Employer Action Series: Mental Well-being in the workplace
Health Summit Action Series
A Guide to Mental Wellbeing in the
Workplace
December 16, 2014 7:30AM—10AM
Southern Market Center / Lancaster Chamber
100 S. Queen Street, Lancaster
Employer Action Series: Mental Well-being in the workplace
Presented in Partnership By:
Employer Action Series: Mental Well-being in the workplace
Exhibitors:
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Access EAP
Carebridge Corporation
Integrated Behavioral Health
Mazzitti & Sullivan EAP Services
Philhaven
Samaritan Counseling Center
WellSpan Employee Assistance
Program
Mental Illness is Prevalent
• Up to 25% of the U.S. population will personally experience mental
illness at any given time, with roughly half of those experiencing
significant psychological distress.
• 1 in 10 will experience depression in a given year.
• Increased prevalence of depression with chronic medical illnesses
(45% of people with asthma; 27% with diabetes).
• Mental illnesses affect people during their prime working years.
• 50% of those who have experienced depression will have a recurrent
episode.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Results from the 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Mental
Health Findings, 2012
Prev Chronic Disease, 2006
National Institute of Mental Health
Depression Symptoms and Work
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Sleep problems = lower-quality work
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Lack of concentration = procrastination, more accidents on the job
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Slowed thoughts = trouble making decisions
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Forgetfulness = poor quality work
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Self medication = missed deadlines, presenteeism
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Aches and pains = trips to the doctor, increased healthcare costs
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Irritability or tearfulness = poor relationships with coworkers
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Low motivation = presenteeism
Disability
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Impairment from depression can affect an individual’s ability to
get out of bed or conduct usual activities on average of 66.4 days
per year.
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Mental illness short-term disability claims are growing by 10%
annually.1, 2
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Account for 30% or more of the corporate disability experience for
a typical employer.1, 2
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53% of employers surveyed by Watson Wyatt found that return to
work is more difficult following a psychiatric disability than after
physical disability.3
1 An Employer’s Guide to Behavioral Health Services,
2 Marlowe JF: Depression’s Surprising Toll on Worker
3 Watson Wyatt Staying at Work Survey.
National Business Group on Health, December 2005.
Productivity, Employee Benefits Journal, March 2002.
Employer Costs
Indirect costs = $80-100B
Medical
Mental health/substance abuse
Pharmacy
Disability
Presenteeism and lost
productivity
Absenteeism
Overtime to cover sick-day
absences
Unrealized output
Overstaffing
Temporary workers
Stress on team members
Recruitment
Hiring costs
Retraining
Care Delayed, Often Inadequate
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Nearly two-thirds of all people with diagnosable mental disorders do
not seek treatment.
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People often suffer for years; typically do so after a decade or more
of delays, during which time they develop additional problems.
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People with even mild depression have poor physical and social
functioning and risk future, more severe depression if they remain
untreated.
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5 out of 10 employees with depression who visit a PCP during an
episode fail to start any treatment.
•
4 out of 10 employees with depression who start antidepressant
medication discontinue use before clinical benefit are achieved.
US Department of Health and Human Services. Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General, 1999.
National Institute of Mental Health. Depression: A treatable illness. 2004.
Benefit Coverage
Benefits Expanded
• Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act and ACA
EAPs Prevalent
• 97% of companies with more than 5,000 employees have EAPs.
• 80% of companies with 1,001 - 5,000 employees have EAPs.
• 75% of companies with 251 - 1,000 employees have EAPs.
Inexpensive
• Per-employee cost of EAP ranges from $12-40 annually, representing less
than one third of 1% of average employers' annual per-employee spending
on health insurance
But Underutilized
• A mere 3% of employees used their employer's EAP counseling services in
2012.
• 85% of employers of all sizes offer stress management services within their
EAP, only 5% of employees had used those services.
EAPA 2014
EASNA and Kaiser Family Foundation 2013
EAP Technology Systems Inc. 2013
Towers Watson & Co. 2013
Treatment Works
• Well-established that MH/SUD are treatable conditions. For most
disorders, range of treatment methods with proven efficacy
available.1
– Pharmacological – psychotropic medications.
– Psychosocial – psychotherapy, intensive outpatient for SUDs, etc.
• Current research suggests that most effective treatments combine
appropriate pharmacological with psychosocial methods.1
• With appropriate diagnosis, treatment and monitoring,
approximately 80% of individuals with depression will recover fully.2
• Continuation pharmacotherapy reduces the risk of relapse from 4060 percent to 10-20 percent.3
1 US
Department of Health and Human Services. Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General, 1999.
National Institute of Mental Health. Depression: A treatable illness. 2004.
3 Prien & Kupfer, 1986; Thase, 1993.
2
Treatment Improves Work Performance
• Nearly 86% of employees treated for depression report
improved work performance.1
• 80% of those treated for mental illness report “high levels of
work efficacy and satisfaction.”2
• Treatment of depression results about a 40-60% reduction in
absenteeism/presenteeism.3
1 Finkelstein SN et al: Improvement in Subjective Work Performance after Treatment of Chronic Depression: Psychopharmacology
Bulletin, vol. 32, 1996, pp. 33-40.
2 Therapy in America 2004: Poll Shows Mental Health Treatment Goes Mainstream.
3 Dunlop, DD Am J Pub Health 2005. Wang, PS Am J Psych 2004. Simon, GE Gen Hosp Psych 2000. Claxton, AJ JOEM, 1999.
Employer Action Series: Mental Well-being in the workplace
Clare Miller
Director, Partnership for Workplace Mental Health
American Psychiatric Foundation
Partnership for Workplace Mental
Health
Collaboration with employers to advance
effective approaches to mental health.
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Promote the business case for quality
mental health care, including early
recognition, access to care and effective
treatment.
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Highlight employer case examples and
facilitate peer-to-peer dialogue.
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Provide tools and resources to help
employers take action.
Employer Strategies
General Recommendations
• Leverage what you already have in terms of benefits and
programming.
• Look for places to include mental health messages.
• Learn from others, making use of the Partnership’s
employer examples.
• Work with your vendors and use your role as purchaser as
leverage – just raising the issue of mental health with them
can make a difference.
Use Data to Drive Strategy
Work with your healthcare vendors…
• Utilization rates for EAP, MH and SUD benefits?
• How does your population’s diagnosis numbers compare with
epidemiological data? (25% of population has diagnosable mental
illness.)
• Look at Rx – antidepressants might be high…how are refill rates? Are
people staying on medication for recommended course of treatment?
Are dosages at therapeutic levels?
• How many people are getting therapy vs just medication?
• Prevention/early intervention vs hospitalization/disability?
• How does data compare to vendors’ books of business?
Early Identification and Engagement
Work with your healthcare vendors…
• Include questions on stress, depression, substance use in Health Risk
Appraisals.
• Educational programs specific to MH/SUD in workplace.
• Educated and integrate MH/SUD in health messages and
programming, wellness efforts. (multiple formats, etc.)
• Promote EAP and early intervention.
• Make sure there are access points to services no matter the point of
entry.
Benefit Design & Management
Work with your healthcare vendors….
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Pay attention to benefit design to ensure barriers to care are removed.
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Cost sharing especially important because of chronicity and stigma. Align
financial incentives to facilitate access and adherence to treatment.
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Parity implementation – use as opportunity to carefully review MH and SUDs.
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Be aware that adherence to treatment is a tremendous problem – use care
management, medication reminders, encourage mail order, etc.
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Offer depression and anxiety disease /condition management programs.
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Incorporate mental health into care management programs for diabetes,
asthma and other conditions with high comorbidity rates.
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Conduct vendor summits focused on mental health and identify ways suppliers
can/should be working together.
Care Delivery
Work with your healthcare vendors….
• Create systems with multiple entry points.
• Work with vendors to get PCPs to screen for depression and deliver
care management.
• Consider financial incentives associated with the quality care
delivery. (care management, screening, consultation etc.)
• Ask plans how they are supporting primary care’s ability to respond
to mental health and coordinate with appropriate professionals.
• Incorporate mental health into care management programs for
diabetes, asthma and other conditions with high comorbidity rates.
Disability and Return to Work
Work with your health and disability vendors…
• Screen cases for mental health comorbidity; refer to EAP.
• Make sure disability plan understands benefits and resources available
for mental health.
• Appropriate, quality care while out on disability leave.
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- Require that mental health professional be engaged in treatment of
people on disability for mental health conditions.
- RTW a goal of treatment.
• Involve EAP with disability and return to work.
• Accommodations and smooth facilitation back to work.
Employer Resources
Employer Resources
Employer website
• www.workplacementalhealth.org
• Employer stories (60)
Business Case tools
• Literature reviews
• Calculator tools
Issue briefs on specific topics
• Parity law, stress and resiliency, etc.
Employer Resources
Mental Health Works
• Quarterly newsletter (circ. 50k)
• Employer case examples
Monthly e-updates
• Research, resources, news
Employer Case Examples
• Searchable database of programs,
location, industry type, employer size
Employer Case Examples
Searchable database of 60 employers
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Program type (EAP, Disability/Case
Management, Integration/Partnerships,
etc.),
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# of employees
Industry type
Location
Keyword
Employer Case Examples
Employer
# of EEs
Industry
Primary Regions
Programs Described
Caterpillar
93,000
Manufacturing
US- Midwest
Disability/Case Management, Disease Management,
Employee Assistance Program, Integration, Wellness
Cerner Corporation
>5,000
Information
US- Midwest
Community Partnership
Chevron
56,000
Utilities
US- West
Employee Assistance Program, Health Plans,
Integration, Wellness
Cisco Systems
57,000
Communication
US- West, US- Northeast, USMidwest, US- South,
International
Disease Management, Employee Assistance
Program, Evaluation/Metrics, Integration, Provider
Communication, Wellness
City of Colorado Springs
2,735
Public Administration
US- Midwest
Disease Management
City of Kansas City,
Missouri (KCMO)
4,650
Public Administration
US- Midwest
Community Partnership
Clackamas County,
Oregon
2,100
Public Administration
US- West
Wellness
DuPont
60,000
Manufacturing
US- South
Employee Assistance Program, Health Plans,
Wellness
Family Dollar
44,000
Retail Trade
US- South
Disability/Case Management
Florida Power & Light
Company (FPL)
12,500
Utilities
US- South
Employee Assistance Program
H-E-B
70,000
Retail Trade
US- South
Disability/Case Management, Health Plans, Wellness
Hallmark Cards
>18,000
Manufacturing
US- Midwest
Community Partnership
Addressing Depression
Workplace
in the
Depression awareness initiative for
the workplace.
Collaboration with Employers
Health (Ohio employer coalition).
Goal: increase awareness about
depression, reduce stigma and
encourage people who need help to
seek it.
How: provide employers turnkey
materials for worksite education to
increase employee help-seeking
behaviors.
Designed with direct feedback from
employers (focus groups) to ensure
the initiative met the needs identified
Seeks to raise awareness about
depression in the workplace, while
reducing stigma and encouraging
employee/employer dialogue
Contains tools/resources for easy
implementation (not your typical
mental health campaign)
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Take a step in the right direction –
toward information and help.
Everything branded back to a website and series of
pages that support the initiative.
RightDirectionForMe.com
Employer Action Series: Mental Well-being in the workplace
“Field Guide” with business case,
FAQs
Steps for implementation,
conversations with EAP vendors,
measurement and evaluation
Newsletter, intranet content for
ease of use
PPT decks to secure alignment from
C-suite
PPT decks for managers to
implement the initiative
Website: RightDirectionforMe.com
PHQ-9 screening tool
Signs and symptoms, getting help
Anonymously suggest to your employer
Asset Library
11 different Posters, 3 Intranet articles, 4
Logos, 2 Pocket cards
Promotional items
Pocket cards
Business cards with tips
Stress bears
PHQ (2 and 9-question versions).
Tool preferred by primary care and
MH professionals.
Keys to DSM symptoms, assesses
severity.
Includes symptoms that affect work
performance.
Research supports its use in
measurement-based care.
Employee Awareness Posters
Below sampling of posters (3 out of 11 available) provide insight into materials
available at the employers’ disposal
Take Aways
• Employer strategies document
• Partnership for Workplace Mental Health
• www.WorkplaceMentalHealth.org
• Employer examples
• Subscribe to free publication and monthly eupdates
• Right Direction
• www.RightDirectionForMe.Com
• For Employers Sign
Clare Miller
Director, Partnership for Workplace Mental Health
American Psychiatric Foundation
703-907-8673
cmiller@psych.org www.workplacementalhealth.org
Employer Action Series: Mental Well-being in the workplace
Mental Health First AidCommunity Services Group
Julie Weaver
Vice President for
Behavioral Health Services- CSG
A Collaborative Partnership of the National Council for Community
Behavioral Healthcare, Maryland State Department of Mental Hygiene and
Missouri Department of Mental Health
Mental Health in America
• Mental health issues affect all of society in
some way, shape or form.
• It is estimated that one in four Americans will
have a diagnosable mental disorder at some
point in their lives.
• With proper support and treatment, many of
these individuals can lead full, productive and
satisfying lives.
American Adults with a Mental Disorder
in One Year
Type of Mental Disorder
•.
% of Adults
Anxiety Disorder
18.1
Major Depression Disorder
6.7
Substance Use Disorder
3.8
Bipolar Disorder
2.6
Eating Disorder
2.1
Schizophrenia
1.1
Any Mental Disorder
26.2
History of Mental Health First Aid
• Created in Australia in 2001
• Expanded to more than 18 countries:
Australia, Cambodia, Canada, China, England,
Finland, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand,
Northern Ireland, Scotland, Singapore, South
Africa, Thailand and Wales
• Piloted in the U.S. in 2008
Why Mental Health First Aid?
• Mental health problems are common
• People with mental health problems often
face stigmas
• Many people are not well-informed about
mental health problems
• Professional help is not always on hand
• People often do not know how to respond
What is Mental Health First Aid ?
• Mental Health First Aid is the help offered to a
person experiencing a mental health
challenge, mental disorder, or a mental health
crisis. The first aid is given until appropriate
help is received or until the crisis resolves.
• Mental Health First Aid does not teach people to
diagnose or to provide treatment
Spectrum of Mental Health
Interventions- Where does MHFA fit?
Mental Health First Aid Aims To…
• Preserve life where a person may be a danger
to themselves or others
• Provide help to prevent a mental health
problem from becoming more serious
• Promote recovery of good mental health
• Provide assistance to a person experiencing a
mental health problem
Training Agenda
• Session 1
– What is Mental health First Aid
– Mental health problems in the
USA
– The Mental Health First Aid
Action Plan
– Understanding Depression and
Anxiety
– Mental Health First Aid Action
Plan for
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Depression and Anxiety
Suicidal Behavior
Depressive symptoms
Non Suicidal Self Injury
Panic attacks
Traumatic Events
Anxiety Symptoms
• Session 2
– Understanding Psychotic
Disorders
– Mental Health First Aid for
Acute Psychosis
– Understanding Substance Use
Disorders
– Mental Health First Aid for
– Overdose
– Withdrawal
– Substance Use Disorders
– Using Your Mental Health First
Aid Training
Mental Health First Aid- The Plan
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Assess for risk of suicide or harm
Listen nonjudgmentally
Give reassurance and information
Encourage appropriate professional help
Encourage self-help and other support
strategies
Who has CSG trained?
• Business owners,
employees
• CEO’s, CFO’s
• Human resource staff
• Colleges/ University
Faculty, Staff and students
• Police officers, Correction
officers, Probation/Parole
officers, Judges
• Nurses
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Teachers, para-educators
Human service agencies
Family Members
People in recovery
Community members
Faith Based Community
members
• EMT’s/Paramedics/First
responders
CSG MHFA Training
• CSG trainers are MHFA Certified by the National
Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare and
were part of the First nationally trained group for
Adult and youth
• CSG has been providing mental health services in
PA for over 40 years
• CSG MHFA trainers are experienced mental health
professionals, ranging from 15 – 25 + years field
experience- All have Master degrees, several are
licensed to practice in in Pennsylvania
Mental Health First Aid Certification
• Participants receive a manual and a 3 year
certification which provides trainees with
• Knowledge of risk factors and warning signs of
mental illness
• Information about available mental health
treatments
• A better understanding about the impact mental
illnesses have on a person, their family and
communities
People are Saying…
“Just weeks after attending the training, I’ve already used the skills I learned in
Mental Health First Aid …”
– hospital employee
“I think any professional who deal with people should take this course, especially
emergency personnel, teachers, …”
– employment services professional
“I now feel better prepared for what might happen.”
– homeless shelter volunteer
“This info can help a person to become more understanding, rather than
judgmental, of someone with a mental Illness.”
– community member
For Further InformationJulie Weaver, Vice President for Behavioral Health
Services- CSG
(717)285-7121 ext. 10304
weaverj@csgonline.org
Lisa Basci, Senior Program Specialist- CSG
(717) 285-7121 ext. 30016
bascil@csgonline.org
Employer Action Series: Mental Well-being in the workplace
EAP Overview
Shannon Clark
Health & Productivity Practice Leader
StoudtAdvisors
EAP Overview
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Define EAP
Core services
Additional services
Pricing
How to promote
EAP Overview Cont.
An employee assistance program (EAP) is a
work-based intervention program designed to
assist employees in resolving personal problems
that may be adversely affecting the employee's
performance.
EAP Overview Cont.
Core options
• Face to face counseling
• Telephonic counseling
EAP Overview Cont.
Additional services
• Onsite counseling services
• Training programs
• Critical incident
• Mediation
• Manager training & coaching
• Drug free workplace referrals
EAP Overview Cont.
Additional services
• Comprehensive work-life services
• Pre-employment screening assessments
• Recruitment assistance
• Relocation assistance
• Organizational transition support
EAP Overview Cont.
Additional services
• Wellness solutions
• Vendor integration
• Legal referral and resources
• Financial services
• Seminar workshops & webinars
• Online tools
EAP Overview Cont.
Pricing
• PEPM
• Fee For Service
EAP Overview Cont.
How to promote
• Vendor that’s an active partner
• An objective of the wellness committee
• Topic driven promotion
• Manager training
• Sharing testimonies
• Health fair booth
Employer Action Series: Mental Well-being in the workplace
The Effects of Physical Activity,
Healthy Eating and Stress on Mental
Wellbeing
Lauren Bishard
Wellness & Health Promotion Consultant
INGROUP Associates, Inc.
The Benefits of Physical Activity on
Mental Wellbeing
Basic Benefits
• Less tension, stress, and mental fatigue
• A natural energy boost
• Improved Sleep
• A sense of achievement
• Focus in life and motivation
• Less anger or frustration
• A healthy appetite
• Increases social interactions
The Benefits of Physical Activity on
Mental Wellbeing Cont.
More Benefits!
• Reduces physical and mental stress
• Exercising releases endorphins
– Endorphins create a feeling of happiness or euphoria
– Exercise stimulates the growth of neurons in areas of the
brain damaged by depression
– Regular exercise is effective in treating long-term
depression
• Improves self-esteem and promotes positive self-image
– Even without a change in body shape, those who exercise
have increased confidence when their exercise endurance
improves
The Benefits of Physical Activity on
Mental Wellbeing Cont.
Yes, Even More Benefits!!
• Exercise reduces anxiety and increases relaxation
– Exercise improves anxiety sensitivity, because
exercising increases heart rate and perspiration, the
same symptoms of anxiety attacks. So those who
exercise associate those symptoms with safety, rather
than danger.
• Improves mood
– Within 5 minutes of moderate exercise, mood is
enhanced.
Source: Clare Miller
The Benefits of Healthy Eating on
Mental Wellbeing
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Food plays an important role in the development, management and prevention of
specific mental health problems such as:
– Depression
– Schizophrenia
– Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
– Alzheimer’s disease
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Diets containing high amounts of refined sugar cause the worsening of symptoms
of schizophrenia and a higher rate of depression
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When employees are stressed, their immune systems are down and their bodies’
nutrients are depleted.
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Healthy Eating plays a critical role in maintaining low stress.
Source: National Alliance on Mental Illness & WELCOA
You Are What You Eat!
1. Avoid- Sugary drinks and excessive amounts of caffeine
Why- Causes headaches, dizziness, dry skin, etc.
2. Avoid- Skipping Breakfast
Why- This can lead to “brain fog”
3. Avoid- High-fat dairy, fried foods and refined sugary foods.
Why- Weight gain, can lead to chronic conditions like
diabetes, increases risk of depression
Source: Mental Health America
Nutrients Are Your Friends
Folate
• Increased intake of folate is associated with a lower risk of depression
• Ex: Leafy green veggies, fruits, nuts, beans, whole grains
Vitamin D
• Rates of depression are higher in people with Vitamin D deficiency. Lack of
Vitamin D plays a role in Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Omega 3’s
• May be helpful in the treatment of depression and seem to have a moodstabilizing effect.
• May help boost the effectiveness of conventional antidepressants and help
young people with ADHD
• Ex: Oily fish (salmon, trout, sardine, etc.), walnuts, flax, olive oil, fresh basil
and dark green leafy veggies
Source: Mental Health America
Effects of Stress on Mental Wellbeing
There are at least three different types of stress, all of which carry physical
and mental health risks:
Routine stress related to the pressures of work, family and other daily
responsibilities
2. Stress brought about by a sudden negative change, such as losing a job,
divorce, or illness
3. Traumatic stress, experienced in an event like a major accident, war, assault, or
a natural disaster where one may be seriously hurt or in danger of being killed
1.
Source: NIH
Effects of Stress on Mental Wellbeing
Over time, continued strain on your body from routine stress may lead to
serious health problems, such as heart disease, high blood pressure,
diabetes, depression, anxiety disorder, and other illnesses.
Stress affects people differently
• Digestive symptoms
• Headaches
• Sleeplessness
• Depressed mood
• Anger and irritability
• People under chronic stress are prone to more frequent and severe viral
infections, such as the flu or common cold, and vaccines, such as the flu
shot, are less effective for them.
Source: NIH
Stress Management
• Stress management should undoubtedly be a top priority for your
health promotion programs.
• Excessive stress can increase the risk of high blood pressure, heart
disease and obesity.
• Stress can also affect GI tract- more so than any other physiological
system in the body
– Can bring about illnesses and conditions such as ulcers, acid
reflex, colitis, irritable bowl syndrome and Chron’s disease.
Policies and Supportive Environment
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Senior Management Support!!
Healthy Vending Policy
Healthy Meeting Policy
Tobacco-Free Facility
Documentation of approval to use facilities and company
time for health management activities
• Wellness Committee
• Fitness Facilities
Policies and Supportive Environment
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Showers at work
Bike racks
Walking Trails
Safe environment for exercise
Benefit design that supports preventive
screenings and work-life balance
Implementing Appropriate Interventions
to Improve Wellbeing
Physical Activity
• Promote walking at lunch
• “Take the Stairs” Campaign
• Challenges
– Promotes physical activity and is morale-building
• Encourage bike/walk/run to work
• Stretching Program
• Provide consistent education on benefits of physical activity
– Via newsletter, email, stall talks
• Gym membership
• Yoga at work
***These interventions promote behavior change
and lead to healthier lifestyles.***
Implementing Appropriate Interventions
to Improve Wellbeing
Healthy Eating
• Fresh fruit in break rooms
• Healthy vending
• Provide water bottles
• Recipe exchange club
• Healthy cooking demonstrations
• Challenges
• Provide consistent education on benefits of healthy eating
– Via newsletter, email, stall talks
***These interventions promote behavior change
and lead to healthier lifestyles. ***
Implementing Appropriate
Interventions to Improve Wellbeing
Look at your company culture
• Good Management Practices
• Promotion of Work/Life Balance
• Recognition of Employee
•
Achievements
• Flexible Working Arrangements
• Family Fun Days
• Workplace Fun Days
• Success Stories
Employer Action Series: Mental Well-being in the workplace
Well Workplace Award
Innovation Award Winner, 2013
Steve Ewing
Benefits Manager
Herr Foods, Inc.
Overview
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Wellness initiatives
Results
Keys to success
Now and in the future
Wellness Initiatives - Committee
• Focused on supporting employees in mind,
body, and spirit
• Committee extends to a network of
champions
• Enlightened You- focused on self-reflection
and spiritual enrichment
• National Day of Prayer led by chaplains
• New Year New You- focused on lifestyle
change
Wellness Initiatives - Committee
• Other- walking programs, weight loss
challenges, Make the Call, Spuds on the Run Couch25K, Healthy vending, Annual Wellness
Fair, and Wellness Wednesdays- handed out
fruit weekly May-Aug, bulletin
Wellness Initiatives - Incentives
• Health insurance discount for both employee
and spouse plan members to do HRA's,
biometrics, and for members who are tobacco
users, diabetics, or have a BMI >35 to engage
in a coaching program.
• Cash reward for tobacco cessation
• Comprehensive reimbursements
Wellness Initiatives - Other
• YourCare chronic disease outreach from
Coresource (includes depression)
• Onsite early intervention specialist from ATI
physical therapy at main location
• Visiting chaplains at all locations
• Act Rx program for diabetics (22 participants)
Wellness Initiatives - Other
• Comprehensive and robust EAP program is
provided by Cigna that includes onsite
education, a library of resources, work/life
solutions, etc.
• Manager training conference included a
session on "Healthy Thinking" that applied to
work and personal life
Participation
• Incentive tied to benefits (includes spouses)of the 1,139 employees on the plan, 596
(52%) completed an HRA, biometrics, and a
coaching program if the participant was obese
(BMI >35), used tobacco, or was diabetic
• 59% or 906 unique participants have
participated in programs that were designed
by the wellness committee in 2013, which
includes employees at 20+ locations
Health Improvements
• Medical compliance scores for depression
(medication & office visits) in the Herr Foods
population are 13% higher than the norm
• A cohort study of biometrics and HRA's shows
that the high risk rate of depression decreased
from 6.9% to 4.2%
• HRA results showed improvement the frequency
of reported depression 13% to 10%, diabetes 10%
to 4%, high cholesterol 38% to 33%, hypertension
16% to 10%, and physical inactivity 50% to 31%.
Health Improvements
• Life satisfaction and job satisfaction each also
improved by approximately 2% each.
• Average high risks decreased from 1.69 to
1.53
• Weight Loss programs organized by the
committee resulted in weight loss, including
580 pounds in Lose, Don't Gain
Keys to Success
• Understanding the needs of employees
through focus groups/surveys
• 5 year integrative, strategic plan
• Senior management participates in planning,
has high participation
Now and in the Future
• Tobacco Free Campus
• Tobacco free discount
Employer Action Series: Mental Well-being in the workplace
Legal Considerations
Relating to
Mental Well-being in the Workplace
Micah T. Saul, Esq.
Devine Law Offices, LLC
717-390-3020
The Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA)
• Applies to employers with 15+ employees
• PHRA mirrors ADA, applies to ERs with 4-14 EEs
• Prohibits employers from discriminating
against qualified individuals with disabilities
in application procedures, hiring, firing,
compensation, job training, and other terms,
conditions and privileges of employment
ADA Cont.
• When is it necessary to accommodate under
the ADA?
• What is the process for determining whether
an accommodation is feasible?
• How is the interactive process triggered?
Addressing an Employee’s
Mental Health Condition
Talk to the employee
• Be prepared
• Keep conversation focused on performance
• Avoid direct inquiries regarding mental health
status
• Document, document, document
Addressing an Employee’s
Mental Health Condition
Follow-up
• Talk to the employee’s supervisor
• Provide a referral to EAP if necessary
• Be prepared to gather additional information if
needed
•
ADA questionnaire
Addressing an Employee’s
Mental Health Condition
Take action
• Establish a performance improvement plan if
appropriate
• Assess whether reasonable accommodation is
required and available
• Maintain open lines of communication
•
KEEP DOCUMENTING!!
• Set up follow-up meetings to review
performance
Solving the Problem Before it Starts
• Use job descriptions (and keep them up-todate)
• Recognize work-life balance issues
• Foster an open and productive culture
Next Steps
• Mental Health First Aid Classes Feb 2 and 9 at
The Chamber 12-4pm. Cost $100
• Attend Workplace Action Team Meeting on
January 8th
• Complete the Free CDC Scorecard to assess
your Employee Wellness
• Save the Date for the Health Summit on
May 7th,2015