M04: Mental Health Education – Above Green

(2 points)

INTENT

Promote mental health awareness and education through the provision of mental health-focused trainings or education offerings.

SUMMARY

This WELL feature requires projects to provide education and training to employees and managers to help them better understand how to manage their own mental health and support others.

ISSUE

Many people with mental health conditions delay seeking help; however, they are more likely to receive professional help when it is suggested by someone in their social network. Unfortunately, many individuals lack the skills to facilitate early intervention. Additionally, although recent studies indicate improvements in mental health literacy among the public, there still is a need for increased knowledge regarding causes and recognition of different types of mental health conditions, beliefs about treatment for mental disorders and reduction in stigma against those with mental health conditions. Combined, these factors lead to delays in recognition and help-seeking, hinder public acceptance of evidence-based mental health care and deny those with mental health conditions appropriate support from their communities.

SOLUTIONS

Education and anti-stigma interventions can have a significant impact on employees’ knowledge about mental health and reduce stigmatizing attitudes toward people with mental health conditions. These interventions have been shown to increase supportive behavior toward those with mental health conditions, such as: enhancing perceived confidence and self-efficacy in identifying and dealing with a person with a mental illness, increased likelihood of advising those in need to seek professional help and greater readiness to provide help in a mental health situation. Additionally, certain education interventions have shown signs of having a positive impact on participants' own general mental health and help-seeking behavior. A systematic review of Mental Health First Aid training demonstrated that it increases participants’ knowledge regarding mental health, decreases negative attitudes, increases supportive behavior and confidence in helping others and has been shown to be highly acceptable in a workplace setting.

IMPACT

Workplace mental health education interventions can help create a more supportive work environment by reducing stigmatizing attitudes and discrimination, lead to enhanced knowledge and awareness and improve employee mental health via increased and potentially earlier help-seeking.

REQUIREMENTS

Part 1

Offer Mental Health Education (1 point)

Verified by Policy Document

For All Spaces

All employees are offered trainings available quarterly, at minimum, addressing at least two of the following:

Managing personal mental health and well-being, covering topics such as developing mentally healthy habits, fostering relationships, self-care and managing mental health at work.
Education on common mental health conditions or concerns, covering, at minimum, depression, anxiety, stress and substance use.
Signs and symptoms of mental health distress, including how to identify emotional distress and appropriately respond (e.g., Mental Health First Aid).

Note: Trainings must be culturally appropriate and literacy level appropriate. Trainings may be in the form of education seminars, workshops or classes. Trainings may be provided on-site, off-site or online; in group or individual settings; and through vendors, on-site staff, health insurance plans or programs, community groups or other qualified practitioners (e.g., Mental Health First Aid).

Projects that meet Part 1: Offer Mental Health Education have met the requirements for Feature M01: Mental Health Promotion, Part 2: Promote Mental Health Literacy.

Part 2

Offer Mental Health Education for Managers (1 point)

Verified by Policy Document

For All Spaces

All managers undergo formal mental health training annually. Trainings must be offered quarterly, at minimum, and address at least three of the following:

Identifying and reducing workplace stress–related issues (e.g., training on conducting performance reviews, effective communication skills, personnel management, assertiveness, time management, conflict resolution).
Recognizing common mental health conditions or concerns, covering, at minimum, stress and burnout, depression, anxiety and substance use.
Supporting employees through strategies to prevent burnout, low motivation, fatigue, poor work-life balance and other work-related stress issues.
Recognizing employee mental health concerns or crises, including increasing awareness of workplace and community resources available to employees.