FundaMENTAL HealthBottomline Sense

Why Employers Need to Care About Mental Health

• 7 out of 10 deaths in the U.S.

Chronic Disease:The greatest cause of disability

in the U.S.

• 75% of the nation’s health care spendingMental illness and substance abuse

are America’s most chronic illnesses.

Disability ImpactIllness Related Disability (U.S.)

0% 4% 8% 12%

16% 20% 24%

Alcohol/Drug Use

Diabetes

Cancer

Infectious Diseases

Arthritis

Cardiovascular Diseases

Mental Health ConditionsAlcohol/Drug Use

One third of all illness-related disability in this country is caused by mental

illness and substance abuse.

Disability Impact

One out of five Americans will have a diagnosable mental health problem in

the course of any given year.

Prevalence:We Are All Touched By

Mental Illness

Prevalence: In Hawaii

8.5% of adults in Hawai`i reported that their “Mental Health was not good 14+ of the past 30 days.”

Impact on Workplace

ABSENTEEISM

One-third of illness-related worker absenteeism is tied to

mental disorders.

What Mental Illnesses Are We Talking About?

Prevalence

5 10 15 20

Bipolar Disorder

Panic Disorder

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

PTSD

ADHDMajor Depression

Percentage

Schizophrenia 1%

2.6%

2.7%

3.1%

3.5%4.1%

6.7%

Suicide

More than 34,000 American lives are lost annually to suicide.

1 person every 15 minutes.

Suicide

At least 90 percent of all people who die by suicide suffer from mental health disorders,

particularly depression

At least 90 percent of those who die by suicide suffer from a mental illness.

Violence

The percent of mentally ill people committing acts of violence is very low. . .

96% of violent acts are committed by people who do not have mental illness

That said…...

We must be alert for signs that a person’smental health may be at risk of getting

worse so we can prevent severe deterioration, suicide or potential violence

That’s more than $600 per person.It is more than the annual revenue for every

Fortune 500 company except Wal-Mart and Exxon Mobile.

In 2002, serious mental health conditions were associated with $193.2 billion in lost earnings.

Counting the Costs: The Bottom Line

One third of illness-related worker absenteeism and disability is tied to

mental rather than physical disorders.

Counting the Costs: The Bottom Line

15

Counting the Costs:The Bottom Line

Depression, stress and other mental health problems contribute to:

• Decreased employee productivity

• Conflicts with co-workers• Disruptive and/or violent

behavior• Accidents on the job• Poor work quality• Impact on employee morale

Absence, disability, and lost productivity related to mental illness cost employers more than four times the cost of employees’ medical treatment.

Counting the Costs: The Bottom Line

We Know What Works

80% of people with depression improve with treatment.

Mental health conditions are TREATABLE.People Recover.

Diagnosis and Treatment

What You Can Do

Workplace AwarenessCreate a supportive work environment that increases

knowledge, dispels myths, reduces shame and stigma, decreases discrimination. This improves the likelihood

that employees will seek treatment. …for example, newsletters, health fairs and workshops

What You Can Do

Provide employees with information about how to get help for themselves or

other employees

What You Can Do

Employee Assistance Programs Ensure that EAPs provide easily accessible and confidential services to people who are

developing mental health problems Make sure your employees know about these services!

– Promote EAP services through internal communications channels– Integrate the EAP with other programs (e.g., disability, FMLA)

What You Can Do

Educate your managers about how to address situations in which an employee may be experiencing mental health challenges

What You Can Do

Educate your managers about how they can help reduce the stress and increase the psychological

well-being of the people who work for them

What You Can Do

Mental Health Promotion Programs

Help employees make life changes that improve their mental wellness. Later in today’s program we will show you our “Live Your Life Well” presentation that offers action steps that reduce stress and improve mental wellness.

CONCLUSION

It makes utmost business sense to be proactive in improving your employees’ mental health and addressing mental health problems when they arise. . . .. . .There are many effective ways to do this!

It is far more costly NOT to address mental health in the workplace

ResourcesPartnership for Workplace Mental HealthDelivers educational materials and provides a forum to explore mental health issues and share innovative solutions

www.workplacementalhealth.org

Mental HealthWorks, a free quarterly publication

Employer Innovations Online, a web-based database of employer case examples

Presented byMarya GrambsExecutive DirectorMental Health America of Hawaii1124 Fort Street Mall Suite 205Honolulu HI 96813P 521 1846F 533 6995E marya@mentalhealth-hi.orgW www.mentalhealth-hi.org