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Founded in 1918, the Canadian Mental Health
Association (CMHA) is a national charity that helps
maintain and improve mental health for all Canadians.
As the nation-wide leader and champion for mental
health, CMHA helps people access the community
resources they need to build resilience and support
recovery from mental illness.
Divisions of the Canadian Mental Health
Association of New Brunswick
• Provincial office, Fredericton
• Satellite offices, Moncton and Saint John
• Fund Development, Provincial
• Regional Community Worker Program, Provincial
• Working Stronger Together, Saint John
• Residential Housing Partnership Program, Edmundston
Important Statistics
• What fraction of individuals will experience a mental illness at some
point in their lives?
• What percentage of medical visits are stress related?
• How many individuals in Canada, each day, miss work due to
mental health problems?
• What fraction of the leading causes of disability, worldwide, are
mental health problems?
• Among those with the most severe and complex mental health
problems and illnesses, unemployment is estimated at approximately
what percent?1
1http://strategy.mentalhealthcommission.ca/the-facts/#sthash.29iza6Hi.dpuf
Factors which may increase or influence
the risk of developing a mental illness…• Chemical imbalance
• Individual attributes and behaviour
• Substance (mis)use
• Social and economic circumstances
• Traumatic life events
• Environmental factors
• Hereditary
• Other illnesses
Types of Mental Illness
• Anxiety Disorders
• Mood Disorders
• Personality Disorders
• Attention Deficit (Hyperactivity) Disorder
• Dementia
• Substance Use Disorders
• Eating Disorders
• Schizophrenia
• Complex Mental Health Problems
Stress very simply is change and our ability to adapt to the
changes/demands in our lives
We experience stress from four basic sources
• Environment
• Social Stresses
• Physiological
• Our thoughts
Negative Stress
Factor in minor conditions
• Ex: headaches, digestive problems, skin complaints,
insomnia, ulcers
• Stress that is excessive, lasts a long time, or
unrelieved can have harmful affects on your mental,
physical, and spiritual health
Positive Stress
Some stress can have positive effects
• May spur motivation or awareness
• Creates stimulation to cope with challenging
situations
• May provide a sense of urgency/alertness necessary
for threatening situations
A work-life balance is…
a state of well-being that a person can reach
or can set as a goal in order to allow them to
effectively manage multiple responsibilities at
work, at home and in their community without
grief, stress or negative impact.
1 http://www.who.int/mental_health/media/en/712.pdf
Workplace Mental Health
• Most commonly presenting workplace mental health health problems
or illnesses in the workplace:
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Substance abuse
• Most often, it affects people in their prime working years, between the
ages of 24 and 44. (CMHA: National)
• Work/life balance is a crucial factor in mental health. The demands of
the workplace continue to increase, as do the number of hours most
Canadians spend at their jobs.
- 1 in 4 Canadians work 50 hours per week or more, compared to
1 in 10 a decade ago. (HRDC)
According to Statistics Canada:
About 27% of working adults said they felt a lot, or an extreme
amount, of stress on a daily basis. 62% of respondents reported
work stress as the main reason for their stress (Statistics Canada)
Other sources of stress amongst highly-stressed workers included:
Financial concerns – 12%
Not having enough time – 12%
Family issues – 8%
Personal/other issues – 6%
Performance warning signs:
• Consistent late arrivals / absences (sick or other reasons)
• Lack of cooperation / general ability to work with others
• Decreased productivity
• Frequent breaks away from the office
• Increased accidents / safety problems
• Frequent complaints of tiredness / unexplained pain
• Difficulty concentrating / making decisions / remembering things
• Making excuses for missing deadlines / poor work
• Less interest / participation in work
• Reduced quality of work
• Working increased overtime through a prolonged period
• High rates of accidents
• Withdrawn or avoidance
• Strange or grandiose ideas
• Displays of anger or defensiveness
CMHA: Mental Health Works
Risks and consequences of not acting to help/support
• Lack of support may lead to deterioration of condition
• Strained relationships between employees
• Feelings of responsibility from other staff to cover for the
employee and assume tasks
• Co-workers feeling angry or resentful
• Co-workers avoiding contact with the employee
• Deterioration of morale, affecting functioning and ability of team
• Loss of an employee resulting from disciplinary of the employee
experiencing difficulties, or choosing to leave
• Safety risks
• Working increased overtime through a prolonged period
• Increased absenteeism / presenteeism
CMHA: Mental Health Works
Steps an employer can take to promote the mental
health of someone returning to work, following
treatment for mental health problems/mental illness:
• Ensure the physician is aware of all duties the employee is responsible for.
• Encourage the employee to follow his/her treatment plan.
• Check-in with the employee to see how they are doing.
• Ensure there is a wellness plan in place in case a crisis arises.
• Consider gradual return to work (part time hours before full time).
• Identify possible stressors or triggers within the workplace.
• Work to accommodate where stressors may be present (work pace, noise
level, social events, while avoiding over-protectiveness.
• Include the employee in decisions related to their wellness.
• Make sure the individual is treated as a member of the team.
http://www.who.int/mental_health/media/en/712.pdf
How can an employer help?Upon noticing signs of a mental health problem, an employer may:
• Arrange a meeting to raise concerns and offer support
• Be open and flexible – it increases productivity
• Research what resources your agency can offer the employee
• Familiarize yourself with your agency’s policies on accommodation
policies / processes
• Consider how the job could be modified so the person could keep
working and get the support they need
• Brainstorm ways that you as a leader can help them feel safe and
comfortable
• Be honest, upfront, professional and caring in your approach
• Think about the employees strong points and values to the agency
(relay this information to them)
• Consider open questions that will encourage the employee to seek
support
• Screen out distractions
CMHA: Mental Health Works
How can an employer help?The approach in supporting an employee is important:
• Do not probe or try to diagnose an illness
• Approach the concern as a workplace performance issue
• Raise the possibility of accommodations if needed
• Provide access to an EAP or referral to community services
• Assure confidentiality to be respected, including with referrals
• Set a time to meet again
• Ensure check-ins happened as promised
• Follow up with evaluations of work-performance
• Document all meetings fully
• Provide on-going education / awareness opportunities for all staff
CMHA: Mental Health Works
CMHA: Mental Health Works
Principles of accommodations• Create an environment where accommodations are accepted by addressing the individual
needs of each employee.
• Respect the employee’s desire for confidentiality and identify specifically the form and the
degree of confidentiality.
• Be willing to engage in joint problem solving.
• Make all accommodations voluntary for the employee.
• Be prepared to review accommodations periodically to meet changing needs, and keep in
mind that needs may change.
• Be flexible in enforcing traditional policies and procedures.
• Be concrete and specific when identifying accommodations.
• Consider a flexible work schedule. If the employee is having difficulty with working traditional
hours, work with him/her to look at other options.
• If it is possible for the job to be done in a non-traditional work schedule, consider offering
flexible hours such as a later start time to the work day.
• Putting an accommodation(s) plan in writing is a good idea.
• Set up an easy and accessible mechanism for reviewing accommodations.
CMHA: Hangin’ In There: Strategies for Job Retention
by Persons with a Psychiatric Disability
CMHA: Hangin’ In There: Strategies for Job Retention
by Persons with a Psychiatric Disability
• Manage stress
• Exercise regularly
• Healthy diet
• Improve self-esteem
• Adapt to changes
• Deal with emotions
• Find inner peace
• Get enough sleep
• Relaxation
• Build positive
relationships
• Develop a strong
support network
• Give & receive
compliments
• Get involved in
your community
• Etc.
Support Strategies
• Be supportive and understanding.
• Spend time with the person. Listen to him or her.
• Never underestimate the person’s abilities.
• Encourage the person to follow his/her treatment plan and seek
out support services.
• Become informed about mental illness.
• Crisis training, self-help and/or individual counselling will help
you become a better support person.
• Make the person’s safety your first priority.
Community Resources for Mental Health
• Doctor
• Counselor
• Professional
• Spiritual guide
• Friends/family
• Mentor
Community Resources for Mental Health
Hotlines
• Provide a listening ear, helpful
information, crisis intervention and
referrals to community resources.
• CHIMO
• Kids Help Phone
• Fredericton Sexual Assault Crisis Centre
• Telecare
Community Resources for Mental Health
Community Mental Health Centre
(Addictions & Mental Health)
• Children and Youth Treatment Program
• Emergency Mental Health Services
• Gambling Program
• Inpatient Acute Care Psychiatric Unit
• Inpatient Addictions (Detox)
• Individual Family and Group Counseling
• Methadone Treatment Program
Community Resources for Mental Health
Mental Health Mobile Crisis Team
• Trained mental health social workers
• Timely & coordinated response those
experiencing a mental health crisis
• Assessments and/or interventions
Community Resources for Mental Health
Hospitals
• The Moncton Hospital
• Hôpital Dr. G.-L. Dumont
• Sackville Memorial Hospital
Community Health Centers / Crisis Centers
• Albert County Health and Wellness Centre
• Beauséjour Family Crisis Resource Centre
• Port Elgin Regional Health Centre
• Petitcodiac Health Centre
Community Resources for Mental Health
Support Groups
• Contact local office for availability
Workshops/Programs
• Changing Minds
• Kids Have Stress Too!
• Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training
• Living Life to the Full
• Self-Help groups
Presentations
• Topics related to mental health/mental illness
Events
• Women & Wellness
• Mindscapes
• Kindness Day
• Mental Health Week / Mental Illness Awareness Week
• Suicide Prevention Month
Thank you!
Contact Us:
Kristen Barnes
Operations Manager
506.859.8114 / [email protected]
nb.cmha.ca
#CMHANB