We know the health care workforce has been through a lot and experienced many difficulties in the last few years – they are not exempt from mental health challenges. One way WSHA has supported the mental health of the workforce is through Virtual Schwartz Rounds. This pilot, with rural hospitals across the state, offered a space for support for front line staff as part of the Trauma Support Services of the Committing Action for a Resilient Environment (CARE) for Patients and Staff Initiative. World Mental Health Day is Oct. 10, and this year’s theme is “mental health is a universal right.”
Take action in the lead up to World Mental Health Day by following Mental Health First Aid’s 10-day countdown to World Mental Health Day. They will share daily wellbeing tips and concrete steps you can take to promote better mental health for all, such as using person-first language and learning more about 988, the nationwide crisis line.
There are additional steps you can take in your organization to help promote the mental well-being of your employees, such as ensuring all staff know about available Employee Assistance Program resources and community resources like the aforementioned 988 number and the Washington Recovery HelpLine. The AHA also has resources to enhance well-being and prevent suicide within the health care workforce.
World Mental Health Day is a Global Day of Awareness led by the World Health Organization. It aims to promote education about the importance of mental health and to drive action toward creating a world where mental health is considered a universal human right. Around the world, one-in-eight people live with a mental health condition and in Washington State, more than one-in-five adults have a diagnosable mental health condition.
Sincerely,
Brittany Weiner
WSHA assistant director, Safety and Quality
