Finding hope, help in the workplace and beyond

Every day people show up to work shouldering the effects of mental health conditions, putting the workspace in a unique position of needing to address a community in crisis for the sake of running a successful business.

In Southwest Florida, the mental health crisis is multifaceted, and exists alongside a housing shortage that exacerbates the problems for employees and employers alike.

Laying out the factors that contribute to the problems paints a bleak picture of the state of our collective mental health. However, comprehensive plans to improve mental wellness are in the works at communities, corporations and nonprofit organizations—all of which offer hope.

Statistics indicate that one in four adults experience a form of mental illness, and the numbers are even greater for children, reports the Naples-based David Lawrence Centers for Behavioral Health. Combined, that indicates a very strong probability that almost any one of us is either experiencing a mental illness, or knows or is caring for someone who is. Those people show up to work, when they can, with these illnesses and responsibilities in an environment that often does not make space for them.

Meanwhile, mental wellness is profitable. Perhaps nothing affects us and our productivity more. Behavioral health professionals in Collier and Lee counties, as well as across the U.S. and around the world, are increasingly offering programs that support employers seeking to improve mental wellness at work…

Read the full article on Gulfshore Business here.