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Editor’s note: This is the first in a series of Deadline reports exploring how the current upheaval in the media and entertainment industry is affecting mental health.
A year ago, Hollywood was in the midst of a historic strike, with the Writers Guild of America and Directors Guild of America picketing every major studio in the city. The unions eventually signed a new three-year contract, but the film and television industries are still reeling from the effects.
Throughout much of last year, production workers continued to hope that opportunities would be restored once new contracts, each of which took more than 100 days to finalize, were finalized. But for a variety of reasons, that did not happen.
A sustained decline in production that began before the strike accelerated in the second half of last year. A recent report from ProdPro found that U.S. production was down 40% in the second quarter of 2024 compared to pre-strike Hollywood, while globally it was down 16%.
This, combined with streaming cost headwinds at studios and executives’ need to reduce huge debt loads, has led to massive job cuts across the industry, and in some sectors the cuts look increasingly permanent as AI has been widely adopted in the months since the strike was resolved.
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Deadline has compiled a list of mental health resources for Hollywood union members who may need support during this time.
All of Hollywood’s unions are supporters of the Entertainment Community Fund, which offers a variety of mental health services to entertainment industry professionals, including evaluations to determine which resources best fit an individual’s needs. The Motion Picture and Television Fund and the Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneer Foundation also have comprehensive lists of available resources. Social Services Consultation assesses an individual’s needs and offers advice, assistance, and counseling. They also provide medication, diagnostic testing, health insurance, and even temporary financial assistance for career counseling and skills retraining.
Below you’ll find more resources categorized by union:
Writers Guild of America
Unemployment Assistance Guide – WGA has a three-part guide to surviving unemployment or a period of long-term unemployment that covers every step of the process, from understanding how to maintain your WGA membership and receive unemployment benefits to accessing financial assistance and finding a new job.
Resource Hub – Though the strike is over, the WGA’s Resource Hub, which launched last year, remains operational. It’s a comprehensive starting point for thinking about where to turn for help, bringing together dozens of advocacy programs in one place.
WGA Health Plans offer several mental health coverage options, including acute care. The plans also cover continuing care and medication for mental health disorders as required by federal law. Telehealth is also an option, allowing participants to schedule an in-person appointment with a licensed therapist, psychologist or psychiatrist for just $10.
Directors Guild of America
DGA health plans cover a variety of specialized mental health services. In addition to ongoing outpatient treatment, other resources available to health plan members include hospitalization, intensive outpatient mental health and substance abuse treatment, certain prescription medications, partial hospitalization, and residential care.
The Directors Guild Foundation is also offering interest-free loans to members experiencing financial hardship, which is in addition to the recently established DGA Emergency Relief Fund, which will provide $1,000 grants to those experiencing financial hardship.
Teamsters Film Division
The Teamsters Human Rights and Diversity Committee is working to make various resources available to members and easy to find. Through the Motion Picture Industry Health Insurance and Pension Plan, members can speak with an Employee Assistance Program representative 24/7 to determine next steps, even if they are not currently insured.
MPI plans also include up to five free counseling sessions per year per issue. In addition to finding someone to talk to, MPI also has resources like videos and articles to inform members about anxiety, depression, anger, substance use, family issues and more.
For in-network services, members pay just $5 for ongoing outpatient care. In-network facilities also cover hospitalization fees and copayments, and insurance covers other costs incurred during hospitalization, residential, and partial/day care.
India
IATSE also participates in the Motion Picture Industry Health Insurance and Retirement System, making many of the services listed above available to all members.
IATSE has also worked with charity Behind The Scenes, which provides an online therapist finder to help people find therapists familiar with the entertainment industry. BTS also have a series of online behavioural self-assessments to help them decide which mental health services are best suited for them and provide them with the language to make sense of their struggles.
IATSE also reimburses members for attending the National Council on Mental Health’s Mental Health First Aid training. The union says about 1,000 members have already taken the course, which teaches them how to recognize and respond to the specific signs and symptoms of mental health issues, and how to provide initial assistance to people who need help in both crisis and non-crisis situations before they can receive appropriate professional treatment.
SAG-AFTRA
SAG-AFTRA Health Plans offer comprehensive behavioral health benefits through Carelon, a 24-hour helpline that can help with initial support and therapy referrals for depression, anxiety and stress, as well as for those experiencing a mental health crisis or substance abuse disorder.
There’s also a content library full of videos and other educational tools to learn more about specific mental health issues and treatments.
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