HALIFAX – The Nova Scotia government has launched a new mental health initiative to promote mental health awareness and reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness in workplace settings.
The Working Mind is an education-based program based on a Department of National Defence program called Road to Mental Readiness.
The program trains both co-workers and managers to see the signs of poor mental health. Its goal is to support the well-being of employees and also encourage them to seek help for mental health issues.
Statistics show roughly one in every five Nova Scotians will suffer from a mental illness at some point in their lifetime.
Capital Health, which boasts a workforce of more than 10,000 people, became the first employer in the province to participate in the program.
“Much of the work has been decreasing stigma within our patient population and within our hospital,” Phillips said.
“This program, however, helps identify those people who are working within the walls of the hospital who are also struggling with mental health issues.”
Barbara Hall, the acting CEO of Capital Health, said providing support to workers is important.
“Employees are still a little nervous about mental health issues, just like the general public,” she said. “We really want to reduce that stigma.”
The program is now expanding to include the Nova Scotia Community College and other public service employees.
“Everybody has mental health issues throughout their life, whether it’s them personally, or through family members or friends,” said Brenda Hardiman, one of the program’s facilitators. “If we educate the public around that, we can hopefully provide some assistance in recognizing they have an issue.”
Nova Scotia Health Minister Leo Glavine said the government hopes the program will be implemented across the province in the future.
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