Partnership for Workplace Mental Health
E-Update, October November 2007
PARTNERSHIP NEWS
- Partnership and Meritain Health Announce Results of Employee Survey.
Results from a new survey conducted by Meritain Health in collaboration with the
Partnership for Workplace Mental Health shows that employees know mental health is
important to their overall health and that stress significantly affects them in the
workplace. It showed that 95.6 percent think mental and behavioral health is very
(75.3 percent) or somewhat (20.3 percent) important in determining overall health.
> More Information - Partnership Featured in United Airlines In-Flight Magazine, Hemispheres.
The article, Executive Secrets: Good Thinking features the personal account of Tom Johnson,
former CEO of CNN, PPG Industries, Highsmith, and the Society for Human Resource Management
are also featured. Read the article at
> http://www.hemispheresmagazine.com/2007_10/executivesecrets.php - Partnership Takes On Psychiatric Disability.
The current, fragmented approach to psychiatric disability is costly to employers, debilitating for employees, troubling for clinicians, and frustrating for all. The Partnership has taken a major step toward remedying this situation by developing and producing Assessing and Treating Psychiatric Occupational Disability: New Behavioral Health Functional Assessment Tools Facilitate Return to Work.
> More Information
- Workplace Depression Screening, Outreach and Enhanced Treatment Improves Productivity, Lowers Employer Costs. -
A recent study, funded by the National Institutes of Mental Health and published in the
September 26 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association found that telephone
screening, outreach and care management for depressed workers improves productivity. Learn
more about the studys findings from National Institutes of Mental Health or access the
study from JAMA:
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT
- Connection Between Work Stress and Depression.
According to findings in the American Journal of Public Health, people who feel chronically stressed
on the job may face an increased risk of depression. Men and women reported different factors
contributing to their job strain, however lack of support from co-workers was reported by both.
The study, Major Depressive Episodes and Work Stress: Results From a National Population Survey,
was published in the journals November 2007 issue:
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT - Most Adults Battling Depression Have Full-Time Jobs.
A recent report from the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration states that most adults battling depression have full-time jobs. Further, rates of depression among full-time workers are highest in personal care and service jobs and food preparation and serving occupations. The report, Depression among Adults Employed Full-Time, by Occupational Category is available at
http://oas.samhsa.gov/2k7/depression/occupation.cfm.
- "Working in the Dark: Depression in the Workplace" Podcast Available for Download. -
Fawn Fitter, author of Working in the Dark: Keeping Your Job While Dealing with Depression speaks
to guest host Terrie Williams about the incidence of depression in the workplace and how it can
be managed. This podcast is part of "The Down and Up Show ", made possible by the Depression is
Real coalition. For more information, and to download at the podcast for free, visit
http://podcast.depressionisreal.org/?p=71
- New Guide Available for Employees: Antidepressant Skills at Work.
A new guide called Antidepressant Skills at Work: Dealing with Mood Problems in the Workplace is available to your employees. This self-care manual authored by scientist-practitioners with expertise in issues relating to workplace mental health and addiction. The guide is available free on-line at http://www.carmha.ca/antidepressant-skills/work/.
The guide was developed by the BC Mental Health & Addiction Services (BCMHAS), an agency of the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA), British Columbia, Canada in partnership with the Centre for Applied Research in Mental Health and Addiction (CARMHA), Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser. - Public Service Announcement To Raise Awareness On Suicide Available.
The American Psychiatric Foundation released Father/Son, a 30-second public service announcement to raise awareness about suicide. Its compelling message targets people who are struggling with depression and offers a national hotline number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) and free web-based resources. View the PSA at http://www.healthyminds.org/ The Partnership encourages you to share this PSA with employees by linking to it from company intranets, including it in employee newsletters, and promoting it in other communication vehicles to employees and their families. - New Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Guide for Parents.
The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) and the American Psychiatric Association (APA) announced the release of a new Attention- Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Medication Guide. The guide provides information on symptoms, treatment options, types of medications, side effects, and co-occurring disorders.
The ADHD Parents Medication Guide is the latest addition to the ParentsMedGuide.org online resource center that provides practical advice for parents of children and adolescents with mental health disorders. The guide is available in English and Spanish. To read the guidelines, visit www.parentsmedguide.org
- April 3-4, 2008:
Plan to attend the Disability Management Employer Coalitions 2008 Behavioral Risk Management
Conference, scheduled for April 3-4, 2008 in Minneapolis. For more information, visit the
DMEC website.
- August 10 - 13, 2008:
Save the Date for the DMEC 2008 Annual International Conference, "Scaling New Heights: Reviewing
the Past, Discussing the Present, Defining the Future in Denver, August 10 - 13, 2008. For more
information, visit the
DMEC website.
Thank you for your continued interest in the Partnership for Workplace Mental Health. If you have any questions, or you wish not to receive these updates, please e-mail Mary Claire Leftwich at mleftwich@psych.org. Visit www.workplacementalhealth.org or call 703-907-8561 for more information.