Mental health matters. And it’s time to address it in the workplace.

Experts from the Colorado School of Public Health’s (ColoradoSPH) Center for Health, Work & Environment have developed the Mental Health in the Workplace course to help faculty and staff prioritize and address workplace mental health. The course was created in partnership with the Helen and Arthur E. Johnson Depression Center and the Employee Services’ Employee Learning and Development to equip working professionals with the skills needed to create a workplace culture that supports the mental wellbeing of others.

Available now through Skillsoft, the course engages individuals with video testimonials, interactive activities and research-based outcomes to learn practical and helpful action steps to raise awareness about mental health, reduce stigma and prioritize care for all employees.

The Mental Health in the Workplace course is recommended for individuals at any level of an organization including leaders, managers, faculty, staff and student workers. Now available at no cost for university employees, this self-paced training can be completed online. At the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Recognize and establish supportive leadership, resources and policies to bolster employee mental health.
• Understand organizational employee benefits and how they can contribute to the overall employee well-being. 
• Identify opportunities to engage in mental health education and training to support employees at all levels. 
• Recognize the value and necessity in providing equal and accessible mental health care to all employees.

The training is offered to employers across Colorado and nationally.

“(In the training), the what, why, who and how for a supportive workplace are all covered in an interesting and interactive format,” said Patti Corcoran, policy & promotion operations at Tri-County Health, and a recent course participant. “I especially appreciate the actionable steps and guidelines, which help simplify and tailor mental health policies and programs to an organization’s specific needs.”

Mental health in the workplace has never mattered more than it does now. CU employees are encouraged to take this self-education as a step to finding ways we can best support ourselves, our colleagues and our community.

Take the free Mental Health in the Workplace course. For questions, reach out to Madison Crepeau at madison.crepeau@cuanschutz.edu.

Written by Laura Veith, communications and media program manager at the Center for Health, Work & Environment.