Works Initiative News | Worker Wellness & Career Opportunities

Wellness & Well-being Highlights September 9

Wellness & Well-being Highlights

for the

Week of September 9, 2024

This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog reveals the promotion of Suicide Prevention Awareness Week & the Sept 9^th Construction Stand-Down—to trials and tribulations of establishing the “988” Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and the inauguration of the “988 Day” on Sept 8—to how Apple worked behind the scenes to kill a bill protecting our children’s mental health. This week I would like to take this opportunity to take a closer look at the issue of immigration. With fewer babies being born in the USA and over 10k people turning 65 yo each day this year, we need to think strategically about not only what our future workforce looks like but who will do the work.

It is no secret that the construction industry for the past +2 decades has been dealing with a worker shortage. Accordingly, the US-DOL’s Office of Apprenticeship has made strides to ensure our apprenticeship standards are more inclusive. Thus, the rise of pre-apprenticeship programs like MWI’s BUD and LU 562’s Champions.¹ However, efforts like these have fallen short in the greater scheme of meeting tomorrow’s anticipated needs.

According to the WSJ, ~9m people have migrated to the US since 2020.² As noted, nearly all of these people are seeking personal safety and economic opportunity. A major point of controversy is that ~70% of these people did not enter via legal pathways. That aside, a positive note is that these recent migrants are younger and of working age (78%: 16-64 yo vs 60%: 16-64 yo US-born). While I do not condone illegal activity, we must consider how to fill job openings across all sectors throughout this country. Hopefully, our leaders can step back from this so-called “problem” and redefine this moment as an “opportunity” for growth. To remain as a world leader requires us to solve tough problems. Truth be told, we are not the only industrialized nation facing this dilemma. Looking beyond our borders for answers seems like a good place to start.

Sources: [1] https://www.constructiondive.com/trendline/recruiting-retention-and-training/337/?utm_source=CD&utm_medium=Inline2Sept3&utm_campaign=NationalBusinessFurniture&utm_content=ad-INLINE_SPOT_2&utm_term=66865

[2] https://www.wsj.com/economy/how-immigration-remade-the-u-s-labor-force-716c18ee?st=2okv5pi6o6e3gor&reflink=article_gmail_share

IMPORTANT: Construction Suicide STAND-DOWN 2024

Construction’s Suicide Rate

988 & Holding On

Suicide Prevention / Employers / Protocol

Tips for dealing w/ a suicide loss

MH & Joy

SUD Treatment / Patients / Evidence-based

MO & Reducing drug’s impact

Vancouver’s Safe Use Sites?

Drugs & Workplace

Rethinking Addiction

Ketamine Queen

China / Fentanyl / USA

Handling Grief @ Work

Facing life’s challenges

Redefining MH

Women / Work / Well-being

Pre-eclampsia on the rise

Run or Walk?

Retirement: Cost of care-giving

On Age Waves

Quiz: Healthy Brain Habits

Parkinson’s & Your Gut

On losing a spouse

Warning: Testosterone Clinics

New ways to address Sleep Apnea

Meds & Magnesium

Shingles under 50?

Care for new tattoo

Apple nixes Child Safety Bill

Goalball & Paralympics

Reflection: Sports…22 going on 70

Hotel Strike

EEOC settles 3 construction Harassment cases

OSHA / Heat Standard / Comments

Economists compare Past v Present

Immigration’s impact on US Workforce

The impact of fewer babies

Gen Z & Workplace Differences

Do College Grades Matter?

Construction: Recruiting/Retaining/Training

Career Break or Mini-retirement?

Quitting Agencies

China & More Robots

Upcoming webinars, etc.:

From Awareness to Action: Construction MH (9/12)

SUD in the Construction Industry (9/17)

Navigating Opioids in the Workplace

College Students & Mental Well-being

US-DOL Recovery Ready Workplaces Tool Kit (9/30)

First “988 Day”

NOTE: The links provided above are for informational purposes only. None of these serve as a substitute for medical advice one should obtain from his/her own primary care physician and/or mental health professional. Please contact johngaal@moaflcio.org with related questions or comments.

September 9, 2024/by Dr. John Gaal

Worker Wellness News

Wellness & Well-being Highlights September 2

Wellness & Well-being Highlights

for the

Week of September 2, 2024

This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog reveals the kick-off of the many efforts to promote Suicide Prevention Awareness Month—to how the US Surgeon General issued yet another warning…this time as it relates to “parents and stress”—to an array of stories covering the head injury-related deaths of middle- and high school football players over the past 2 weeks. This week I would like to take this opportunity to take a closer look how workers are being impacted in today’s economy. I think the WSJ put it best: “Never before have so many Americans redrawn their relationships with work as a result of one public-health crisis.”¹ Four years later, millions of adults (workers) are still trying to navigate the effects of long COVID. Meanwhile, another report indicated that as the hiring market cools down, bosses are resetting wages…in other words offering $80k per year for a position 1 year ago they posted at $120k. This trend touches both white- and blue-collar talent.²And then, there is the story focusing on the “American Dream” or the lack thereof. Sadly, a recent poll suggests: “While around 90% of children born in 1940 were ultimately better off than their parents…only around half of those born in the 1980s were able to say the same.”³ Much of this decline can be linked to economic immobility, job insecurity, and the weakening of unions via labor laws.

So, with respect to Labor Day, and more importantly ALL workers, it seems fitting to reflect on a couple vital points in last week’s press:

1) Fortune reported, “Many American workers don’t make a living wage, and it’s even worse for women and people of color.”⁴

2) The WSJ stated, “…the share of people holding more than one job ticked up to 5.3% in July from 5.2% in June…[which] is a significant increase from a pandemic low of 4% in April 2020….”⁵

As such, here are my respective thoughts: A very strong positive of a unionized workforce is that ALL workers are treated equally when it comes to pay and benefits. And, most unions still negotiate for benefit packages that often include health & welfare (frequently for the entire family vs individual), defined pensions (vs defined contributions: Think: 401k), and training programs. In essence, the collective bargaining agreement serves as an effective tool for DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion). It is no secret that “labor” tends to make up a large portion of a firm’s budget. So, when cuts are considered, labor is typically the first targeted area for belt-tightening. To this end, many businesses for the past couple of decades have shifted from offering defined pension plans to defined contribution (DC) plans. Some experts suggest that DCs were NOT originally designed to serve as the common workers’ retirement plan. Decades ago, the 401k was created for CEOs looking to defer taxes regarding their hefty pay packages. Expecting a blue-collar worker to come home after a hard day’s work (Think: construction trades) and then manage his/her money for a retirement 30 years in the future is absurd! If you don’t agree with me…Then, why are there college degree programs that address this area of financial planning? Furthermore, unfortunately, workers who leave one firm’s DC are left to then figure out tax implications let alone how to start over in the new company’s plan. For this alone, I am GRATEFUL to BOTH labor and management leaders who had the foresight in the 1960s to develop multi-employer benefit funds…one, in which, my benefits traveled with me between signatory contractors. Thus, avoiding a lap or gap in service. If this nation seeks to continue as a world leader, it MUST take care of its workers by providing stability in their lives!

Sources: [1] https://www.wsj.com/health/wellness/long-covid-knocked-a-million-americans-off-their-career-paths-48926445?st=bodvvl95o1orbu2&reflink=article_gmail_share

[2] https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/careers/salary-workers-pay-cuts-2024-54101d66?st=i68xzf16aud0vet&reflink=article_gmail_share

[3] https://www.wsj.com/economy/consumers/american-dream-poll-us-economy-e5ddf640?st=l5p1k71yj5swvg1&reflink=article_gmail_share

[4] https://fortune.com/2024/08/26/many-us-workers-dont-make-living-wage-women-people-of-color/

[5] https://www.wsj.com/economy/jobs/workers-multiple-jobs-lifestyle-economy-344c8f10?st=2ol57riy7ey00b4&reflink=article_gmail_share

Suicide Prevention: Talk Away the Dark

Suicide Prevention Awareness Month: Promos

MCCA: MH & Suicide Prevention

OUD & Recovery in STL

Opioid Treatment Access Line

Fentanyl Facts

Construction deaths / State laws / Narcan access

Newest Opioids Settlement

Stigma / Addiction / Language

US Surgeon General’s warning: Parents are Stressed

Are Parents Stressed Out?

Boomers & Remarrying?

In-office therapy

Sex therapy: Dos & Don’ts

Listeria outbreak & Lunch meat

Tennis / Doping / Unequal treatment

Head trauma & Youth football Deaths (1)

Head trauma & Youth Football Deaths (2)

Head trauma & Youth Football Deaths (3)

Head trauma & Youth Football Deaths (4)

Why Unions?: There is Power

East Coast Port Strike?

Canadian Govt steps into rail shutdown

Do mega-mergers hurt workers?

Vegas Casino harasses workers

Higher Ed & Unionizing

On Teacher Burnout

The out-of-reach “American Dream”

More workers need 2 jobs to stay afloat

>40% of FT workers do NOT make “living wage”

Bosses finding ways to cut pay

COVID’s impact on career paths

Contractors guarding against “wage theft”

Australia’s attempt to ensure workers are NOT always ON

STEM: Dominance & Discrimination

Higher Ed & AI

WANTED: 3 million Apprentices

Newest “Out of Office” messaging?

Cows & Climate (1)

Cows & Climate (2)

AR-15 / Rights / Supreme Court

Non-competes / FTC / Courts

Europe & Organized (Drug) Gangs

Upcoming webinars, etc.:

Gun Storage Safety Week (Sept 1-7)

Student Suicide Prevention & Postvention

US Congress Briefing: Maternal Suicide (9/10)

Toolkit to Prevent Firearm Suicide (9/11)

Suicide Prevention: From Edge to Empowerment (9/11)

Vets MH Conference (9/11)

SUD in the Construction Industry (9/17)

Finding Mental Health Resources

NOTE: The links provided above are for informational purposes only. None of these serve as a substitute for medical advice one should obtain from his/her own primary care physician and/or mental health professional. Please contact johngaal@moaflcio.org with related questions or comments.

September 3, 2024/by Dr. John Gaal

Worker Wellness News

Wellness & Well-being Highlights August 26

Wellness & Well-being Highlights

for the

Week of August 26, 2024

This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog reveals how Missouri had over 100% increase in 988 calls—to how technology is being used to help workers stay cool in hot environments—to how the new contract for professional women soccer players nixed the draft. This week I would like to take this opportunity to take a closer look how state and local governments are spending opioid settlement funds. With over $50b being made available to address the opioids crisis that has negatively impacted the US for more than 20 years, it is necessary to see that these funds are funneled towards programs that are evidenced-based vs pet projects. Far too often, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. While there are still those who think “harm reduction” efforts are means of enabling so-called addicts, I ask that you step back and scan your environment…personally and professionally.

Would you treat a fellow worker with cancer or a family member with diabetes like a criminal? This crisis did not happen overnight and nor will it be resolved overnight. Some areas have bought more police equipment or raised salaries with these funds.¹ Truth be told, solely sinking more money into policing will not put a dent in helping those who have OUD (opioids use disorder). Why? This is a time-worn “downstream” strategy that has failed in nearly every community. Let’s face it, nearly 70% of the people who began to use heroin in the period of ~2003-2016 started their journey via a legal prescription for opioids (i.e., painkillers). Treating people who have a brain disease like criminals furthers the stigma surrounding this issue.

Accordingly, we need to start thinking about upstream approaches! Prevention and intervention tactics must be employed to help stem the growth of this crisis. Prevention can take the form of education programs for K-12 and other targeted communities, including but not limited to the safe storage and disposal of drugs, etc.² Intervention programs that are already saving lives include stocking Narcan in your company’s First Aid kit and training staff on how to administer it. In addition, let’s address where to obtain free Narcan. Herein, I must give a shout out to St. Louis County Public Libraries. For more than a year now, their leadership has found ways to become part of this solution in their communities…by distributing Narcan and resource literature to the public…NO questions asked!³ In closing, we are currently in the 4^th Wave of the opioids crisis (polysubstances). This national crisis is NOT a static problem. In other words, now Narcan is not enough!⁴ Remaining flexible vs traditional is key to helping those with OUD.

Sources: [1] https://www.npr.org/2024/08/21/nx-s1-5084246/opioid-settlement-money-and-a-call-to-action\

[2] https://prevented.org/take-action/

[3] https://www.slcl.org/news/free-narcan-kits

[4] https://www.cdc.gov/overdose-prevention/about/what-you-should-know-about-xylazine.html

MO & 988

Canada calls for more MH support

GG Bridge & Anti-suicide Netting

Where are the opioid settlement funds going?

Are “magic mushrooms” making people sick?

When to get your flu shot?

Surge in Parvovirus

“Ice vests” for workers?

PFAS & Firefighters

Shipping / Poverty / Asthma

Protecting more than drivers

Students / School rules / Cell phones

Schools / Students / Unprepared

Quiz: Kids’ screen time

Postpartum Coverage?

Is COVID rewiring our brains?

Under 50 knee & hip surgeries?

Stipends for the Homeless?

“Building Union Diversity Serves as a Gateway to the Trades” from the St. Louis American

Note: The following article originally appeared in the St. Louis American’s Annual “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” Edition. Click here to view the St. Louis American website and other content. Click here to view the full “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” Edition.

Sammy Morning was facing a math problem of the worst kind. Following his felony conviction and incarceration, he was struggling to find gainful and sustainable work. He had five children to support. He had two jobs. And the money wasn’t adding up.

Morning’s pastor suggested a program called Building Union Diversity (BUD), which served as a gateway to the building trades – and to a better life.

“They took a chance on me and allowed me to change my life,” said Morning, who today is six years into a rewarding career with Bommarito Construction as a member of Laborers International Union Local 110.

Sammy Morning, right, mentors young participants in the BUD program.

BUD is one of several innovative partnerships between labor and employers that are opening doors to life-changing employment for minorities, women, people who have experienced incarceration and other underrepresented populations.

Now in its 10th year and its 34th cohort, the BUD program is a six week union construction pre-apprenticeship program, offered at no charge to selected individuals who meet the admission requirements. The program, which is sponsored by the Missouri AFL-CIO’s Missouri Works Initiative, is offered statewide, though the BUD name is used only in the St. Louis area; in other parts of Missouri, it is known as the Apprentice Ready Program (ARP).

More than 250 BUD graduates have been placed in every building trades union in the St. Louis region.

Recognized as a comprehensive apprenticeship readiness program (ARP) by North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU), BUD offers enrollees a comprehensive introduction to construction employment by using NABTU’s nationally recognized Multi- Craft Core Curriculum (MC3) providing relevant national skills certification training, with a particular focus on job safety.

The three-part training model includes classroom coursework that covers both technical skills and life skills such as financial literacy; hands-on training; and trade placement advising to help participants find a place in one of more than 15 trades in the construction industry.

Participants also receive a weekly stipend and a bus pass, in addition to other support such as free work gear and a tool allotment. “The door this program has opened for me has helped me not only financially, but mentally as well,” said Kaylah Doss, a BUD graduate and member of the International Union of Elevator Constructors Local 3.

The BUD program coordinates with individualized training programs in the trade unions that are similarly designed to bring underrepresented populations into the trades. In this way, many BUD graduates receive additional specialized training in their chosen trade before starting work.

One example is the CHAMPIONS Initiative, a partnership between Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 562, the Mechanical Contractors Association (MCA) and the Plumbing Industry Council (PIC). The program offers six weeks of hands-on technical training and professional development specific to the pipe trades, concluding with placement as a pre-apprentice with an MCA or PIC member contractor. More than 40 CHAMPIONS graduates are currently employed as union plumbers or pipefitters.

In addition, CHAMPIONS – whose name is an acronym for Creating Hometown Advantages through Minority Participation in Our Neighborhoods – provides peer groups and intentional mentorship to walk alongside participants as they progress into apprenticeship and beyond.

“I am eager to begin this challenging yet rewarding journey,” said Jessica Percell, a BUD graduate and former bartender who is in this year’s CHAMPIONS cohort. “The thought of achieving my goals fills me with an overwhelming sense of satisfaction and fulfillment.”

Employers are joining the BUD movement as well. The Metropolitan Sewer District partnered with BUD to establish the Workforce Development Grant Program. Other employers participate in hosted hiring events and graduation ceremonies that expose BUD participants to more career opportunities and industry contacts.

“This program affords participants invaluable skills and resources and provides a solid foundation of support,” said Larry Woods, diversity construction supervisor with MSD, who regularly speaks to incoming BUD cohorts. Woods added that the diverse makeup of BUD participants – men, women, minorities, veterans, new Americans, formerly incarcerated people and more – is a game-changer for the economic landscape.

“By opening up opportunities to individuals who are often overlooked or underserved, the program is cultivating a new generation of construction industry workers,” Woods said. “This fresh intake of talent and innovation broadens the scope of inclusion within the industry”

“In doing so, those who may have previously encountered barriers to entry are being given a platform to succeed,” he added.

Morning, the BUD graduate turned laborer, concedes. “It can be better,” Morning said. “If you’ve got someone willing to provide you with the opportunity to be successful, you should take it! The BUD program did that for me.” For more information on BUD, visit moworksinitiative.org. For more information on the CHAMPIONS Initiative, visit mca-emo.org.

August 22, 2024/by Missouri Works Initiative

Worker Wellness News

Wellness & Well-being Highlights August 19

Wellness & Well-being Highlights

for the

Week of August 19, 2024

This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog looks at how the FDA recently approved a new device/method to stop serious bleeding from gun shot wounds, etc.—to how a brain surgeon prepares for and performs his work (this may connect with many of our constructions workers’ rituals)—to how Ketamine (the drug that killed Matthew Perry) is now being sold online…in its injectable form! This week I would like to take this opportunity to take a closer look at 2 new online courses now being offered by the US-DOL’s Office of Apprenticeship (OA) via their Registered Apprenticeship Academy (RAA). I was contacted by the OA and the RAA’s course designers last fall and asked to consult on the design of 2 new units on Mental Health for apprentices and their sponsors (i.e., contractors, unions, JATCs, etc.). Knowing that the current standards of apprenticeship (29CFR29) did not have any requirements for covering MH and/or materials in their catalog, I jumped at the chance. These 2 units are purposely designed to meet the demands of today’s learners: short (~15 minutes), to the point (providing an array of various additional resources), interactive, and provide a certificate upon successful completion. One unit is for apprentices and their well-being (focusing on the individual) and the other unit is for sponsors and the need for wellness (focusing on the organization).

This process did not happen overnight. There were many meetings and emails to discuss content, wording, etc. Once our team was in agreement, these products had to be reviewed by other related agencies under US-DOL’s umbrella for approval. The feedback from these agencies was taken into consideration and tweaks were made in a manner so as not to compromise the intended messages.

One might say what can possibly be learned in a 15-minute lesson on Mental Health? My response is that a journey consists of many steps…this is just another FIRST in a long journey. It was nearly 12 years ago I had an opportunity to integrate MH into the STL construction industry by bringing an international speaker to town to lead a roundtable discussion on MH. I recall, my friend, Tom Finan writing a story about the event soon afterwards. His insightful quote remains with me: “What do you call a meeting where an entire industry is asked to participate and only 12 people show up? A start!”

Sources: US-DOL OA’s Pre-Apprentices & Apprentices

Prioritizing Your Mental Health and Well-being

US-DOL OA’s Sponsors (Contractors, Unions, JATCs, etc.)

Promoting Worker Mental Health and Wellness

Mpox spreading in Africa

Slapped Cheek Disease

On moral decline

Are employers overlooking serious MH issues?

Traumagel & Gun Shot Wounds

In-home Ketamine injections via mail?

On performing brain surgery

Wellness & Well-being Highlights August 12

Wellness & Well-being Highlights

for the

Week of August 12, 2024

This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog offers construction firms an opportunity to consider how crisis management plays a role in attracting and retaining employees—to how recent research on ecstasy was manipulated with regards to suicidal ideation—to why First Responders across the USA are expressing their concerns about Congress’ moves to ban (better performing) Chinese drones. This week I would like to take this opportunity to take a closer look at the unchecked power of health insurance firms. This past week, the WSJ ran an article regarding how claims for mental health leave were disallowed more than those for physical health leave.

For those of you who have attended my one or more of my wellness trainings, my apologies for plowing old ground. On many occasions, I have expressed my distain for COVID…after all, COVID took the lives of five people I knew and dearly loved. However, I aways qualify this statement with what I found to be positive as a result of this devastating pandemic. First and foremost, as I may have noted in this blog months ago, in an odd way, COVID was good for Mental Health. Why/how? Few of us, if any, can honestly say that in no way, shape, or form was our MH impacted by COVID. I firmly believe that COVID placed MH squarely on each of our dinner tables. Thus, making it safer (or least more normal) to talk about a once highly taboo topic…internally or externally! My heart goes out to those of you who had to balance getting up to speed on K-12 online learning while ensuring their elderly parents/grandparents could stay virtually connected in order to avoid the potential distress of isolation. Meanwhile, those of us who had health insurance plans that provided mental health benefits (in addition to physical health benefits) were soon to find out that a law known as Mental Health Parity would nudge the healthcare industry to pivot beyond the delivery of virtual doctor visits. In essence, COVID & Parity forced the HC industry into creating secure platforms for people to receive mental health care online.

As we move into a “post-COVID” era, MH remains a battleground for insurance firms, employers, and employees. Too often, people are “judged” by their looks while others apply personal experiences to unrelated situations: 1) If one cannot see a “physical” harm then the person in question must be OK (We can see a broken arm in a cast and know it takes about 6-8 weeks to heal. Have you heard the phrase: Invisible wounds of war?); 2) It is difficult to apply a finite set of rules to a person’s MH issues since NONE of us were exposed to the exact same environments growing up (Why does one Vet die by suicide as a result of multiple head injuries (via IED blasts) vs another servicemember from the same unit/patrol?). Sadly, these misguided attitudes are still utilized by the companies/managers calling the shots and continue to negatively impact people with various forms of mental illness (often more than one: i.e., SUD and PTSD)…who rightfully deserve assistance. Let’s not confuse the issues surrounding objective vs subjective measures with the need to protect one another!

Source: https://www.wsj.com/business/the-battle-over-disability-pay-and-mental-health-leave-03c09867?st=qb9xv1ulpprvu3c&reflink=article_gmail_share

Extreme Heat / Climate Change / Worker’s Death

Big Fines: Unprotected trenches

Construction Falls Increased 50%

Construction Suicides & Crisis Management

Working for 988

MH improves for teens

MH: Girls still struggling

Schools / MH / Meditation

Fentanyl & Trade

Fentanyl & Misinformation

Ecstasy & Botched Research

Re-examining Drunk Driving’s BAC Limit

Discrimination: Disability pay for MH Leave?

How Child Abuse Impacted One Adult

DREAMS: Test your knowledge

Ultrasound & Brain Diseases

Acupuncture & Depression?

Diabetes Drugs & Addiction?

Sweetener & Blood Clots?

COVID’s Summer Surge

Proper Dental Care

Pets & Reducing Anxiety?

Intoxication via Water

Athletes / Pressure / Yips

Update: NFL & Guardian Helmets

More on Bangladesh’s Garment Factories

First Responders / Congress / Chinese Drones

STL State of the Workforce Report (2024)

Addressing skilled labor demands

CEO Pay Watch

Politics in the Workplace?

Upcoming webinars, etc.:

Preventing Suicides in the Construction Industry

OSHA: Supporting Employee MH (Aug 26)

COMET Training (Aug 27)

Psychological Impact of Euthanasia (Aug 28)

International Overdose Awareness Day (Aug 31)

Ag Health & Safety Week (Sept 16-20)

Fatal Injury Trends in Construction

NOTE: The links provided above are for informational purposes only. None of these serve as a substitute for medical advice one should obtain from his/her own primary care physician and/or mental health professional. Please contact johngaal@moaflcio.org with related questions or comments.

August 12, 2024/by Dr. John Gaal

Worker Wellness News

Wellness & Well-being Highlights August 5

Wellness & Well-being Highlights

for the

Week of August 5, 2024

This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog offers you a look at how law enforcement struggles with impaired drivers as more states legalize marijuana—to how Vets w/ PTSD are pushing for recognition of psychedelics as effective treatment—to how human trafficking is linked to online scamming operations overseas. This week I would like to take this opportunity to take a closer look at a few of the key findings in the 2024 State of Mental Health America Report.[1] As follows:

Nearly 60m adults in the US experienced mental illness in 2021-22
5% of the population reported serious thoughts of suicide
20% of youth had a major depressive episode of which >50% did NOT receive treatment
18% of adults has a substance use disorder of which 77% of them did NOT receive treatment
10% of adults with mental illness are uninsured
In the US, there are 340 people for every 1 mental health provider.

While this report does a good job of discussing findings since the end of COVID, it is important to take a look at many of the story links provided herein this week. Why? Because it will quickly become clear as to why mental health issues in the US continue to negatively impact the findings in the aforementioned report. From cyber-thieves scamming retirees to youth buying illegal drugs online, technology has seeped into nearly every aspect of our lives. While technology was said to make our lives better, in too many instances, it has been a curse. Hardly a week goes by where we do not hear about another breach of a bank/credit card concerning our personal data or a community’s power system is shutdown. Even when Congress steps in to implement industry guardrails, it seems like IT lobbyists’ voices matter more than the people’s!

Thus, I encourage you to investigate some of the links under the Upcoming Webinars section of this blog. One can find an array of resources from free food/diapers to info on youth vaping to a series video shorts on youth mental health issues.[2] With a new school year beginning in a few weeks, please share these links as you see fit.

Sources: [1] https://mhanational.org/issues/state-mental-health-america?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=920d152f-693e-4510-9953-932adc572de4

[2] https://vimeo.com/user/20888066/folder/18291148?mkt_tok=MTMxLUFRTy0yMjUAAAGUZvBuGR1kHKE8u4RNzfPwnw1T3qeudEi35CRu8GWf9uHfqWEHDsHQXc9SH9NtK4RRKMfbauHy_jkKk6mZ6G1gkRWYvmmwUzc9Pz29juOe82eqvZ1y&isPrivate=false

Telehealth for MH on decline since end of COVID

MH in MS

Billing for 988?

Cost of Suicide & Promise of Prevention

Suicide: Triumph from Tragedy

Tests for driving high?

Impact of Meth

Opioids & NM

MDMA / FDA / Vets

Shingles Vax & Dementia?

Exercises & Mood

IMPATIENCE: The Modern Curse

Youth & Cancer?

Kids Online Safety Act

US Senate / Online / Teen Safety

META: Selling illegal drugs online

Wellness & Well-being Highlights July 29

Wellness & Well-being Highlights

for the

Week of July 29, 2024

This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog offers you a look at how a high-ranking Mexican drug kingpin (think Fentanyl) duped another into being arrested in the USA—to the importance of pool safety (drowning is the #1 killer of children between 1-4 yo)—to how a lab at Virginia Tech is applying its focus on studying football helmet safety to the role safety helmets now play in the construction industry. This week I would like to take this opportunity to take a closer look at this year’s presidential election. By now, most of us know that President Joe Biden removed himself as a candidate this November and soon thereafter went on to support VP Kamala Harris. Since then, a lot has been said from both sides of the political spectrum. However, nothing more important than the unsubstantiated/immature comments coming from her political opponent and his running mate. This blog is not about voicing political viewpoints it is about wellness and well-being. However, when it comes to vying for the most important position in this country (and possibly the world), isn’t about time we focus on the issues vs name-calling? After all, are we in 3^rd grade (my apologies to 3^rd graders)? We as a nation should demand better. In my opinion, supporting candidates who wish to LEAD this nation when they use demeaning language against their opponent—like “bum” and “childless cat ladies”—is a means of harassment (as in Hostile Environment) that negatively impacts our society’s well-being.[1]

Which brings me back to an issue I reported on a few weeks ago…US Supreme Court ethics. Yes, it sounds like an oxymoron. In what world do we allow people to police themselves and expect transparency? [2] These are NOT merely common people amongst us but rather the those who have LIFETIME appointments to the highest court in this country!!! And, are making judgement calls that impact our daily lives. Whether you are for or against serious issues like abortion, climate change, and workers’ rights, this court has recently made decisions that are sure to effect the world around you. Most importantly there is the issue of conflict of interest…At least one of those on this bench who is passing judgement has accepted (substantial) gifts from his longtime (political) supporter and, until recently, failed to report such transactions. Meanwhile, he was the leading influencer on matters that recently threatened the future of unions.[3] So, as I said last week, with this being an ELECTION year, one must weigh the importance of the CHOICES before us. How will YOUR vote this November impact the future for your kids and grandkids?

Sources: [1] https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/vance-responds-to-childless-cat-ladies-backlash-claims-democrats-are-anti-family/ar-BB1qHmV6?ocid=BingNewsSerp

[2] https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/justice-elena-kagan-calls-for-enforceable-supreme-court-ethics-rules-e750ae7d?st=7rff5uzq93lhv6y&reflink=article_gmail_share

[3] https://www.reuters.com/legal/us-supreme-court-backs-starbucks-over-fired-pro-union-workers-2024-06-13/

US arrests Mexican Cartel’s Leaders (1)

US arrests Mexican Cartel’s Leaders (2)

US arrests Mexican Cartel’s Leaders (3)

OUD Harm Reduction on Wheels

CA Homeless Clear-out (1)

CA Homeless Clear-out (2)

Phoenix / Homeless / Rehydration IVs

“Coping” w/ Grief

What NOT to say

College / Stress / Elections

Summer COVID & Elderly

Retirement & HC Costs

HC affordability & access

Baby Boomers & Financial Peril

Finances & Wellness

Wellness & Well-being Highlights July 22

Wellness & Well-being Highlights

for the

Week of July 22, 2024

This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog offers you a look at the metrics of the “988” system on its 2^nd anniversary—to the turmoil caused by the Teamsters’ president appearing on stage at the RNC—to the push to designate families of military vets who died by suicide as Gold Star. This week I would like to take this opportunity to take a closer look at our first story on preventing trench cave-ins. PLEASE take the time to at least listen to the NPR piece below. For too long, repeat offenders have been truly getting away with murder. OSHA only has so many inspectors to patrol the millions of job sites across this nation. That is why it is so important for EACH of us to make safety a vital part of our industry and daily operations. ALL of us must become informed of the various dangers on the sites—we tend to take for granted—and how to mitigate them. This is not merely a plea for ramping up personal safety (physical) but for the greater good of the communities we work and live in. After all, when a trench collapses and kills 1 or 2 workers, people beyond those who have died are negatively impacted (mental) for years to come.

With this being an ELECTION year, one must weigh the importance of the CHOICES before us. How will YOUR vote impact the outcome? It is said that nearly 40% of union members in the 2020 election voted for politicians who had an appetite for further diminishing the effectiveness of Federal Agencies such as OSHA…all in the name of “progress” in a so-called “free market” economy. In 2022, 40 workers died in trenches across the USA. Trust me, if that number seems too small for you to care about…it will not the day after your son or daughter becomes one of these victims. I cannot imagine how much greater that number will be if/when OSHA’s oversight is further diminished. As a person who started his journey in the construction industry nearly 50 years ago, I often reflect on the safety measures implemented back then (that at the time made little to no sense to me) and how they preserved aspects of my health today: Case in point, hearing protection. There is more than a good chance that had a worn it more consistently years ago, I would not now be wearing hearing aids. As the old saying goes: ACTIONS have CONSEQUENCES! This means on the job site as well as in the voting booth.

Source: https://www.npr.org/2024/07/20/g-s1-9028/osha-construction-safety-trench-collapse

Preventable trench caves-ins

988 @ 2 (1)

988 @ 2 (2)

Key to MH in workplace

MH & 2024 election cycle

Addressing Social Anxiety

Racism & Psychosis

Getting back on track

A 3^rd thumb?

Wellness & Well-being Highlights July 15

Wellness & Well-being Highlights

for the

Week of July 15, 2024

This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog offers you a look at how and why some teachers in South Korea are taking their lives—to why the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) thinks that PBMs (Pharmacy Benefit Managers) actually raise (not lower) costs—to how labor may be impacted by AI (artificial intelligence).[1] This week I would like to take this opportunity to encourage readers to closely examine the last section of this blog: Upcoming webinars, etc. There are a number of FREE virtual and in-person trainings.[2] However, in my opinion, the next two parts are equally important.

The IFEBP (International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans) is seeking your input on their Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder survey.[3] The IFEBP has been around for decades with nearly 30k members across the USA and Canada who represent a variety of jointly trusted labor-management funds (i.e., pension, health and welfare, training). Your insights will assist them in in designing and implementing educational programs which assist in ensuring union members and their families are properly represented.

Finally, if you live in or near the STL region, please check out the St. Louis Area Foodbank’s website. It offers a schedule where people in need of food assistance can obtain FREE food. With summer heating up and prices on the rise, some people are making tough choices of whether to pay a utility bill or put food on their table. Please share this information with leaders in your community.

Sources: [1] Labor & AI

[2] QPR Suicide Prevention Training

Suicide Prevention Seminar

Women & Well-being

[3] Mental Health Survey

[4] FREE Food Distribution

Philly Run Club & Recovery

The 4^th Wave: Meth & Coke (Opioid Epidemic)

NA Beverages & Age Limit?

SK / Teachers / Suicide

V Murthy & MH

Work friends & Loneliness