FundaMENTAL Health Bottomline Sense Why Employers Need to Care About Mental Health
Jan 19, 2018
FundaMENTAL HealthBottomline Sense
Why Employers Need to Care About Mental Health
• 7 out of 10 deaths in the U.S.
Chronic Disease:The greatest cause of disability
in the U.S.
• 75% of the nation’s health care spendingMental illness and substance abuse
are America’s most chronic illnesses.
Disability ImpactIllness Related Disability (U.S.)
0% 4% 8% 12%
16% 20% 24%
Alcohol/Drug Use
Diabetes
Cancer
Infectious Diseases
Arthritis
Cardiovascular Diseases
Mental Health ConditionsAlcohol/Drug Use
One third of all illness-related disability in this country is caused by mental
illness and substance abuse.
Disability Impact
One out of five Americans will have a diagnosable mental health problem in
the course of any given year.
Prevalence:We Are All Touched By
Mental Illness
Prevalence: In Hawaii
8.5% of adults in Hawai`i reported that their “Mental Health was not good 14+ of the past 30 days.”
Impact on Workplace
ABSENTEEISM
One-third of illness-related worker absenteeism is tied to
mental disorders.
What Mental Illnesses Are We Talking About?
Prevalence
5 10 15 20
Bipolar Disorder
Panic Disorder
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
PTSD
ADHDMajor Depression
Percentage
Schizophrenia 1%
2.6%
2.7%
3.1%
3.5%4.1%
6.7%
Suicide
More than 34,000 American lives are lost annually to suicide.
1 person every 15 minutes.
Suicide
At least 90 percent of all people who die by suicide suffer from mental health disorders,
particularly depression
At least 90 percent of those who die by suicide suffer from a mental illness.
Violence
The percent of mentally ill people committing acts of violence is very low. . .
96% of violent acts are committed by people who do not have mental illness
That said…...
We must be alert for signs that a person’smental health may be at risk of getting
worse so we can prevent severe deterioration, suicide or potential violence
That’s more than $600 per person.It is more than the annual revenue for every
Fortune 500 company except Wal-Mart and Exxon Mobile.
In 2002, serious mental health conditions were associated with $193.2 billion in lost earnings.
Counting the Costs: The Bottom Line
One third of illness-related worker absenteeism and disability is tied to
mental rather than physical disorders.
Counting the Costs: The Bottom Line
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Counting the Costs:The Bottom Line
Depression, stress and other mental health problems contribute to:
• Decreased employee productivity
• Conflicts with co-workers• Disruptive and/or violent
behavior• Accidents on the job• Poor work quality• Impact on employee morale
Absence, disability, and lost productivity related to mental illness cost employers more than four times the cost of employees’ medical treatment.
Counting the Costs: The Bottom Line
We Know What Works
80% of people with depression improve with treatment.
Mental health conditions are TREATABLE.People Recover.
Diagnosis and Treatment
What You Can Do
Workplace AwarenessCreate a supportive work environment that increases
knowledge, dispels myths, reduces shame and stigma, decreases discrimination. This improves the likelihood
that employees will seek treatment. …for example, newsletters, health fairs and workshops
What You Can Do
Provide employees with information about how to get help for themselves or
other employees
What You Can Do
Employee Assistance Programs Ensure that EAPs provide easily accessible and confidential services to people who are
developing mental health problems Make sure your employees know about these services!
– Promote EAP services through internal communications channels– Integrate the EAP with other programs (e.g., disability, FMLA)
What You Can Do
Educate your managers about how to address situations in which an employee may be experiencing mental health challenges
What You Can Do
Educate your managers about how they can help reduce the stress and increase the psychological
well-being of the people who work for them
What You Can Do
Mental Health Promotion Programs
Help employees make life changes that improve their mental wellness. Later in today’s program we will show you our “Live Your Life Well” presentation that offers action steps that reduce stress and improve mental wellness.
CONCLUSION
It makes utmost business sense to be proactive in improving your employees’ mental health and addressing mental health problems when they arise. . . .. . .There are many effective ways to do this!
It is far more costly NOT to address mental health in the workplace
ResourcesPartnership for Workplace Mental HealthDelivers educational materials and provides a forum to explore mental health issues and share innovative solutions
www.workplacementalhealth.org
Mental HealthWorks, a free quarterly publication
Employer Innovations Online, a web-based database of employer case examples
Presented byMarya GrambsExecutive DirectorMental Health America of Hawaii1124 Fort Street Mall Suite 205Honolulu HI 96813P 521 1846F 533 6995E [email protected] www.mentalhealth-hi.org