Remember when there was silence around breast cancer? Sadly, we lost a lot of people. We spoke about it, and we “normalized” it. In recent years we have blown a similar lid off the discussion around mental illness. The discussion is getting louder, but we have a long way to go. As an employer you can amplify the volume.
Each year, a whopping 20% of US adults experience mental illness. As an employer you may be wondering, “How is this my problem?” If you support your employees’ mental health — retention, recruitment, attendance and productivity increase. Outlay for disability leave and medical costs decreases. Adopt EARN, The Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion model.
- Awareness: Build Awareness and a Supportive Culture — educate and advocate
- Accommodations: Provide Accommodations to Employees — be knowledgeable about ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) and utilize it to help employees institute accommodations and practices that enable employees to accomplish their work
- Assistance:Offer Employee Assistance — practice preventative care by offering programs that aid in employee management of mental balance and health
- Access:Ensure Access to Treatment –“The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA) mandates that group health plans provide benefits for mental health – and substance abuse-related disorders.”
Let’s break the silence and save lives.
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