA Local 7211, launched a new mental health program for its members on Monday, the first day of mental health awareness month. The program, which is being offered in conjunction with Onrise, a telehealth company, provides a full range of services including player care, teletherapy, and medication management. Care and treatment will be available and accessible to all USLPA members at any time.

Oftentimes, athletes can be seen as entertainers rather than as humans. There is an enormous amount of pressure for elite sports players to perform no matter the cost. Among professional athletes, data shows that approximately 35% of elite athletes suffer from a mental health crisis which may manifest as stress, eating disorders, burnout, or depression and anxiety, but those same athletes are less likely to seek help than the general population.

“It is part of the USLPA’s mission to consistently advance the interests of players,” said USLPA Executive Director Connor Tobin in a press release. “And there is perhaps no better way to accomplish that than to step in and fill this void and make sure that our members are supported as people."