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Trent’s Story: Missouri Works Initiative
Before connecting with Missouri Works Initiative, 27-year-old Trent Krantz was working full-time but knew something wasn’t right.
“I had no path forward in that career,” Trent said. “Healthcare was minimal or not offered at all, my wages couldn’t support my growing family, and it felt like I needed to make a change for the sake of my own and my family’s future.”
That change came by chance. One day, while searching online for career opportunities, Trent stumbled across Missouri Works Initiative.
“I found MWI seemingly by accident, just by searching the internet for anything to point me in the right direction towards a more fulfilling career. It seemed like a perfect fit at the perfect time.”
He hadn’t spoken to anyone at MWI before applying. Instead, he read through the website and articles to learn as much as he could. When his interview came around, Trent was eager to ask questions and left impressed by the people behind the program. “All of my questions were answered, and then some, by the awesome crew there at MWI.”
Trent said one of the things he valued most about the program was the sense of community. “It felt like I was in community with everyone there, all the time. I left every conversation with something to think about, and I was encouraged to bring something to the table myself every day. Great things can be done when we’re all working towards the same thing.”
Along with encouragement, Trent gained both technical and life skills. He learned how to apply math and problem-solving to real world challenges, read blueprints, and use the tools of the trade to get the job done. Just as important, he learned to advocate for himself.
“A big thing they stressed at MWI is that you have to advocate for yourself. If you have questions, ask them. If you need help, ask for it. People are willing to help you and the trade doesn’t move forward without that passing of knowledge. As soon as I understood that, it felt like a huge piece of the puzzle slid into place. Most importantly, as cliché as it sounds, don’t underestimate how important it is to listen, and show up.”
Today, Trent is proud to be working at Dema Engineering as a CNC machinist, represented by Machinists District 9. “I feel like I finally have a clear vision of where I want to put my time, energy and passion. To have a career that I genuinely enjoy and have a passion for feels great. Most importantly, I’m confident in my ability to support my family.”
Trent is quick to credit the people at MWI who helped him get here. “Everyone who makes the wheels turn and keeps the operation going are amazing. I had an amazing time with Maggie, Mike and Jim of the manufacturing program. Everything they do is in service to their students and I could always tell they were truly passionate about what they do.”
And when asked for one last piece of advice, his answer was simple. “Join a Union.”
If you’re ready for a change like Trent, Missouri Works Initiative can help you find your path forward.
Start your journey here.
Wellness & Well-being Highlights October 6th
Wellness & Well-being Highlights
for the
Week of October 6, 2025
This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog provides us look at how AI is being utilized to detect breast cancer—to the impact of heat on a worker’s internal organs—to a new study that confirms the attributes of safety helmets. This week I would like to take a closer look at voluntary vs forced Mental Health care.
It is no secret that the US lacks the infrastructure to handle each and every MH crisis. Readers of this blog know my sentiments on the positive impact that peer supporters can have on assisting filling this gap as para-professionals (not as counselors or therapists but as resource navigators… Think: Traffic Cops). In fact, studies have shown that <25% of the people with Substance Use Disorder (SUD) receive care.[1]
Sadly, DC has once again plowed ahead with programs (i.e., involuntary interventions like forced medications and hospitalizations) based on emotions vs facts. To this end…
In July, the federal government issued the executive order “Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets.” The order specifically targets people experiencing homelessness and serious mental illness. This policy shift intensifies debates over how to balance public safety, individual rights and effective, evidence-based care.[1]
Meanwhile, results from a Q1-2025 survey indicate the following:
Nearly three-quarters of respondents (73%) supported expanding access to community-based services, with similar levels across party lines: 78% among Democrats, 72% among Republicans and 71% among Independents. Similarly, most respondents across party lines supported expanding peer-led services.
In contrast, support dropped for policies that would allow treatment to be forced on someone against their will. Just 40% favored forced psychiatric medication, 45% supported short-term involuntary hospitalization and 42% supported long-term hospitalization. Mandated substance-use treatment drew slightly more support, at 53%.[1]
The lead author, Morgan Shields, suggests that, when it comes to population health, community-based services can improve access to care and tend to be more effective when compared to the high cost of institutionalizing people—many against their will!
Please check out the rest of this week’s blog: https://moworksinitiative.org/category/worker-wellness-news/
Source: [1] https://source.washu.edu/2025/09/americans-favor-voluntary-mental-health-care-amid-federal-push-for-forced-treatment/?utm_source=MarketingCloud&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=FY26_October_%40WashU&contactid=003PH000007TZxbYAG&utm_content=https%3a%2f%2fsource.washu.edu%2f2025%2f09%2famericans-favor-voluntary-mental-health-care-amid-federal-push-for-forced-treatment%2f
Run for Mental Health
A Dad’s Love and Suicide
AI & Breast Cancer
Big Pharma / Opioid Settlement / Victims
OUD: Post-pandemic Jump
Rise in Fentanyl: Job Drug Screens
Heat’s Internal Impact
Voluntary vs Forced MH Care
More on Forced MH Care
US Aid Cuts & Young Women
Young Men & Internet Darkness
School Phone Ban’s Impact
Dog for a Day
Vets & Beekeeping
Digital Eye Strain
Safety Helmets Saves Lives
NFL’s Big Helmets
NFL / CTE / Death & Forgiveness
More on CTE
Boeing / IAM / Strike Replacements
RI: Transit Strike
CA: HC Workers Strike
TX: Firefighters’ New Deal
BOP Cancels Union Contracts
Greece Train Strike
Construction’s Worker Shortages
VA Cuts = Harm Vets?
Hegseth’s Insulting Address
Rubio / Aid / Lies & Deaths
Trump: Another Conflict of Interest?
US Colleges: Blind Loyalty vs Merit
Waning Trust in Higher Ed
When Wives Outearn Husbands
RR Church: 1st Black Millionaire
MSU: New Construction Facility
AI’s Impact: White-collar vs Blue-collar Jobs
Update: Student Debt Forgiveness
Upcoming webinars, etc.:
Workplace Wellness (10/9)
QPR for Ag (10/10)
MSPN: Community Conversations Postvention (10/17)
Cannabis Use Guidelines (10/23)
Gun Violence in the USA
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 jgaal@moworks.org with related questions or comments.
Partner Spotlight: Tim Clavin
Building pathways and partnerships for a stronger workforce.
Tim Clavin, Director of Financial Wellness at St. Louis Community Credit Union (SLCCU), shares his not-for-profit employer’s mission of “raising the communities we serve.” For Tim, investing in communities means investing in people. In his role, he works directly with individuals to provide the financial tools, resources, and knowledge they need to achieve stability and long-term success.
With nine years at SLCCU, Tim has seen firsthand the challenges that millions of hardworking Americans face every day. Flat wages, rising costs, limited training opportunities, and what he calls “bureaucracy that keeps the underserved down without the ability to raise their earning power” make it difficult for many to build a solid financial foundation. Through financial coaching and mentoring, Tim uses his expertise to help people overcome these barriers and gain a path forward.
For the past three years, Tim and SLCCU have partnered with Missouri Works Initiative to extend that mission to program participants. As students prepare to begin new careers in the trades, Tim provides financial wellness sessions, presentations, and access to services that many would not otherwise know about. His guidance helps ensure participants are not only job-ready but also financially prepared to succeed outside of the classroom and on the job.
“Missouri Works Initiative is doing a good job,” Tim said. “Just like us, trying to be better every day.”
Missouri Works Initiative is proud to partner with organizations like St. Louis Community Credit Union and people like Tim Clavin, who share our commitment to changing lives. Together, we provide the resources and education needed to support Missouri’s skilled workforce both personally and professionally.
If you want to be part of this mission and invest in Missouri’s future workforce, we’d love to partner with you. Contact Megan Price at mprice@moworks.org.
“Success in the Making” Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis’ Internship Program
These inspiring students are rolling up their sleeves, trying new things, and proving that the future of our workforce is in good hands. We couldn’t be more excited to be part of their journey.
Click here to read their story!
Wellness & Well-being Highlights September 29th
Wellness & Well-being Highlights
for the
Week of September 29, 2025
This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog provides us a peep into the recent gathering of union tradeswomen in Chicago—to how DC is hiding data and has canceled the ‘hunger’ survey—to how a local high school teacher teaches Gen Z students about capitalism. This week I would like to take a closer look at the importance of relationships.
Kinsey explains that building trust and growing teams are more important than pedigrees and/or grand gestures. Why? Because “…it’s the small, thoughtful actions that people remember.”[1] Her advice to young professionals is straightforward: “Start with saying what you’ll do, then do it every time.”[1]
This brings me to a podcast I listened to just this weekend. It is titled “Lean on me brother & sister.…’[2] The focus is on the “work” of James Pursell and Aaron Walsh. I call them my LEAN Boys. If you have not already heard, the Laborers Health & Welfare Trust Fund for Locals 42 and 110 in St. Louis started a peer support program for their members and their families, nearly 3 years ago. The LEAN-STL program is modeled after the LEAN program that originated in Boston. LEAN in STL stands for Laborers Escaping Adversity Now. When compared to the Boston program, the STL version is more robust. While Boston addresses Opioid Use Disorder (OUD), LEAN-STL casts a wider net that includes Mental Health, Opioid/Substance Use Disorders, and Suicide Prevention / Intervention / Postvention. LiUNA’s Health & Safety Department is now working with their locals across the USA and Canada to implement various versions of the LEAN model.
As September (National Suicide Prevention Awareness month) comes to a close, it may be time to take an inventory of how prepared your workplace is when it comes to the mental aspects of safety. If feel your organization would like to learn more about how programs like LEAN-STL work, please join us at the next STL Building Trades Wellness Coalition meeting on:
Thursday – Oct 23, 2025
9:00a CT
IBEW Local 1 Hall
(For more info email: stlbtwellnesscoalition@gmail.com)
In the meantime, I highly encourage you to PLEASE take the time to listen to the aforementioned (folksy) podcast.[2] And, I think you will agree…My 2 heroes don’t wear capes!
Please check out the rest of this week’s blog: https://moworksinitiative.org/category/worker-wellness-news/
Sources: [1] https://www.constructiondive.com/news/why-relationships-matter-construction/760674/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Issue:%202025-09-22%20Construction%20Dive%20Newsletter%20%5Bissue:77063%5D&utm_term=Construction%20Dive
[2] https://www.buzzsprout.com/2290048/episodes/17911413-lean-on-me-brother-sister-for-a-good-life-with-the-help-of-aaron-from-laborers-local-42-and-james-from-110
Timely Jewish Holiday Message
Women / MH / Gaps
Underestimating Chronic Illness
AI & Burnout
BackStoppers & Injured First Responders
Slowing Huntington’s
WHO: Trump / Tylenol / Autism
Science / Tylenol / Autism
Trump / Public Health / You
What is Your Teenage Boy Doing Online?
Author / Addiction / Women
Gambling Addiction in Construction
Tradeswomen & Delaying Childbirth
Postpartum Depression
Race to a GLP-1 Pill
Trump on NFL’s Sissy Kickoffs
NFL & CTE…An Ongoing Issue
Unionized Tradeswomen Gathering
S Fain on Union Growth
Update: STL-KC Carpenters / Judge / Deposition
Canada Post Strike
Disney & Studio Lot Nurses
Trump / DC / Death Penalty
Trump / Homeless / Institutions
Trump / Reality / Hiding Data
Trump Cancels Annual Hunger Survey
ME / Prisoners / Remote Work
Handling a Worsening Job Market
Monthly Bills & Inflation
Is the Middle Class Slipping Away?
Women’s Construction Magazine
Teaching Gen Z Capitalism
Relationships vs Titles/Degrees
Loving Ghost
Upcoming webinars, etc.:
Healing Power of Pets (9/30)
Vets / Meditation / Memory Loss (10/17)
Living w/ Brain Injury (11/8)
Suicide Prevention thru Postvention
Schools & Suicide Postvention Support
LOSS: Suicide Postvention
LEAN-STL: Taking Care of Our Own
Hard Hat Riot
Understanding PTSD
Psychedelics 101
Protect Your Brain
MH & Higher Ed
Youth Peer Support Toolkit
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 jgaal@moworks.org with related questions or comments.
Wellness & Well-being Highlights September 22nd
Wellness & Well-being Highlights
for the
Week of September 22, 2025
This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog looks at how Bechtel’s $7m commitment to AFSP is developing products/programs to address Mental Health in the Construction Industry—to how Cocaine is having a resurgence in the USA…thanks to Mexico—to how Americans may be losing aspects of healthcare over the next decade. This week I would like to take a closer look at the importance of diversity programs in the construction industry.
Since earlier this year, DC has made their disdain for DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) programs clear. However, we need to move from feelings to facts. I have been in the Construction Industry since the late 1970s. It seems from the mid-1980s on, there has been a constant drum beat that this industry lacks the number of workers it needs to sustain America’s growth while providing living wage middle income jobs with benefits. And, with recent ICE raids this matter has only become more dire for our customers, contractors, Building Trades unions, and communities.
To this end, a recent report by Dr Robert Bruno, Director of Labor Education at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, indicated that IL based pre-apprenticeship training programs, known as the Highway Construction Careers Training Program (HCCTP) and Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program (IWPP), are indeed critical pathways for women and minorities into the skilled trades. The facts are clear:
*HCCTP enrolled 2500, graduated 1900, and placed 1000 in related positions (2017-23);
*IWPP enrolled 3300, graduated 1600, and placed 1100 in related positions (2022-24);
*Both of these programs accounted for ~5% of all new Illinois construction apprentices and a much larger share of Black (35%) and women (21%) apprentices statewide.[1]
Why this matters? According to BLS Data, in 2024, about 6.5% of US construction workers were Black, and about 11.2% of all U.S. construction workers were women.[1] Make no mistake, programs—like the 2 mentioned above plus MWI’s ARC program (formerly BUD in STL)—can and do address our industry’s workforce shortage needs while improving the lives around us. In this time of deep nationwide political discourse, is it not time to move away from hate and towards help?
As we hit the midway point of September, let’s not forget to check out the variety of Suicide Prevention Awareness programs available in your local area. If you have not heard, NAMI just launched a new MH initiative focused on the Construction Industry with Toolbox Talks, etc. It’s worth a look![2]
Please check out the rest of this week’s blog: https://moworksinitiative.org/category/worker-wellness-news/
Sources: [1] https://share.google/9gVJBKfZfMfwhWxzP
[2] https://stigmafree.nami.org/guides/industrial-trades-toolbox-talks-for-mental-health/
Hard Hat Courage
Construction MH: Be a Helper
Suicide & Bridge Barriers
MS Suicide on Campus
Arsenal: Together Against Suicide
Training Media on Suicide
Walking for MH
RFK & MH in Schools
Can the VA be Opioid-free?
Mexico & America’s Love for Cocaine
Chinese Exec / Fentanyl / Jailed
LA: Fatal Kratom
PST Impacts Anyone
Construction / AI / Safety
Under-reporting Rail Safety
Canada: Employees Reporting MH?
Loneliness in the Workplace
Stigma & Derailing Careers
Wildfire Smoke & Your Health
Fall Time Change & Your Health
How Mindfulness Matters
Silica / Floors / Danger
Pregnancy & Cannabis
Elderly & Cannabis
New RA (Arthritis) Treatment
Flies & MH
Is Telehealth Good?
Losing Your Health Insurance
US Organ Transplants & Greed
Small Gestures = Big Traits?
Educators & Google’s Cheat Button
Toxic Fumes / Airplanes / Concussions
CTE in Police Officer
PA Nurses Set Strike
CA Nurses Set Strike
LIRR Strike Potential
NM Diary Strike Ends
OH/KY UAW Reach Deal
French Unions Strike
Update: Air Canada Strike
Starbucks’ Script
Free Speech?
Stifling Free Speech?
Punishing Free Speech?
The Cost of Reporting Gun Violence
Canada: Preventing Workplace Harassment
Impact: Clear Communication on Job Security
Re-engaging Employees
Underemployment?
Job Hugging
Rural Hunger Games
LT Unemployment’s Strain
Proving Yourself
Construction: Boosting Diversity
Food Truck Apprenticeship
Dangerous Travel
Upcoming webinars, etc.:
Research Study Opportunity: College Students & MH
Understanding PTSD (9/25)
Suicide Postvention – Caring Communities Training (9/30)
MH in the Workplace (10/9)
Client-focused Care for SUD (10/16)
Narcan training (10/17)
Hard Hat Courage
NAMI: Construction Toolbox Talks
Suicide & Comedy?
Understanding Suicide
Understanding Grief
Suicide & Substance Use
Gambling Disorder
Harm Reduction & OUD
Food as Medicine
Gen Ztressed
Holocaust Evidence
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 jgaal@moworks.org with related questions or comments.
Wellness & Well-being Highlights September 15th
Wellness & Well-being Highlights
for the
Week of September 15, 2025
This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog looks at how England and Australia are taking steps to prevent suicides in their Construction Industries—to steps you can take to assist in ‘calming down’ during these trying times—to how chronic pain impacts women differently than men. This week I would like to take a closer look at the importance of peer support.
To say the least, this past week has been exhausting for many of us! From 9/11 Remembrance Ceremonies to the shooting death of a political influencer to the tragic loss of another construction worker to suicide. During these trying times, we need to make an effort to reach out to others for connection. Research suggests that for some of us, the isolation during COVID upended many of our social networks. Now is the time where we can begin to focus on rebuilding those support networks. Thankfully, a few unions have taken steps to build peer support programs in hopes that these systems re-connect us and, thus, play a significant role in our healing process.[1]
It is no secret to any of you who have attended one of my recent presentations that I—more often than not—lead off with what I call my ‘WHY?’ slide. This slide, based on research from CPWR (the research arm of NABTU), clearly and concisely presents 3 facts related to deaths in the US Construction Industry (2022):
1) Work-related (991)
2) Suicides (5200)
3) Drug Overdoses (17,100)
Some experts would suggest that numbers 2 and 3 above can be directly/indirectly linked to the ‘isolation’ mentioned above. I am not simply talking about physical isolation but, more importantly, mental isolation. Too many of us have been brought up in cultures that instilled in us that “asking for help” was a sign of weakness. Sadly, these wrong-headed ‘household’ beliefs/attitudes permeated throughout other aspects of our communities by infiltrating our school systems, sports teams, workplaces, etc.
Please join me in taking a stand: Ask for help! It is a sign of courage that fosters growth & learning; builds trust & relationships; improves productivity; empowers others; and reduces stress.
Please check out the rest of this week’s blog: https://moworksinitiative.org/category/worker-wellness-news/
Source: [1] https://constructforstl.org/gaal-studies-peer-support-mental-health/
Peer Support in Construction
Suicide Prevention / Parternships / Vulnerability
UK: Construction’s Silent Crisis
Australia: Suicide & Supporting Construction Workers
Suicide Prevention / Veterans / Needs Improvement
Beyond the Opioid Crisis: Emerging Threats
Frankenstein Drug: 100x > Fentanyl
Mental Health Openness: 20% Employers
Calming Steps
Surviving 9/11…Healing Others
US Public Health Issue: Gun Violence
Kirk’s Death & America’s Future
America’s New Age: Political Violence?
Venezuela’s Response to US Drug Threats
Loneliness & Workplace
From Perversion to Pedophilia
Strong(er) Women
Chronic Pain: Women v Men
Mental Health Days Surge
TB’s Comeback?
Getting a COVID Shot?
Parents Bribing Kids
Sleep’s Impact on Your Brain
Fast Asleep
Elderly / Falls / Deaths
Neuroplasticity & Brain Injury Recovery
HS Football / Parents / Guardian Caps
Update: Granite City Steel
Update: Air Canada
Update: Starbucks Union/No Contract
MSU Faculty’s Union
MN Café Workers’ Union
Guild Employees Seek Job Protections
Denver Police’s New Agreement
Amazon Fires Drivers
Dispensary Decert
S Korea Auto Strike
More on Hyundai Raid
London’s Tube Strike
Democracies & Occupying Forces
Missouri’s Voters v Trump’s Politicians
Missouri’s Congressman Speaks Out
US High School Test Score: Sink
Employees’ Right to Disconnect
Are Working Moms Scaling Back?
Guaranteed Income: Work v Laziness
Construction / Safety / Language
Construction Worker Shortage & US Security
Ending Protective Status Creates HC Shortages
Searching for a Job?
Nepal’s First Female Leaders
Lessons Learned from a College Dropout
Upcoming webinars, etc.:
Food as Medicine (9/17)
Suicide Postvention: An Org’s Approach (9/25)
Creating a Medication-Safe Home (9/25)
Suicide Prevention: You Are Not Alone
Suicide Postvention: Healing After Suicide
CIASP’s Suicide Prevention Needs Analysis
CSSRS App (Just ask…You can save a life)
IASP: Connect Somone to Life
Silent Emergency: Young Men & Suicide
Construction Mental Health Alliance
Alliance for Naloxone Safety in the Workplace
Back to School Mental Health Resource (NAMI)
Chronic Pain Care Study: Opportunity
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 jgaal@moworks.org with related questions or comments.
Wellness & Well-being Highlights September 8th
Wellness & Well-being Highlights
for the
Week of September 8, 2025
This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog looks at if the FTC will make progress regarding establishing guardrails for children using AI—to a rise in workers (random) testing positive for Fentanyl—to how our economy’s downturn negatively impacts Black workers. This week I would like to take a closer look at the array of training and resources that focus on the 3 sides of the suicide triangle…especially, since September 10th (Global Suicide Prevention Awareness Day) is quickly approaching.
Suicide Prevention is a term that is often misused to describe activities that include Awareness, Intervention and Postvention. To be clear, prevention should be framed more accurately to describe ‘awareness’ efforts. To this end, a good example is AFSP’s course called Talk Saves Lives where one learns about warning signs, risk factors, protective factors, etc.[1]
Suicide Intervention is the 2nd leg of the triangle. Herein, someone who notices those aforementioned signs and then acts is where we move from Prevention to Intervention. This stage requires commitment in the form of time, training, and practice. One must develop her/his listening skills, be compassionate but direct, and stay with this person in distress until a warm handoff takes place (physically getting the person in need into the hands of a mental health professional, ER, etc.).[2]
The third leg of the triangle is Suicide Postvention. Some experts refer to this as after-care, support for suicide loss survivors, etc. This stage is about what we do as a family, workplace, and/or community after an incident (whether it is an attempt or death). As I have mentioned before in this blog, this is the portion of the triangle that has NOT received much attention until recently![3] In fact, I am currently completing the 3rd phase of a related research study involving the US Construction Industry that began in the Summer of 2024.
Let’s move from awareness to action by accessing trainings and resources that address each of the 3 legs of the suicide triangle made available in the last section of this week’s blog.
Please check out the rest of this week’s blog: https://moworksinitiative.org/category/worker-wellness-news/
Sources: [1] https://afsp.org/talk-saves-lives/
[2] www.qprinstitute.com/
[3] https://www.datocms-assets.com/164289/1755120803-after-a-suicide-toolkit_construction-workplaces.pdf
AFSP’s Hard Hat Courage Toolkit
FTC / AI / Children’s MH
AI / Parental Controls / Teen Suicides
AI Psychosis
Digital Intervention & Suicide Ideation
Integrating Virtual MH Care
Gun Safety in Schools
Drug Testing / Workplace / Fentanyl (1)
Drug Testing / Workplace / Fentanyl (2)
Drug Misuse / Stress / Construction
Buffet Battles Cocaine Down South
Fentanyl Death: A Mother’s Fight for Justice
After a Loss: Insights to Grief & Healing
Education / Children / Trauma
STL’s Open Drug Market
STL’s SUD Recovery High School
Psychological Injuries / Workplace Harassment / Laws
Sports & Gambling
Impact on Lottery Winners
Autism / Tylenol / Pregnancy?
Less Sex Than Ever?
Sugar & Addiction
Phones / Toilets / Hemorrhoids
Face Scans’ Accuracy?
AARP / Stress Relief / App
FL / Schools / Vax Mandates
Processing Childhood Trauma
Microplastics & Alzheimer’s
RHI / CTE / Football
Invisible Impact Podcast
Labor Day: More Than a Day Off
Unions are Popular…Laws are Lacking
U of MN & Teamsters
AL / BuzzFeed / Organizing
ICE & Hyundai
Trump & Workers?
Poor Economy / Unemployment / Black Workers
ICE’s Career Expo
Impact of DC Cuts on Rural Healthcare
What is Clock Botching?
Soft Skills Matter
Skills for the Future
How Best to Use AI
Is AI Making Us Dumber?
Corporate America Ditches DEI
Hard Hat Riot
A Bricklaying Robot?
Demand for Skilled Trades Workers Grows
Upskilling & Retaining Construction Workers
MA / Voc-Ed / Waitlist
Higher Ed’s Crisis
Upcoming webinars, etc.:
VETs / STEP / Financial Wellness & Suicide Prevention (9/9)
Youth Suicide Awareness (9/10)
New Data on Construction Workers’ MH (9/11)
Hard Hats & Heavy Burdens (9/11)
Suicide Prevention (QPR) Training & Candlelight Vigil (9/10)
Suicide Prevention in Black Communities (9/23)
Trauma & SUD (9/23)
Race Against Suicide (9/27)
Suicide Prevention in Rural Communities
Trauma & Uncertainty
MiM Post-Suicide Response Guide
AFSP’s After a Suicide Toolkit for 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 jgaal@moworks.org with related questions or comments.
Wellness & Well-being Highlights September 1st
Wellness & Well-being Highlights
for the
Week of September 1, 2025
This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog looks at speed cameras in construction zones—to AI has been linked to recent teen and adult suicides—to how pro baseball teams are utilizing peer support. This week I would like to take a closer look how to prepare for next month: Suicide Prevention Awareness month.
As noted before in this blog, Mindset (2025) reinforces the following:
Over 5,000 people working in construction die by suicide each year, five times more than annual jobsite fatalities. These numbers aren’t just alarming, they’re a call to action. They represent a critical and deeply human crisis in the construction industry, one we can no longer ignore. [1]
Beyond the article linked above, here are couple more resources that may assist in your preparation:
September is filled with related/important educational activities, including but not limited to:
NOW is the time to move from awareness to ACTION!
Please check out the rest of this week’s blog: https://moworksinitiative.org/category/worker-wellness-news/
Sources: [1] https://www.mindforgeapp.com/blog-posts/suicide-prevention-in-construction-from-awareness-to-action
[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TC8PNtIEmAA
[3] https://workplacesuicideprevention.com/national-suicide-prevention-month-workplace-toolkit/
[4] https://lnkd.in/eGpummsj
[5] https://constructionsuicideprevention.com/
[6] https://www.eventbrite.com/e/introduction-to-zero-suicide-tickets-1559821822059#:~:text=Monday%2C%20September%2015,Louis%2C%20MO%2063103
[7] https://www.legion.org/advocacy/be-the-one/be-the-one-training
[8] https://constructforstl.org/upcoming-events/mental-health-in-the-public-labor-industry/
[9] https://afspwalks.donordrive.com/StLouis
Suicide Postvention in Construction (1)
Suicide Postvention in Construction (2)
Suicide Postvention in Construction (3)
Construction Suicide Prevention: From Awareness to Action
MO Military Vets & Suicide
Construction Injuries & Liability
Construction Zones & Speed Cameras
AI / MH / Guardrails?
Teen Suicide Awareness
AI / Coaching / Teen Suicide (1)
AI / Coaching / Teen Suicide (2)
AI / Murder-Suicide
Acting / Listening / Saving
Tradesworkers & Drug Overdoses
MN School Shooting
Peer Support in MLB
NFL / Ketamine / Death
Rise of Impostor Nurses
Cartels / China / US Banks
Mexican Cartel Leader’s Guilty Plea
Mexico’s Violence Spreads Southward
Chicago & Narcan
Pregnancy & Anti-depressants
Lithium & Alzheimer’s
Ultra-processed Foods & Sex Hormones
Stress & Focus
Resilience = Strength
Today’s Human Connection
UAW / Ford / Battery Plant
OSHA / Union-Pacific / Damages
Philly Teachers’ New Contract
AZ / Union / Charter School
CO / Arena Pro Football / Teamsters
Trump / Firefighters / WA
Trump / Fed Workers / Unions
Workers Who Supported Trump
Trump’s Next Failure: OSHA?
DHS Bars Aid Groups’ Actions
FEMA on FEMA
FBI / Swatting / Colleges
Flatter Orgs = Less Leadership
Start Early – Leave Early?
AI’s Impact on Professions
Building a H&S Career
Lessons Learned: Brains of Vets & Athletes
Upcoming webinars, etc.:
Talking About Suicide in Construction
Suicide Prevention Awareness Month (Toolkit)
US Gun Violence Report 2023
Gen Z: Stressed Freshmen (9/16)
MH & Higher Ed (9/24)
MHA 2025 Report
MHA / Kids’ MH / New School Year
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 jgaal@moworks.org with related questions or comments.
Wellness & Well-being Highlights August 25th
Wellness & Well-being Highlights
for the
Week of August 25, 2025
This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog looks at if AI improves efficiency or increases burnout—to how men’s behavior impacts birth rates—to whether or not online skill certificates lead to better pay. This week I would like to take a closer look at the video linked below.[1]
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to attend a webinar led by Dr Anna Mueller at the U of Indiana. She is the co-author of a fairly new book: Life under pressure. As we begin a new school year, I highly recommend this read for K-12 educators and parents. Dr Mueller takes us on a journey that explores the pressures our school children face both inside and outside of their schools. As a member and co-chair of the Missouri Suicide Prevention Network’s Postvention Committee, I read this book months ago when I first heard about it. In short, Dr Mueller and her colleague were invited to study the concept of suicide contagion in a small midwestern community. Their research digs into the culture of that community and how it plays a serious role in the matter at hand. These professors perform interviews and focus groups with educators, parents, and students in this town. Their findings cover suicide prevention, intervention, and, much to my surprise, postvention.
Dr Mueller highlighted parts of her book in the aforementioned webinar. Below is a brief overview of her summary, that we ALL should take note of:
The social connectedness, mental health stigma, and homogeneous and narrow cultural beliefs in this small town generated intense pressure for youth and families, schools, and the community to uphold these ideals that felt inescapable.
As such, this resulted in:
*Increased psychological pain
*Suppression of help-seeking
*Poor postvention and problematic memorialization practices
Which combined to expand the interpretation of suicide as a means to escape the oppressive context and, therefore, amplified vulnerability to suicide.[1]
Hopefully, you can foresee how that these findings might be applied to the workplace and have similar ill effects! Next month is Suicide Prevention Awareness month across the globe. With nearly 800k (~50k in the USA) people dying by suicide last year, let’s start planning today how we can become effective change agents!
Please check out the rest of this week’s blog: https://moworksinitiative.org/category/worker-wellness-news/
Source: [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-treWmPgO3s
AFSP / Bechtel / Suicide Prevention
Psychological Injuries & WP Harassment
Women Writing Construction’s Next Chapter
Period & Depression
AI Psychosis
AI: Efficiency or Burnout?
Summer 2025’s Happy Workers
Path to a Good Life
Change & Compassionate Communication
Forest Bathing & MH
What is Ozempic Teeth?
Birth Rates & Supportive Men
Suicidal Ideation: What to Say
Sleep & Cheese
Sleep & Exercise
Kratom’s Risks
Exercises & Back Pain
Reducing Belly Fat
Watches / Stress / Metric
Health Care & Relocating
Birds & Light Pollution
Americans & Reading for Pleasure
HS Cancels Varsity Football
5 Rail Unions: Cooling Off
IA Candy Strike Ends
Boeing Workers Hold Out
VW / Mexico / Union
Columbia Union Replaces TAs
Air Canada Strike
Trump & Homeless Vets
Trump Clears DC Encampments
San Fran’s Homeless Tool
Homeless & Heat
Trump Cancels Union Contracts (1)
Trump Cancels Union Contracts (2)
Trump Cancels Union Contracts (3)
Gutting Dept of Ed & Research Impact
ICE’s Hiring Blitz
National Guard Patrolling DC Streets
Certificates & Better Pay (1)
Certificates & Better Pay (2)
Trading PTOs for Student Debt
Canadian Job Security
Why Work Longer?
McCarthy’s Internships
K-8 School Enrollment & Anxiety
HR / Parents / Back to School Help
Fixing Childcare
UT & Hungry College Students
Alabama’s Slavery Deal?
Upcoming webinars, etc.:
Strategies for Rural Suicide (8/26)
Mates in Mind: World Suicide Prevention Day (9/10)
Free Adult MHFA (9/10)
Free Youth MHFA (9/19)
MH COMET Training (9/23)
PreventEd’s Teen Institute (11/13-16)
NAMI: Back to School Resources
Firearms & Suicide (All Tuesdays in Sept)
Life Under Pressure: A Mueller w/ M Gladwell
Workplace Mental Health 2025
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 jgaal@moworks.org with related questions or comments.