NBA Updates League Wide Mental Health Policies

DeMar DeRozan and Kevin Love started the conversation and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is doing whatever he can to carry it on every single day. The NBA has announced an update to mental health policies amid the ongoing pandemic.

The league wants teams to make more of a commitment to support their players and provide them with the mental health resources. This speaks for not only the players, but also the staff of each franchise. Back several months ago the league informed the teams they should be creating 'education and awareness materials focused on managing mental health during times of uncertainty and coping strategies for addressing the emotional toll of the pandemic.

Love seeing the #MentalHealthAwareness messages scrolled along the bottom of the screen on @NBATV this season. Appreciate the @NBA for stepping up and helping to not only eliminate the stigma around #MentalHealth, but also providing resources for people to access. pic.twitter.com/bwE6EzLZtQ
— Mark Brown (@HeyMarkBrown) January 2, 2021

Your gifts support our work of providing grants to communities in need, resources for mental health and wellness, and tools for advocacy. There's still time to make a gift to NBA this year!

Visit https://t.co/IkxLyWjvW0 to make your donation today. #CalledtoCare #NBACares pic.twitter.com/LlvyOq90yn
— NBACares (@NBADisciples) December 31, 2020

In a league wide memo, the following was stated by the league:

Given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, taking care of one's mental health and having access to resources are important aspects of managing the feelings of anxiety, uncertainty, and stress that have characterized much of 2020 and will in all likelihood be present during the 2020-21 season.

The NBA piggybacked off their Mind Health campaign from a few years ago and they have done a great job ensuring each team is filled with the proper resources to support each players. From health professionals on stand-by to team doctors, to help lines, the NBA continues to do whatever they can to be there for any player in need.

Kudos NBA, great work!

Photo credit: Martin Cole/DPPI/Icon Sportswire