Mental Health First Aid In the Workplace

1. Mental Health First Aid In the Workplace

2. Learning Objectives • 1. Participants will learn the prevalence, effects and • costs of mental health issues in the workplace; • 2. Participants will learn some techniques for early • identification and appropriate management of • mental health issues in the workplace; • 3. Participants will learn how companies are taking • advantage of Mental Health First Aid in their • workplaces.

3. Agenda • Introduction • Topics • Mental Health Statistics and Mental Health First Aid in the Workplace, Leslie Wilson, M.S., President/CEO, Wilson Resources, Inc., Certified Mental Health First Aid Instructor • Techniques for Early Identification and Management of Mental Health Issues in the Workplace, Pat Wear, M.S., Senior Vice President, Wilson Resources, Inc., Certified Mental Health First Aid Instructor • BlueCross and BlueShield of Florida’s Participation in Mental Health First Aid in the Workplace, John Wagner, Senior Director, Medicare,BlueCross and BlueShield of Florida

4. Would you hire these people?

5. Mental Health Statistics and Mental Health First Aid in the Workplace

6. A mental disorder or mental illness is a diagnosable and treatable illness that: Affects a person’s thinking, emotional state and behavior, which may disrupt the person’s ability to:1. Work2. Carry out daily activities3. Engage in satisfying relationships

7. Because disability caused by mental disorders may not be visible to others, people with mental disorders can be negatively judged as weak, lazy, uncooperative, or not really ill. This lack of understanding contributes to the stigma.

8. Mental Health Statistics – Work Loss Data Institute • It is estimated that mental disorders are costing U.S. employers $114 billion a year in lost productivity. • Psychological disability claims have increased 300% within the last decade.

9. Mental Health Statistics – National Institute of Mental Health • Mental Disorders are one of the leading causes of disability in people ages 15 to 44 years. • 90% of employees agree that their mental health issues spill over into their professional lives directly impacting their job performance.

10. Mental Health Statistics – Wall Street Journal • Four people in a typical office of 20, 1 out of 5, can be expected to suffer from a mental condition this year. • Depression alone costs U.S. businesses $70 billion a year in lost productivity, medical outlays and other costs.

11. Mental Health Statistics The number one overlooked health condition impacting the corporate bottom line was “depression,” according to a study conducted by Cornell University and the University of Pennsylvania.

12. Mental Health Statistics Depression is a treatable condition caused by a chemical imbalance, not a character weakness. Untreated depression also is the underlying cause behind many payments for digestive disorders, musculoskeletal & cardiovascular diagnoses.

13. Impact On the Workplace Untreated problems result in a productivity loss of approximately 25% of an employee’s salary through absenteeism, accidents, tardiness, use of medical benefits and workman’s compensation claims.

14. Impact On the Workplace • Managers often intervene when they are “fed up” with the employee, which often leads to termination. • The vast majority of employees experiencing a mental health issue should be viewed as valuable assets in need of assistance just as those with physical health issues are viewed.

15. Impact On the Workplace • Identifying the need for treatment as a result of performance problems can save time, money and workplace stress. • People with mental health problems are more likely to seek help if someone close to them suggests it, i.e., a colleague.

16. Impact On the Workplace The efficacy of treatment for mental illness and substance abuse disorders is well documented and has improved dramatically over the past 50 years.

17. Impact On the Workplace Mental health conditions have cure rates equal to and greater than many medical conditions.

18. Impact On the Workplace For most mental illnesses there is a range of well-tolerated and effective treatments. Current research suggests that the most effective method of treatment combines pharmacological management with psychosocial interventions such as psychotherapy.

19. Impact On the WorkplaceReturn on Investment • Retaining Employees: It is estimated that it costs 100% of an employee’s first year wages to replace them due to recruiting/ training costs and lower productivity. • Economic Return: Corporate “wellth” does translate into corporate “wealth.”

20. Mental Health First Aid in the Workplace Provide additional training to your staff, e.g., Mental Health First Aid (MHFA), so they can deal with mental health issues in the workplace in an informed and thoughtful way.

21. Mental Health First Aid in the Workplace A program of the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare, Mental Health First Aid is the help offered to an employee developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis. The first aid is given until appropriate treatment and support are received or until the crisis resolves.

22. Mental Health First Aid Action Plan: ALGEE is a 5 step action plan encompassing the skills, resources and knowledge to assess the situation, select and implement appropriate interventions, and help the individual in crisis connect with appropriate professional care.

23. Mental Health First Aid Action Plan ALGEE • Assess for risk of suicide or harm: As with any first aid action plan, assessment involves approaching the person to determine if there is a problem or a crisis, and assisting the person in dealing with the crisis.

24. Mental Health First Aid Action Plan: ALGEE • Listen non-judgmentally: Most people who are experiencing distressing emotions and thoughts want an empathetic listener first, before being offered helpful options and resources. Make it easy for your coworker to speak freely with you.

25. Mental Health First Aid Action Plan: ALGEE • Give reassurance and information: Once the individual feels he/she has been heard, it becomes easier to offer encouragement and information. This includes empathizing and voicing hope, as well as offering practical help with tasks that may seem overwhelming and information on mental health issues.

26. Mental Health First Aid Action Plan: ALGEE • Encourage appropriate professional help: Encourage the person to get appropriate professional help. Options include counseling, therapy, medication, support for family members, and other types of assistance.

27. Mental Health First Aid Action Plan: ALGEE • Encourage self-help and other support strategies: Peer supporters, others who have experienced mental health problems, can provide valuable help in the person’s recovery.

28. What Can Employers Do? • Educate Staff and Management on Behavioral Health/Mental Health First Aid • Develop and/or refine policies addressing mental health issues in your workplace. • Consider contracting or expanding use of EAP or other behavioral health services.

29. What Can Employers Do? • Protect Medical Privacy: A recent employee survey found that many people who needed behavioral health services feared the resulting stigma. • Access/create a resource guide of local services.

30. BlueCross and BlueShield of Florida • Wilson Resources, Inc. is providing Mental Health First Aid Training at Blue Cross and BlueShield of Florida (BCBSF).

31. BlueCross and BlueShield of Florida • The training is funded through a WRI contract with the Florida Department of Education, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. • Other components of the contract are paid internships and training for service providers on working with employers.

32. BlueCross and BlueShield of Florida • The objectives of the training are: • Increase workplace understanding of mental health disorders; • Reduce stigma that keeps employees from seeking treatment; and • Provide managers and supervisors with tools to appropriately respond.

33. BlueCross and BlueShield of Florida • The overall goal of the Mental Health First Aid training is a healthier, more inclusive and productive workplace.

34. Resource An Employer’s Guide to Behavioral Services, Center for Prevention and Health Services, National Business Group on Health http://www.businessgrouphealth.org/pdfs/fullreport_behavioralhealthservices.pdf

35. "Most people who suffer from a mental disorder are not violent; there is no need to fear them. Embrace them for who they are: normal human beings experiencing a difficult time, who need your open mind, caring attitude, and helpful support." Grohol, J. M. (1998). Dispelling the violence myth. Psych Central. http://psychcentral.com/archives/violence.htm

36. Leslie Wilson, M.S. & Pat Wear, M.S. Wilson Resources, Inc. Certified Mental Health First Aid Instructors Phone: 941-729-9673 Email: lesliew@wilres.com; patw@wilres.com Websites: www.wilres.com; www.NationalCTC.com John Wagner Senior Director, Medicare BlueCross and BlueShield of Florida Email: john.wagner@bcbsfl.com Website: www.bcbsfl.com