Works Initiative News | Worker Wellness & Career Opportunities

Wellness & Well-being Highlights March 25

Wellness & Well-being Highlights

for the

Week of March 25, 2024

This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog highlights how some Spring Break locations are providing Narcan to guests in order to address the opioid crisis—to how loneliness and isolation continue to impact our societies long after COVID—to how immigration is actually helping the US economy (by filling low wage jobs) vs that of our Asian counterparts where birth rates have steadily dropped. This week I would like to highlight the deluge of reports regarding the topic of HAPPINESS. Whether its comparing cultures, genders, or age groups, in most cases, the Nordic countries appear to hold most of these cherished top slots. Issues to consider:

1) While the reasons for this may be as difficult to count as hairs on one’s head, I cannot help but reflect on my experience visiting a trade show booth at the World Skills Contest in Germany during the summer of 2013. As I approached the Finland’s booth, I noticed a booklet on how their secondary vocational educational system integrates Mental Health trainings into their coursework. This reassured me that the path the Carpenters in St. Louis recently undertook indeed had merit (We implemented an online Financial Literacy course as a launching point to address broader Mental Health issues in the construction industry);

2) The US dropped out of the top 20 ranking. Why? Mostly due to the dip in happiness reported among people under 30; and

3) While women report to be happier—in general—they, at the same time, report to be more distressed—day-to-day–vs men.

Upon further inspection, one may find that a “culture”—at home and work—may hold the secrets to the Nordic’s success. One where “win at ALL costs” (mostly driven by age-old paternal structures) has been replaced by caring and cooperation!

Sources: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/20/us/world-happiness-report-finland-us.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/relationships/why-arewomen-both-sadder-and-happier-than-men-4ffe1ba4?st=5nqgoak2u5jlgf4&reflink=article_gmail_share

Spring Break & Narcan

Female Happiness Paradox

Youth & Happiness (1)

Youth & Happiness (2)

Culture & Happiness

Finland & Happiness (1)

Finland & Happiness (2)

Canada & Happiness

Income & Children’s Brains

Adult Children & Drug Misuse

Mislabeled HEMP Products

Climate Change & Anxiety

Canada’s Workers & Isolation

Exercise & Isolation

Midlife Loneliness

Gambling addiction

Online Therapy & Insurance?

Partner Spotlight: Ashley Fleming

Reliable transportation is vital to obtaining and maintaining a job in the trades, especially in Southwest Missouri, where public transportation may be limited. A missed car payment, needed repairs, or money for a tank of gas could pose a seemingly insurmountable barrier for students in the Apprentice Ready Program. However, many Missouri Works Initiative students can overcome this challenge and graduate through the generosity of The Community Foundation of the Ozarks’ Let’s Get to Work grant program.

“In the Fall of 2021, the CFO hosted a series of donor education events focused on philanthropy and workforce development. Throughout the series, we heard from Springfield employers about the challenges they encounter in hiring and retaining employees. One of the recurring barriers was reliable transportation,” shares Ashley Fleming, CFO Grant Program Coordinator.

“In response, the CFO launched the Let’s Get to Work grant program,” says Ashley. “The grant program provides funding to nonprofit agencies, including the Missouri Works Initiative, working with low-income individuals in acquiring or maintaining employment by supporting related transportation expenses, including anything from paying for insurance costs and licensing fees to paying for car repairs, to purchasing e-bikes,” she says. “The goal of the grant program is to help individuals experiencing job loss or reduction of hours due to lack of reliable transportation move from unemployment to employment, or from part-time employment to full-time,” says Ashley.

With barriers like reliable transportation removed, graduates of the Apprentice Ready Program continue to build better futures for themselves, their families, and the Ozarks as a whole. MWI appreciates the CFO grant to support its students entering and completing construction apprenticeships.

March 22, 2024/by Missouri Works Initiative

Missouri Apprentice Ready Program, News, Success Stories

Sisters in Recovery, Whitney and Esbeydi’s Story: Missouri Works Initiative

When Kansas City Apprentice Ready Program graduates Whitney Leaming and Esbeydi Villalobos first heard about the Missouri Works Initiative, the new friends were seeking a brighter future for themselves and their children. Both were residents of Amethyst Place, which provides transitional housing and support for women and their children while the women are in recovery from substance use disorder. When Amethyst Place began an expansion project, Whitney and Esbeydi met Kansas City Program Coordinator Rudy Chavez.

The women of Amethyst Place consider themselves sisters, and for Whitney and Esbeydi, joining the Missouri Apprentice Ready (MAR) Program not only provided the opportunity to give back to the place that had given them a fresh start but also helped them each create a foundation for sustainable careers. “I had already had ideas on wanting to be in construction – I just didn’t know what part or what union or how it worked. I really had no idea or information on any of it,” says Whitney. “While listening to Rudy, something just clicked, and I knew I wanted to help build Amethyst Place and become a part of the unions.”

For Esbeydi, who had just gotten her GED, the MAR Program was exactly what she sought. “I wasn’t interested in going to college. I wanted a career path that would pay me to learn a skill set,” she says. “I really liked that the program let us visit all the trades. We got to learn what they do and what they have to offer and try it hands-on for ourselves. That was the most fun!”

Since completing the program, life has drastically changed for the better for both Whitney and Esbeydi. “ Before I started with the laborers union Local 264, I was on government assistance,” says Whitney. “Now I am fully self-supporting. I can afford to pay for my daughter’s child care and all the food for myself and my family. I even have health insurance through the Laborers. I do not need government assistance, which gives me all the confidence in the world that I can support my family as a single mother.” Esbeydi is now part of the local 124, The Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. “I am a pre-apprentice working and learning to be an electrician, and I love it. My kids are watching me grow, which makes me so happy. This program helped me find a career where I enjoy working because I want to learn. I am very thankful.”

If you are curious about the trades and looking for a sustainable, life-changing career, Esbeydi and Whitney encourage you to find out more and take a chance. “If you’re considering doing the program, do it,” encourages Esbeydi. “It will change your life like it changed mine. You will be so happy you did!”

“I would absolutely encourage you to try it out,” says Whitney. “The worst case scenario is you get $500 for doing the program, and you get to learn about all these different careers and life paths you can take. The world is doing nothing but getting more expensive, and the Union definitely lives up to the idea of taking care of its people,” she says. “Also, you get to earn while you learn. Even with zero experience, you can make money just starting because the union has standards on how much somebody should make based on their work, not the color of your skin or whether you’re male or female.”

Start your journey here.

March 21, 2024/by Missouri Works Initiative

Missouri Apprentice Ready Program, News, Success Stories

Sammy’s Story: Missouri Works Initiative

Struggling to find gainful employment after his incarceration, Sammy heard about the Apprentice Ready Program, called Building Union Diversity (BUD) in St. Louis, from his pastor. “I was convicted of a felony,” Sammy shares. “When I got out of prison, I had difficulty finding good work.” Sammy, a father of five children ranging in age from toddler to teenager, worked two jobs but wasn’t earning enough. He was in desperate need of a sustainable career that would make it possible for him to support his family.

The Missouri Works Initiative’s BUD program was the solution Sammy sought. The 6-week program provided him with education on the unions, a bus pass, a weekly stipend, and a hands-on introduction to all the trades. “They took a chance on me and allowed me to change my life. Joining the BUD Program is the best decision I’ve made,” says Sammy. “I graduated from the program on a Thursday and started work the next Tuesday.”

Sammy is now a laborer with Bommarito Construction and a member of Local 110. “I didn’t have to do it alone,” says Sammy. “I had a great mentor named Rodney Griffin with Local 110. I’ve been in the field for six years now, and I’m able to be a mentor to new students. I share my experiences and help students understand the simple rules and etiquette of the work site, like the importance of being on time and staying off your cell phone. It’s great to help someone else succeed and build a new life.”

If you have experienced incarceration and feel like you’re facing an uphill battle in securing a sustainable career, Sammy wants you to know that you have options. “It can be better,” he says. “ I had friends on probation who are electricians now. 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.”

“I used to have a job, but now I have a career. You can have one, too,” says Sammy. “Go be a carpenter or electrician or ironworker. They can provide you with the best possible career in the trades. Making $45-50 an hour is some real motivation. The BUD Program trains you for free in five weeks. You’ll have a career. You just have to apply yourself.”

Start your journey here.

March 21, 2024/by Missouri Works Initiative

Missouri Apprentice Ready Program, News, Success Stories

Riley’s Story: Missouri Works Initiative

Riley was looking for a more fulfilling career and had been thinking about pursuing a trade, though she wasn’t sure which one would be the best fit for her. “I was looking at the Missouri Works Initiative’s website and saw their recommendation of the program in St. Louis for women interested in the construction trades,” shares Riley. “I thought the program would help expose me to all my options and help me make an educated decision.”

Throughout the program, Riley got all the information and support she needed to make the best career choice. “I valued how much Aurora and the many guest speakers shared their experiences and advice on succeeding in this industry. I think the amount of information and training we received also made me more qualified and confident to start an apprenticeship,” says Riley. “Being able to visit different job sites and trade school locations helped me visualize and balance my interest in each trade. But I think most importantly, because of the program, I gained connections to people who are rooting for my success as a tradeswoman.”

Now, Riley is thriving in a satisfying and sustainable career as an apprentice with Mid-America’s Carpenter’s Regional Council Local 92. “I now have a career that I enjoy, and I feel a deeper sense of purpose,” Riley says. “I don’t think I would have had the motivating force to pursue carpentry on my own, considering I didn’t have any connections to Union tradespeople nor the level of confidence and knowledge that the program encouraged. At the end of the day, I have a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction, and I am also the strongest and in the best physical condition of my life.”

Are you a woman interested in a career in the trades but need help figuring out where to start? You can find the answers and directions, just like Riley did. “Whatever your situation may be, I believe everyone has something to gain from the program,” says Riley. “You will have to be respectful of yourself, show up, and be ready to work the program, but six weeks isn’t that long of a commitment considering the time in the Apprentice Ready Program in St. Louis will set you up for a career that may positively impact the rest of your life.”

Start your journey here.

March 21, 2024/by Missouri Works Initiative

Worker Wellness News

Wellness & Well-being Highlights March 18

Wellness & Well-being Highlights

for the

Week of March 18, 2024

This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog highlights challenges (one from The White House and the other regarding First Responders) both concerning the opioids crisis—to how some online gaming sites provide venues to exploit vulnerable children—to how domestic violence has now been recognized as the leading cause of traumatic brain injuries. This week we have an opportunity to examine a recently released report on the State of the World’s Mental Health of its internet-enabled global population. It appears that the decline in MH, across the 71 countries studied, which began pre-COVID, continued through 2021 and mainly remains stagnant. With a 15-minute anonymous survey, these authors examine the concept of mental well-being which “inherently reflects an individual’s sense of how their inner state impacts their ability to function within their life context.” Key findings: MH challenges are linked to the younger the age of cell phone ownership and increased intake of ultra-processed foods; and the wealth of a nation does not equate to better well-being (Note: UK and Australia ranked 2^nd and 6^th to last, respectively, and the Dominican Republic and USA ranked 1^st and 29^th, respectively). Interestingly, another article this week touches on how what we eat negatively impacts our MH, sleep, and learning. Apparently, ultra-processed foods hit our brain’s reward system not unlike alcohol and addictive drugs. In fact, scientists have found that people who eat high-fat, high-sugar snacks also had changes in how their brains learned. In addition, such a diet is linked to increased anxiety and depression which may result in a proposed call for inclusion of new MH disorder: ultra-processed food use disorder. As I reflect, maybe there was something to that saying I heard back in the 1970s: You are what you eat!

Sources: https://mentalstateoftheworld.report/2023_read/

https://www.wsj.com/health/wellness/ultra-processed-food-brain-health-7a3f9827

State of World’s MH

The UK is not a happy place

White House & OD Challenge

EMTs & Curbing Opioid ODs (1)

EMTs & Curbing Opioid ODs (2)

Blackpool’s Deaths of Despair

Alaska / Friends / Suicides

Ukraine / PTSD / Psychedelics

Workplace Safety: More than just policies

Audit / Psychological Safety / Employees

UN / Deaths / Children

Gaming / Kids / Torture

Kids & Artificial Turf

Students / Delta 8 / Public Health

Hospitals & Maternal Care?

MO / Infections / Babies

Whales & Menopause

Parents / Adult Kids / Finances

Weight Training / Heart Disease / Longevity

Wellness & Well-being Highlights March 11

Wellness & Well-being Highlights

for the

Week of March 11, 2024

This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog offers an opportunity to examine several articles citing the barriers/challenges women continue to face in the “modern” workplace—to how sleep apnea impacts one’s cognition—to which US jobs are considered the most “physically” demanding. Today, I wish to shed some light on the importance of EACH and EVERY ONE of US taking action. Since 2016, a lot has been written and discussed about mental health issues in the workplace. This week we provide access to a just-published White Paper on MH, addiction awareness, and suicide prevention in the US construction industry.[1] In addition, this week we saw a renowned worldwide construction contractor make a SEVEN MILLION DOLLAR donation to help reduce suicides in the construction industry. [2] While the White Paper “speaks” to the MH needs of an industry, the donation to AFSP addresses the “action” step noted earlier. Needless to say, most of us do not have these kinds of monetary resources to make impactful changes. Nevertheless, as mentioned in last week’s blog, each of us can take 5-minutes to provide a constructive comment to the US-DOL.[3] In so doing, you will become part of a process to change the rules Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAP) abide by…which have NOT been seriously updated since 1937! So, PLEASE join me in taking “action” by submitting a brief comment that supports the inclusion of Mental Health training in US-DOL’s RAP standards going forward.

NOTE: The DEADLINE is MARCH 18, 2024 @ 5p (ET).

Sources: [1] https://static1.squarespace.com/static/58b628c217bffc493333bbfd/t/65e07a384c7529463d428243/1709210172801/20240229-CWM-White-Paper-FINAL.pdf

[2] https://www.constructiondive.com/news/bechtel-suicide-construction-pledge/709385/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Issue:%202024-03-06%20Construction%20Dive%20Newsletter%20%5Bissue:59795%5D&utm_term=Construction%20Dive

[3] https://www.constructforstl.org/perspective-please-comment-on-need-for-mental-health-training-in-apprentice-programs/

Your voice matters: MH & Apprenticeship

Bechtel invests $7m in Construction Suicide Prevention

White Paper: MH in Construction

Well-being Check-in

AGT & MH

Wellness & Well-being Highlights March 4

Wellness & Well-being Highlights

for the

Week of March 4, 2024

This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog touches on the impact of the Drug Cartels’ multi-pronged destruction within our communities to how some of these same communities have responded with successful/unsuccessful (SUD/OUD) harm reduction efforts—to how immigration crackdowns at the US-Mexico border have implications on the US’s (low-wage) worker shortage…not to mention which “class” mainly benefits from those low-wage workers. Today, I wish to shed some light on the importance of “your voice” when it comes to policy-making in Washington, DC. You and I currently have the opportunity to shape the future of the US-DOL Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAPs) system. Between now and March 18^th, I ask that you consider submitting a comment in the portal below* supporting a requirement that RAPs going forward include NO less than 1-hour of Mental Health training. For the past 20 years, I have been working with researchers across the USA on worker safety issues. When we began, our focus was entirely on the physical aspects of safety (i.e., slips, trips, falls, etc.). However, when the worldwide economic crisis hit in 2007, before long it became evident that we needed to cast a wider net to include the mental aspects of safety. Back then, little did I know that this concept already had a name in the field of Public Health: Total Worker Health (TWH). In essence, BOTH labor and management have a duty to ensure that workers are protected physically from injury and illness as well as mentally by advancing their well-being. From that point forward, our researchers—along with several partners (e.g., contractors, unions, CFSTL, The Labor Tribune, PreventEd, etc.)—have made strides in various industries across the region regarding the dissemination of our findings on how Mental Health, Opioids Awareness, and Suicide Prevention have impacted the lives of OUR workers and THEIR communities. I cannot think of a Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee that has NOT required First Aid/CPR/AED and OSHA-10 in the past 20 years. Simply put…Isn’t it time WE insist that Mental Health deserves a rightful seat at the RAP training table?**

PLEASE join me in submitting a brief comment that supports the inclusion of Mental Health training in US-DOL’s RAP standards going forward. NOTE: The DEADLINE is MARCH 18, 2024 @ 5p (ET).

Sources: https://www.wsj.com/world/americas/drug-cartels-expand-murder-extortion-trafficking-146ede54?st=wz036vzh3e1uzk2&reflink=article_gmail_share

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/01/opinion/moral-hazard-drug-addiction.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2024/02/13/1231118235/to-stop-fentanyl-deaths-in-philly-knocking-on-doors-and-handing-out-overdose-kit

https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/border-crackdowns-wont-solve-americas-immigration-crisis-f21b0c4b?st=exngr797vggo3h4&reflink=article_gmail_share

*https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/01/17/2023-27851/national-apprenticeship-system-enhancements

** https://www.constructforstl.org/study-makes-case-for-mental-health-training-in-apprentice-rule-updates/

Teachers / Classrooms / Promoting MH

Puget Sound / CJNG Cartel / Meth

Wellness & Well-being Highlights February 26

Wellness & Well-being Highlights

for the

Week of February 26, 2024

This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog consists of a recent poll indicating that US adults considered opioids, mental health, and gun violence to be 3 of the top 5 threats to our public health—to how some communities are designing structures with suicide prevention in mind (i.e., bridges w/ nets)—to how nearly ½ of college graduates are in jobs that do not require a degree…positing this form of underemployment may negatively impact earnings and career pathways. Today, I wish to shed some light on a recently published RAND study on the devastating effects of America’s overdose crisis. It found that nearly one-half of US adults know someone who has died from an overdose. While this figure is mind-boggling, I believe when you consider the unintended consequences of SUD/OUD we begin to see where more light needs to be shed. As suggested, we must design (local) strategies for the loss survivors in order to stop their spiraling “grief and despair” which can lead to more deaths. These efforts may include support for addressing trauma as well as stopping the “shaming and blaming” of those addicted to or died from opioids…which extends to his/her family members. Lastly, too often, children are left behind either to live with grandparents or sent to a foster home. As a result, the “ripple effect” equates to a rise in childhood suicides in areas with increasing overdose deaths. At some point, the majority of Americans must come to grips with the concept that SUD/OUD is not a moral weakness but rather a brain-related disease. The sooner we do, the sooner we can begin to heal one major aspect of a divided nation! Not to mention, the positive impact this would have on our communities regarding issues like presenteeism and workforce shortages.

Source: https://www.npr.org/2024/02/22/1233089895/studys-findings-demonstrate-the-sweeping-effects-of-america-s-drug-overdose-cris

USA: Public Health Threats

CANADA: MH worst level since COVID pandemic

Impact of Opioids epidemic: US Communities

Impact of Opioids epidemic: Native Americas

How hospitals (mis)treat OUD

Fentanyl & Meth: The 4^th Wave’s Complications

Narcan Vending Machines

Opioids & OR: Will they reconsider Measure 110?

Fentanyl Deaths / Dealers / Homicide

Gambling addiction: A MH doctor’s story

Nicotine Pouches & Kids

Asthma medicine / Children / Suicide

Evidence-based efforts to prevent Suicide

Gun violence & The Glock Switch

On Healthy Grieving

The benefits of Tai Chi

Anger & Your Health

Women & Muscle Loss

Maternal MH Mortality

Is an Annual Physical necessary?

Sleep’s impact on your Well-being

Senior & Single

Redefining Old Age

Airports & Biometrics

Buy American confusion?

Teamsters & Trump?

College degrees & Underemployment

Employers / College degrees / Worker shortages

Shifting Attitudes: Experience over Education

Grocery & Collusion

More Child Labor

WV / Kids / Work permits

UAW & Organizing in the South

Will MLS use replacement Refs?

Australia’s right-to-disconnect?

India / Politics / Farmers

Aging US Farmers

Industry & Cyber-Threats

US Ports & Chinese Cranes

The Child Care Crisis

Impact of US Teacher Shortage

Wellness & Well-being Highlights February 19

Wellness & Well-being Highlights

for the

Week of February 19, 2024

This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog consists of topics examining how the country of Portugal’s harm reduction approach has decreased overdose deaths to an overview of the results regarding a recent international survey concerning apprentices’ mental health to a report indicating that Michigan workplaces are no longer governed by Right to Work law. Today, I wish to shed some light on a topic I have covered in the past but, in spite of our nation’s attempts to get a handle on the rise of gun violence…the deadly saga continues! When I speak to various groups around this country about wellness and well-being, I address the need to find balance in our lives. The issue of gun violence is certainly one we MUST find some balance. Why? Sadly, we are less than 2 months into the new year and already our nation has experienced nearly 5000 deaths related to gun violence.[1] After nearly each one of these devastating events, almost like clockwork, a local official comes to the podium and offers their “thoughts and prayers” for these victims and their families…while Congress sits idly by! Back to the issue of balance: Are we a nation that so loves the right to bear arms that we would turn a blind eye towards the value of each and every human life? Thus, a number of questions run through my head:

Can one be Pro-Life and Pro-Gun?
Is it necessary to sell military-style weapons for “hunting game”?
Why don’t more people take CALM training?[2]
Of the ~5000 victims noted above, nearly 200 of these were teens and children…What is the “lost” value of these ~200 minds’ potential contributions to society?

Each time a tragic event like the one in KC this past week happens, I cannot help but think about how my brother and sister-in-law were visiting Las Vegas, in Oct 2017, and were caught in the crossfire while on the Strip near Mandalay Bay…the deadliest mass shooting in US history! To this end, trauma touches the lives of people well beyond those directly impacted by this ongoing plague. As I wrote to several of my friends earlier this week, “I rarely cry while reading a WSJ article…this time I did!”[3] For the greater good of our society, as a gun owner, I, for one, value human life over the right to own an AR-15.

What say you?

Sources: [1]https://abcnews.go.com/US/gun-violence-claimed-lives-5000-people-2024/story?id=107262776

[2] https://www.saferhomescollaborative.org/free-calm-training/

[3] https://www.wsj.com/sports/football/shooting-kansas-city-chiefs-parade-super-bowl-0dda78a5?mod=Searchresults_pos1&page=1

Gun violence & Lobbying Congress w/ AI (1)

Gun violence & Lobbying Congress w/ AI (2)

Gun violence @ KC’s Super Bowl Parade

Portugal’s drop in fatal ODs

Schools / Kids’ MH / Violence

Stop spreading MH misinfo

Global Workplace MH

US Employees & MH