You probably offer your employees some form of health benefits. But is your benefits package robust enough to fully support your employees’ range of total health needs if they are to be fully present at work and resilient?
One often overlooked area of employee support is for parents of children with mental health concerns. A survey published earlier this year by Lyra Health found that over half of the more than 1,900 U.S. workers surveyed support a child with a mental health concern. Yet, the survey also found that “worker confidence in their employer-provided resources for their kids’ mental health is lagging behind companies’ investments in this area.”
This gap can mean your employees aren’t able to devote the time and attention necessary for peak performance, costing both you and them in the long run.
“Having a child with an untreated mental health issue is going to take parents out of the workplace. Their mind and energy will be elsewhere,” says Kendall Browne, PhD, senior program manager of Workforce Transformation at Lyra Health.
November is National Family Caregivers Month, a time to highlight the vital yet often unacknowledged role of caregivers. For those who support loved ones experiencing mental health challenges, this month is an opportunity to honor their dedication, recognize their struggles, and empower them with resources.
Veterans face unique mental health challenges that too often go under-addressed, from military sexual trauma and transitional stress to the long-term impact of PTSD. These experiences don’t just affect mental well-being—they can shape every aspect of a Veteran’s life, from personal relationships to reintegration into civilian roles. Yet there is reason to be hopeful: today, more than ever, there’s a focus on empowering Veterans as community and workplace mental health leaders. With evolving peer support programs and resources designed to remove cultural and financial barriers, we’re seeing real progress in providing accessible, culturally competent mental health care. By positioning Veterans at the forefront of these initiatives, we can harness their resilience and leadership, creating stronger communities and workplaces while ensuring they receive the support they deserve.
Earlier this year, I attended the European Symposium on Suicide and Suicidal Behavior (ESSSB) in Rome. One of the plenary presentations by Prof Thomas Niederkrotenthaler, of the Medical University of Vienna, illuminated the powerful impact of the “Papageno Effect” on suicide prevention.
On December 7, 2004, the anniversary of Pearl Harbor, Carson took his life, just two weeks before Christmas and his 35th birthday. Around the same time, the world was struck by the Asian tsunami disaster, and the impact of Carson’s death swept through our family with a similar force—engulfing us in helplessness and shock….
About 12 million adults seriously consider suicide each year. For those ages 10 to 34, suicide is the second most common cause of death. Substance use challenges, addictive behaviors, trauma and complicated grief often lead to tremendous despair and disruption for individuals, families and communities.
Recognizing these and other statistics, Congress passed the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act in 2020. The bill established means for a new, federally and state-funded network of suicide prevention centers that Americans could call with a 3-digit code: 988.
Now—after years of careful planning—the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline launches nationwide on July 16, 2022.
Guest panelists from several areas of mental health advocacy joined Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas on June 23, 2022 for an #ElevateTheConvo Twitter chat about the initiative.
The majority of people who die by suicide are of working age, and almost all of them are employed, previously employed or a family member of someone employed at the time of death; however, workplaces are often ill-equipped to provide grief and trauma support after such a tragedy. Many workplaces, if they provide grief support at all, do not usually take into account the complexities or duration often needed to cope in the aftermath of suicide.
