Mental Health America of North Dakota

	Mental Health @ Work

	Presented by Susan Rae Helgeland, MS Executive Director - Mental Health America of North Dakota (MHAND) Does this sound familiar to you? “We have irritable employees. We miss too many deadlines. We have a lot of workers out ‘sick.’ Productivity is down because of workplace injuries and staff who are stressed.” Mental Health @ Work is a presentation of MHAND. The seminar provides employees with practical information about the connection between mental health and work. Employees may feel stressed because of what is happening on and off the job. They have to balance work, family, friends, community and self needs. Mental Health @Work addresses important issues related to mental health with a power point presentation, discussion and interaction. It focuses on the following objectives: 1. Learn mind, body and soul interaction to achieve balance. 2. Recognize the signs of workplace stress and anxiety including burnout. 3. Develop strategies to successfully manage stress and conflict in the workplace. 4. Identify community resources to assist employees in dealing with workplace stress. Untreated mental disorders impact workforce performance, productivity and absenteeism. One million employees miss work each day due to work stress. Each year, in a typical office of 20 people, 4 will suffer from a mental health condition. More workers are absent from work because of stress and anxiety than because of physical illness or injury. Individuals who are depressed but not receiving care for the condition consume two to four times the healthcare resources of other enrollees. 95 out of 100 employees know that mental health is important to their overall health. However, employees often do not know the connection between mental health and work. A national survey conducted in July 2007 for the Partnership for Workplace Mental Health found that 36% of employees said, stress affects their productivity and the quality of their work. 33% said stress affects their relationship with their supervisors. Yet workers do not think employers place enough emphasis on mental health. MHAND offers two seminar options: A one-hour presentation that provides employees with an understanding of the important aspects of mental health at work and basic strategies to deal with work-related issues. A three-hour presentation that adds a video and in-depth discussion of mental illness, activities to strengthen interpersonal communication skills, mental health screenings, and preparation of a “Wellness Recovery Action Plan.” Investing in mental health care pays dividends for employers and improves the quality of life for every member of the work force and their families. Presenter Susan Helgeland is an engaging and experienced presenter. She recently presented at CHARIS Ecumenical’s summer conference. CHARIS Ecumenical Center is an adult learning partnership between Concordia College and many regional churches. One of the evaluations from that recent CHARIS presentation said "She was so much help! She was worth coming to the convention for." All participants said the presentation gave them better communication strategies to use in their workplace, increased awareness of community resources available to deal with work-related issues and an increased recognition of the signs of workplace stress and anxiety including job burnout.