The Power of Mental Health Care at the Intersection of Mental and Physical Conditions

This blog post was written by Lyra Health based on their session at Movement Conference 2025.

Carlisle Companies, Inc. understands that mental and physical health are inseparable. At Hinge Health’s Movement conference, Carly Deer from Lyra Health sat down with Jessica Rodela, senior benefits manager at Carlisle Companies, Inc., to discuss how a transformative partnership with Hinge Health and Lyra is delivering comprehensive, whole-person care to employees. By integrating two of the most trusted platforms in behavioral and physical health, Carlisle is helping employees recover faster, avoid unnecessary disability leave, and stay engaged at work. Over 12 million adults in the U.S. grapple with both chronic pain and mental health conditions like depression or anxiety.¹ Carlisle saw the same trend in its workforce. Their data revealed that 28.6% of their musculoskeletal (MSK) claimants were also navigating overlapping concerns like depression, migraines, or obesity. Behind those numbers were real people coping with real pain,  physical and emotional.

Jessica shared Carlisle's journey: "Our process began by looking closely at our medical claims data. MSK was a top driver of costs, but beyond that, we were hearing firsthand accounts from employees struggling to access timely mental health care." This data-driven approach allowed Carlisle to demonstrate to leadership the clear need for a partnership with both Lyra and Hinge Health. As Jessica put it, "We were investing not just in better benefits for our employees, but in supporting our entire workforce."

Making benefits accessible

Benefits leaders know that simply offering a program isn't enough. Carlisle employees are often on the go and working in plants, making awareness and ease of use crucial. They've found a powerful advocate in their people leaders. "Our front-line leaders are crucial," Jessica explained. "We have our front-line leaders talking to employees and normalizing mental health support,” Jessica explained. “It's important that our leaders are equipped with the information so they can speak about it in a daily conversation versus in moments of crisis.” 

This continuous conversation also helps employees connect the dots between their physical and mental well-being. "When you hear Hinge, you hear Lyra," Jessica noted. "The more often you hear it, the more you integrate them. That's what we want our employees to do."

A seamless path to integrated care

One of the most impactful aspects of the Hinge Health and Lyra partnership for Carlisle is their seamless integration across platforms. This means employees don't have to navigate complex systems on their own. “If an employee comes in through Lyra and indicates that they might be struggling with stress, depression, and also with chronic pain, then we proactively recommend Hinge Health,” explained Jessica. “And the same thing happens on the Hinge Health side, if someone comes in through Hinge and indicates that they might be experiencing mental distress, then Lyra will be proactively offered up.” This unified approach is a game-changer, ensuring employees get the support they need without having to search across disconnected systems. As Jessica observed, "It reflects how people experience health in real life, which is rarely just physical or just mental; it's both."

Life-changing insights and tangible results

The real-world impact has been profound. "We've had employees saying, 'I didn't even realize how much stress was tied into my physical pain until I started both programs,'" Jessica shared. "That kind of insight changes lives. And at the end of the day, what's important for us isn't just the outcome in a report, but the actual daily quality of life for our people. The integration helped us deliver on our goal of whole-person care."

The results speak for themselves: "Since implementing Lyra and expanding mental health access, we've seen a 6.3% decrease in overall mental health spend and a notable reduction in inpatient health admissions," Jessica stated. "And we've seen a 19% reduction in our leaves related to MSK and mental health. For us, that’s a clear sign that Hinge and Lyra are helping our employees stay healthy and at work." ²

Carlisle’s proactive, data-informed strategy sets a powerful example for how employers can move from offering siloed benefits to delivering truly integrated care. By prioritizing the powerful connection between mental and physical health, Carlisle is not only reducing costs but empowering employees to recover faster, stay engaged at work, and improve their daily lives.