Mental Health in the Workplace Mental Health is

Mental Health in the Workplace

Mental Health is part of the state of Wellness

New Focus on Mental Health Why? The legal profession can contribute to mental health problems and addiction in the lawyer community. Lawyers are vulnerable to depression and substance abuse. Time for a change for the well-being of the legal profession?

Forces Already at Work OSB Wellness Summit 2019 OSB Mental Health/Substance CLE requirement OSB Bulletin Edition on Wellness (10/2019) Oregon Attorney Assistance Program

Barriers to Treatment

My Experience with Secondary Trauma: Indirect exposure to trauma through a firsthand account or narrative of a traumatic event. The vivid recounting of trauma by a survivor and the listeners subsequent cognitive or emotional representations of that event may result in a set of symptoms and reactions that parallel PTSD. It is also referred to as compassion fatigue and vicarious traumatization. Rose Zimering, Ph. D & Suzy Bird Gulliver, Ph. D; Secondary Traumatization in Mental Health Care Providers, Psychiatric Times, Volume 20, Issue 4 (April 1, 2003)

How to start the conversation? • Offer online resources and tool kits as a mental health benefit such as: • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy online • Telepsychiatry • Podcasts • Mindfulness • American Bar Association • Oregon Attorney Assistance Program

Mindfulness

Mindfulness for Management in Action Supervisors and other employees can be trained to see signs of depression, substance abuse, and other mental health concerns. Offer meditation /mindfulness classes on site.

Mindfulness for Management Benefits to Management: Reduce work place stress. Reduce the number of days taken off. Happier more productive employees. Financial benefit to human-capital.

Mindfulness for Employees can develop coping skills and improve their mental health. Meditation and mindfulness are practical and helpful in alleviating mental distress. Reduce stress in difficult work situations. Empowers employees to take personal action to develop their coping skills and improve their financial health.

Well-Being Template Provides suggested guidelines to legal employers for assisting employees experiencing substance use, mental health, or cognitive issues.

Well-being Toolkit for Lawyers and Legal Employers Definition of well-being Definition a healthy workplace Eight-step action plan Activities and events Education and Development

Well-being includes Well-being includes: Emotional Occupational Social Intellectual Physical Spiritual well-being

Definition of a Healthy Workplace “A healthy workplace is one in which all organizational members collaborate to continually improve processes to protect and promote member well-being and organizational success. All seek alignment of organizational and member goals and needs so that they can grow and thrive together. ” ABA Well-Being Toolkit for Lawyers pg. 8

8–Step Action Plan for Legal Employers Enlist leaders Launch a well-being committee Define well-being Conduct a needs assessment Identify priorities Create and execute an action plan Create a well-being policy Continually measure, evaluate, and improve

Activities and Events Onboarding Knowledge hub Book/Video Club Activity workbook Leadership development Well-being scorecard Well-being surveys Well-being week

Education & Development Detecting warning signs of mental health and alcohol use disorders Facilitate, destigmatize, and encourage helpseeking behaviors Carefully implement programs that encourage help-seeking De-emphasize alcohol at social events Begin a dialogue about suicide prevention Enhance lawyers autonomy and sense of control Elevate the focus on client care

Oregon Attorney Assistance Program Make the information about what the Oregon Attorney Assistance Program promotes and how they are an effective tool available when an employee is going through a crisis or experiencing a mental health issue.

How OAAP Helps Short-term individual counseling Support groups Workshops CLEs and educational programs

Areas OAAP Assists In Well-being and stress Anxiety or depression Problem substance abuse Compulsive and challenging behaviors Career and lifestyle Relationships Challenging times Planning for retirement

Why does it matter? Good for business Good for clients Good for community

Mental Health & Youth Mental illness is a condition that starts young. 50% of mental health conditions begin by age 14 and 75% by age 24. Over 1 out of 3 students with a mental health condition who are served by special education drop out—the highest dropout rate of any disability group. Federal bill: Mental Health Services for Students Act, S. 1122 and H. R. 1109. This bill would provide funding for public schools across the country to partner with local mental health professionals and to establish on-site mental health care services for students.

Awareness Oregon newsrooms team up on suicide awareness/prevention reporting. “Breaking the Silence” In April of this year over thirty news rooms from around the state banded together in an unprecedented weeklong reporting collaboration to shed light on suicide and its effects on the community.

Suicide Figures and Facts

Comparison to Other States

Takeaway Oregon suicide rates are higher than many other states. Workplaces can do something to help. Workplaces can be leaders for the movement to promote mental health well-being. There is a real need.