From March 10 to April 14, 2023, ePolicyWorks hosted a series of national online dialogues to build upon the work of the State Exchange on Employment & Disability’s (SEED) Mental Health Matters: National Task Force on Workforce Mental Health Policy. The dialogue series engaged key stakeholders, including mental health organizations, disability advocacy groups, state and local intermediary organizations, employer organizations, family members and those with lived experiences. Participants submitted ideas on four priority areas:
- Benefits and employment policies that meet the needs of those with mental health conditions.
- Access to workplace care and supports for those with mental health conditions and reducing associated social stigmas.
- Mental health provider and service disparities in underserved communities.
- Behavioral health workforce shortages and the establishment of state resource systems.
Following the dialogue series, ePolicyWorks developed a snapshot for each online dialogue to capture participant recommendations, as well as relevant demographics, that were shared with members of the Mental Health Matters Task Force to help inform its work and shape policy. In total, the dialogue series had more than 16,000 views and 137 registrants who were posting ideas, commenting, and voting on ideas throughout the duration. Some examples of notable and engaged ideas included:
- Provide resources for the creation and support of Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs).
- Consider ways to support maternal mental health in the workplace.
- Implement organization-wide mental health safety trainings and education.
- Consider ways to provide financial assistance to cover mental health care costs.
- Support parental leave coaching for managers and employees.
- Provide access to dental health services for rural populations.
- Address the health and mental health needs of justice-involved individuals.
- Fund training for employees and employers in community-based care and support professions.
- Increase access to job opportunities for internationally trained immigrants and refugees.
- Leverage community colleges to increase the capacity and diversity of the behavioral health workforce.
These ideas address vital areas in mental health support: tailored employment policies, workplace care accessibility, reducing stigmas, addressing disparities in underserved communities, and tackling workforce shortages. These ideas are carefully reviewed and taken into consideration as policymakers seek to improve outcomes for their constituents.
