Good mental health at work: everybody wins!
MONTREAL, May 10, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - During Mental Health Week held from May 7 to 13, the Mental Illness Foundation invites Québec organizations to assess both the risk and protective factors that have a significant impact on their employees' mental health.
Negative human and financial impacts
- The World Health Organization says that in 2020, depression will be the second leading cause of disability worldwide.
- According to the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association, about 40% of disability claims are related to mental health problems. They are now the first cause of long-term absence from work.
- Direct and indirect costs related to mental illness for Canadian businesses exceed $ 33 billion per year.
"A high level of personal involvement, a greater than average number of work hours, a tense work environment or a lack of support from colleagues or superiors are amongst the risk factors that can lead to mental health issues in the workplace," says Mrs. Lucie Brais, Director of the Adult Programs at the Mental Illness Foundation. "Add to this poor time management, personal problems, a history of physical or mental health issues, and these factors can, over the medium or long-term, lead to depression."
Training managers and educating employees
Since 2003, the Mental Illness Foundation has been offering a training program aimed at reducing the human and financial impacts linked to mental health issues in the workplace. The program is called Nothing's Working and was developed to meet a critical need in our society's workplaces. The program's training sessions, conferences and workshops are led by experienced trainers. They teach employees and managers to prevent, identify and manage mental health problems such as depression, anxiety and personality disorders. To date, over 20,000 employees and managers across Québec have benefited from the Nothing's Working program.
About the Mental Illness Foundation
Founded in 1980 by Dr. Yves Lamontagne, the Mental Illness Foundation's mission is to prevent mental illness in order to reduce the suffering of afflicted people and their loved ones by mobilizing individuals and society as a whole. For more information on the Foundation, mental illness and available resources, please visit the Foundation's website at www.mentalillnessfoundation.org.
Prevention: A shared responsibility
Read more at http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/971639/good-mental-health-at-work-everybody-wins
