Take a Free, Confidential Screening on Mental Health Action Day May 19

NAHB is encouraging members to take a free, confidential mental health screening to mark the second annual Mental Health Action Day on Thursday, May 19. The theme this year is Mental Health is Health.

NAHB and more than 1,700 leading companies, brands, associations, and other organizations are partnering on a project organized by MTV to turn mental health awareness into action. NAHB is asking members to take a few minutes next week to take a free, confidential mental health screening developed for the construction industry by our partners at MindWise.

In the wake of COVID-19, millions of people have uncovered new mental health conditions and millions more have had their existing challenges exacerbated. But even before the pandemic, construction professionals were especially susceptible to mental health issues.

More construction workers die by suicide every year than all workplace-related fatalities combined, with a rate of 43.5 suicides per 100,000 workers, second only to the mining and oil/gas extraction industry. The nature of the work – long days, work seasonality, common minor injuries – and a culture that often dismisses discussion of mental health can compound the stress felt by many in the industry.

NAHB has been working to change that culture and get members to recognize that asking for help is not a sign of weakness, and that self-care is particularly important these days. Working with dedicated partners, NAHB has provided free mental health and wellbeing resources to anyone in the construction industry. And our work continues.

Next week, NAHB and a local HBA are attending the Construction Working Minds Summit in Denver. The summit, hosted by the Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention, United Suicide Survivors International, and Johnson Depression Center, will explore construction industry-specific mental health promotion and suicide prevention programs and build a community within the construction industry that focuses on worker mental health.

Now more than ever, we need to look out for each other and be mindful of mental health issues we may be facing. Taking a few minutes next week to check in on yourself is a huge first step in the right direction.