Working Minds Suicide Prevention Program

Working Minds Contest Winner: Colorado Public Television

2011-08-21T09:25:00.000-06:00

Mental health isn’t something many workplaces consider when thinking about the health of their employees, and yet, distress impacts productivity, retention and morale significantly. We are delighted to honor workplaces in Colorado that take proactive steps to help promote mental health.

Colorado Public Television is 1st place winner of the Working Minds Contest

For more information about our Working Minds Contest and last year's winners, please visit http://www.carsonjspencer.org/sloh2010.html

In these current economic times, the stress of work can be quite unbearable. With budgets being cut across numerous organizations and businesses, many are concerned about their employment. Colorado Public Television (CPT12, formerly KBDI) has found ways to promote mental health and resiliency during tough times:, shared sacrifice, team-based decision making, and an environment which enhances creativity. Colorado Public Television will be recognized with the grand prize “Working Minds Award” at the Carson J Spencer Foundation’s Shining Lights of Hope Gala on the evening of August 28th at Inifinity Park in Glendale, Colorado

CPT12 is a mission-focused organization with a product that is enjoyable and trusted. The culture of CPT12 fosters creativity, collaboration and risk-taking. Employees throughout the company feel a sense of pride in the quality of the product, and enjoy the intellectual stimulation associated with it.

“I would liken our staff meetings to a Sunday dinner that a family would have,” said Pam Osborne, Director of Marketing & Communications for CPT12. “As a cohesive team, we all feel that we are in this together.”

CPT12 makes it a point to include mental health days, telecommuting and flexible scheduling into its policies. Additionally, the mentally-healthy atmosphere includes pet- and children/family-friendly policies. The approach by management is to help employees feel safe and capable of high-performance. CPT12 welcomes perspectives of staff and viewers of all ethnicities, sexual orientations, genders and backgrounds.

Our workforce is extremely loyal,” stated Osborne. “I attribute that to the fact that our organization is a creative, ever-evolving, fun place to work.”

CPT12 was awarded the grand prize in the Carson J Spencer Foundation’s Working Minds Contest. In order to win, contestants needed to be workplaces based in Colorado that demonstrated measurable success by implementing innovative and effective mental health policies and procedures.

About Colorado Public Television – CPT12

Every day Colorado Public Television (CPT12), formerly KBDI, sets itself apart with an unparalleled schedule of local, independent, “community voice” public affairs programming and invites its statewide audience to explore new issues, ideas, people and places in the state, nation, and world. CPT12 curates three digital channels including a flagship signal with a mix of local, national, and international programming and infused with quality PBS shows (12.1); CPT12+, the best of independently produced documentaries, music, travel, exercise, cooking, public affairs and more (12.2); and MHz Worldview, providing international news from five continents and diverse cultural perspectives for a globally minded audience (12.3).

Please join us in congratulating all of our winners (runners up were Tu Casa and Jefferson Center for Mental Health) at the Shining Lights of Hope Gala on August 28th at Infinity Park! For more information visit http://www.carsonjspencer.org/.

GUEST BLOGGER “Smack-A-Mole”: Fighting Off the Job-Search Blues

2011-07-31T06:00:00.003-06:00

Packard Brown and Charlie

It is my pleasure to introduce our guest blogger this week. I met Packard Brown after our Manspeak article was published. He was interested in the psychological impact of economic distress for men, and we spent a morning exploring shared interests. Packard is a seminary-trained, proven Career Transition professional with long-standing success in helping professionals secure employment in the non-profit or corporate world. Having spent more than 20 years in both the corporate realm as a Vice President for Organization Development and in the Career Management industry as a Senior Career Consultant, he knows first-hand the strategies and tactics it takes to navigate a career transition successfully.

Our current economy has forced nearly 30 million people into unemployment, out from behind their desks to the streets or behind the fast-food counter. If you’re deep in the process of a job search, you’re in plenty of company. With this Job Market, there’s ample reason to become despondent – there’s frequent rejection, endless worry over finances, and dashed hopes. As one of my clients put it “I’m just a bug on the windshield of life”. Reason enough to feel distraught.

But take heart, it doesn’t have to be so!

Most everyone has the intelligence, the resolve and the energy to keep moving forward. You just need to adjust your thinking and practice certain tactics to keep your spirits up. Here are some pointers on trekking through the Job-Search Bog to higher ground and success.

1. Start a Brag-File. If you haven’t done so already, you absolutely need to begin recording those events when you did something well, that brought you a lot of affirmation. Start archiving those circumstances where you rescued a lost account or turned around a poor-performing office or solved a problem that stumped everyone else.

In the job search you’re going to run into rejection; people will question your experience, discount your qualifications, or misspell your name. In these instances you have to return to your achievement stories and take stock of all that you do well. Relive those circumstances where you stood out from the pack and really delivered. Doing so enables you to readily provide examples in an interview, but also works to raise your morale and reminds you that you have a lot to offer an employer.

2. Practice Sharp U-Turns. During tough times, we often succumb to behaviors, to habits that may bring us short-term relief, but really harm us in the long run. When feeling pummeled black-and-blue from the job market, don’t be tempted to toss down a few dozen Harvey Wallbangers, or smoke a joint, or raid the medicine cabinet for those kite-flying prescription drugs. I also caution clients about devoting hours to Facebook or over the top shopping sprees. Guard against developing self-destructive behaviors.

3. Pump Some Iron (or Aluminum). When turning away from bad habits, make a conscious effort to engage in those activities that bolster your physical and mental well-being as well as keep you moving forward in your search. Adopt an exercise routine; strive to spend 30 minutes a day walking or working out at the local recreation center. Make it a regular part of your weekly routine to gather with good friends or enjoy an outing with the family. Don’t become isolated. Also make a list of five things to do regarding your search and do two of them by the end of the day. My clients make phone calls to managers, set up networking appointments, or reach out to targeted contacts on LinkedIn. Stay purposefully active.

4. Smack-A-Mole. This probably sounds like “New Wave Metaphysics” but as best you can, watch your head games, control your thoughts. Dwelling continually on the negative aspects of a search only serves to draw down your energy and your morale. Believe me; it adversely affects how you come across in an interview. Remember the football film where the running back is about to carry the ball late in a close game and he repeats to himself “Don’t fumble,” “Don’t Fumble”, “Don’t fumble”? So what did he do? Of course, he fumbled the ball. When a dark and desperate thought enters your mind, act like the arcade game Smack-A-Mole, where you hammer a pop up figure with a rubber mallet. Belt that thought right out of your mind. Now granted we need to be realistic in reviewing our circumstances, but be objective of what you perceive then get off it. Don’t dwell on it. A helpful tactic is to identify one or two experiences that lift your spirits every time you think of them and use one of them to replace the negative image. For me it’s recalling my son’s hit to drive in the winning run in a baseball tournament or my daughter who’s a lyric soprano, singing a solo that brought down the house. Find one for yourself, and whenever your thoughts turn to Dark Swans, replace them with these affirming images.

The job search can certainly be a tough road to plow but knowing how to keep your mind and spirits uplifted will serve you well in the days ahead.

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On Saturday, August 27, 9am – 1pm Packard and colleague Richard Oppenheim will be facilitating a workshop Greenwood Community Church called "Keeping Faith with Your Job Search." Packard has graciously offered the Carson J Spencer Foundation 10% of the proceeds of this workshop in support of our work on suicide prevention. If interested in this workshop, contact Packard for more information:

Packard N. Brown M.Div., CEC, RCC, Careers at Crossroads packard.brown@comcast.net

The Simple Gift: Reaching Out and Renewing Hope at Work

2011-03-16T14:17:00.000-06:00

Photo by mmlolek

After my brother died by suicide in 2004, my workplace gave me the most amazing gift – the gift of their support. As many of them reached out to me, their kindness made all the difference in my ability to cope with this devastating loss.

First, there was Jerene, my direct supervisor. Just two days after my brother’s death, Jerene called me up, “Sally where are you? I am coming over to give you something.”

She drove from our workplace up to my parents’ home and delivered a huge vat of chicken soup. During a time when my family could barely choke anything down, that soup sustained us.
Then there was Tom, my Vice President. On the day of the memorial service, Tom joined many of my co-workers at the church. After the service was over, he found me and gently cupped my face in his hands to express his sympathy. This tender gesture was so heartfelt and kind; I will never forget it.

Finally, my bereavement leave ended, and I found myself facing the reality that I needed to return to work and some level of functioning. When I opened the door to my office on my first day back, my desk was covered with cards, flowers and well-wishes. From co-workers I knew well, and from folks I didn’t know at all. I instantly knew that the support I was going to get was going to carry me through this very difficult part of my life.

Belonging

Humans are hardwired to be in relationship with others. For some these are vast connections and broad social networks, and for others just a few intimate bonds are all they need. Workplaces that are mentally healthy cultivate a sense of belonging. Work teams and social groups can sometimes evolve into friendships that last a lifetime. Belonging fosters a sense of trust and interdependency that can help distressed workers find hope during tough times. When workmates pull together around difficult assignments, the encouragement they give one another can be the protective factor that decreases the impact of high levels of stress. For these reasons, workplaces that foster genuine belonging will find they have more mentally resilient employees.

A Little Goes a Long Way

While we can all think of some people that are constant drains in relationships because their needs are so great, most people do not need much. A little caring usually goes a long way. For example, in one study, hospitals sent caring letters to people who had recently been discharged after a serious suicide attempt. The letters just said something to the effect of, “We’re so glad you came in for treatment. Please, call us if we can help in any way.” Each letter was personalized to a small degree and signed by the attending care provider. The research found that the patients who received the caring letters were significantly less likely to have a subsequent suicide attempt than those who didn’t get the letters. If that wasn’t enough, the study was replicated using computer generated postcards – no personalization whatsoever. The same outcome resulted. If a computer generated postcard can have this level of impact, think about what is possible when people who know each other reach out and say, “I see that you have been looking down lately. I am here for you.”

Reaching the Unreachable

Another known fact is that people who have multiple risks for suicide are also sometimes the least likely to seek help on their own. Because of this, caring work communities need to be intentional in reaching the “unreachable.”

Mother Teresa was known for helping those that no one else would. In a story she wrote in her book, In the Heart of the World, she talks about finding an elderly man who had been ignored by everyone and whose home was in complete disarray.

She told him, "Please, let me clean your house, wash your clothes, and make your bed." He answered, "I'm okay like this. Let it be."

She persisted and he finally agreed. While she was cleaning his house, she discovered a beautiful lamp, covered with dust.

She asked him, "Don't you light your lamp? Don't you ever use it?"

He answered, "No. No one comes to see me. I have no need to light it. Who would I light it for?"

She asked, "Would you light it every night if the sisters came?"

He replied, "Of course."

From that day on the sisters committed themselves to visiting him every evening. They cleaned the lamp and lit it every evening.

Two years went by and Mother Teresa had completely forgotten that man when she received a message from him: "Tell my friend that the light she lit in my life continues to shine still."

Re-Gifting

One of the great things about the gift of reaching out is that we can re-gift it and people don’t think it’s tacky. It turns out the idea of “paying it forward” is both a gift to the receiver and a gift to the giver. When people who have been helped through a difficult time are able to help another, they often find meaning in their earlier struggle and value the wisdom gained.

This notion of “reciprocity” is one of the cornerstones in what make programs like Alcoholics Anonymous work. When people successfully go through the 12-steps of the program and maintain their sobriety, they can become sponsors and support others who are just beginning. The work of being a sponsor helps many maintain sobriety because it strengthens positive self-regard. Furthermore, sponsors find that being there for someone else makes them hold themselves accountable to being a worthy role model.

If people who are resistant to seeking help see an opportunity to pay it forward by mentoring another down the road, they often become more inclined to receive the gift of help. Peer support and mentoring programs offer these opportunities at worksites, but other opportunities can exist within communities.

In summary, reaching out is a great gift – one size fits all, and it’s easy to exchange.

For more information on suicide prevention, intervention or postvention training visit www.WorkingMinds.org or contact Sally@CarsonJSpencer.org.

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What have you noticed about how others do or do not give each other support at work?

Working Minds Contest Winners

2010-08-23T05:34:00.000-06:00

Each year The Carson J Spencer Foundation welcomes Colorado businesses, nonprofit, for-profit or governmental agencies to compete in the Working Minds Contest. This contest is designed to showcase workplaces in our community that practice innovative and effective approaches in promoting mental health at work. This year The Denver Center for Crime Victims won the contest and will be honored at the Shining Lights of Hope Benefit Auction Evening on August 28th, 2010 (for information and tickets go to event website).

The Working Minds Contest seeks to promote workplaces that are focused on the emotional well-being of their workforce – through policy, practice and overall culture. In a time when lots of workplaces are becoming increasingly distressed, some workplaces are making a concerted effort to keep their teams thriving. We are excited to hold up the practices of our top three nominees as a model for others.

Finalists 2010

First Place: Denver Center for Crime Victims

The Denver Center for Crime Victims’ (DCCV) purpose is to provide culturally and linguistically responsive services to crime victims and crime prevention education. We are the beacon of hope and safety net for more than 6,000 people each year. Our services are broad, supporting survivors of simple theft, domestic and sexual violence, to suicide/homicide survivors. We provide crisis intervention, brief therapy, case management, financial assistance, crime scene clean up and more, all without cost to victims.

Innovative and effective approaches to promoting mental health:

“Our self care philosophy is an integral part of our workplace culture and is discussed with potential employees and volunteers and included in all job descriptions and orientations.”
“Staff creates confidential, results-oriented stretch goals addressing five areas: physical, emotional, financial, intellectual and spiritual health. These goals are supervised twice a month and included in annual evaluations. Thus, staff gets paid to take care of themselves!”
Generous leave policies and flex-time including the opportunity for a 30-day paid sabbatical
Proactive measures to prevent vicarious trauma and burnout among staff

OUTCOMES: Lower burnout and compassion fatigue rates and a higher sense of compassion satisfaction compared to the national average (as measured by Professional Quality of Life Scale)

“Compassion satisfaction is about the pleasure derived from being able to do your work well. The national average score is 37. The average score of the DCCV staff is 40, indicating a higher rate of employee satisfaction.
Burnout is associated with feelings of hopelessness and can be associated with a very high workload or a non-supportive work environment. The national average score is 22. The average score of the DCCV staff is 17, indicating a lower rate of burnout.
Compassion fatigue is the effect of work-related, secondary exposure to extremely stressful events. The national average score is 13. The average score of the DCCV staff is 11, indicating a lower rate of compassion fatigue or secondary trauma in response to our work.”

Second Place: Bayaud Enterprises

Bayaud’s mission is to provide Hope, Opportunity and Choice, with work as the means through which people with disabilities and other barriers to employment can more fully participate in the mainstream of life.

Innovative and effective approaches to promoting mental health:

“In our commitment to mental health, Bayaud has carved out money in an already tight budget to provide weekly life skills and support groups lead by a therapist. In addition, Bayaud will sponsor one on one mental health counseling for those in urgent need. Counseling services are provided through a partnership with Mindful Therapy. Bayaud is currently seeking funding to support expansion of “in-house” mental health services. Time off and schedule changes are accommodated as necessary to access mental health treatment, including extended absences from work, as required.”
“Staff meetings end with time dedicated to ‘Taking Care of Self’ where staff members discuss their stress levels and what they have planned to balance their stress. In addition to everyday supports and openness regarding mental health, Bayaud has also started a Healthy Families Program that provides information weekly regarding various Health and Wellness topics. Topics discussed are broken into four quarters of the calendar year to include Mental Health Awareness, Healthy Eating and Exercise, Disease Prevention, and Financial Health.”
“Financial struggles can also add to the stress of everyday living so Bayaud has partnered with AmeriCorps to provide onsite financial counseling services, education and free income tax services. Bayaud has also started an official Toastmaster’s group to promote confidence and the ability to give/receive criticism appropriately.”

OUTCOME: Turnover rate is less than 5%.

Third Place: Compassion and Choices

Compassion and Choices improves care and expands choice at the end of life. We support, educate and advocate.

Innovative and effective approaches to promoting mental health:

Employees are also encouraged to recognize the contribution of other employees by anonymously placing the employee’s name and accomplishment or kudos on a card and putting it in a lock box. Each month these cards are read at an all-staff meeting and all named employees get to choose from a selection of $10 gift cards as a reward.
Belongingness encouraged through regular staff lunches and project partnership
Special events such as “Pimp Your Patio” – “we happen to be in an office complex that has balconies and employee teams are put together to see who can create the most outrageous patio display.”

OUTCOMES: “High laughter and low turnover”

Working Minds Contest -- Celebrating Mentally Healthy Workplaces in Colorado

2010-07-01T17:18:00.000-06:00

With so much focus on toxic workplaces and the stress of the economy on the employee, the Carson J Spencer Foundation decided to do something a little bit different: focus on the workplaces that are getting it right. While we know many workplaces are suffering under intense pressure resulting in bullying, depression, and dissatisfaction among the ranks, other workplaces have found ways to not only survive this rough spot, but to help their staff thrive. In recognition of this, the Carson J Spencer Foundation is hosting a contest to acknowledge mentally healthy workplaces, application due date is July 22, 2010.

Criteria:

Must be a Colorado workplace (nonprofit, for-profit or governmental)
Innovative and effective approaches that promote mental health at work

New and creative methods
Positive outcomes

Contest Guidelines: Submit 500-word essay that answers the question: How is mental health promoted at your workplace? What do you do and how do you know that the strategies are effective (case studies and statistics are both welcome as evidence)? Consider the following questions:

How do you educate your workforce about mental health as part of overall wellness?
What are the practices and policies that minimize distress at work?
How does the workplace support those who are experiencing mental illness, trauma or bereavement?
How does the workplace promotes a sense of purpose and belonging?

Awards:

First, second and third place awards given. Recognition at our Shining Lights of Hope Benefit Auction Evening on August 28th at LeMay Auto Museum. Awards include: complementary seats at our event, one year membership to the Working Mind Network, a free Working Minds Toolkit and training, and recognition as a "mentally healthy workplace" in local media outlets and on the Working Minds website.

Applications:

Applications should be sent electronically to Sally Spencer-Thomas: Sally@CarsonJSpencer.org. For more information or to get an application call 720-244-6535.

Working Minds: Gaining Momentum for Suicide Prevention in the Workplace

2010-06-25T16:43:00.000-06:00

“The workplace is the last crucible of sustained human contact for many of the 30,000 people who kill themselves each year in the U.S. A co-worker’s suicide has a deep, disturbing impact on work mates. For managers, such tragedies pose challenges no one covered in management school.”

Shellenbarger – Wall Street Journal

In the suicide prevention field a gap exists: the majority of people who die by suicide are men of working age, and yet very little prevention work is targeting this demographic. While 85% of middle managers believe part of their responsibility is to identify and help employees with depression, only 18% of those managers had received training that would prepare them to do so. Since we noticed this gap, the Carson J Spencer Foundation has been on a mission, and in 2010 our vision is quickly gaining momentum.

When we formed the Carson J Spencer Foundation in 2005, our goals were two-fold, to honor the life of the man who was the foundation’s namesake and to help prevent others from going through the unimaginable mental anguish he faced as he battled a mental illness that ultimately proved fatal. When we spent 18 months or so examining the needs of the field and our unique position to fulfill them, we discovered a much-needed niche to be filled: suicide prevention in the workplace. We then spent the next couple of years developing the “Working Minds” program – a multifaceted suicide prevention program for employers. And now, as we face our 5th year anniversary, the program is gaining momentum at every turn.

The goals of the Working Minds program are three-fold:

to increase awareness that suicide is a public health issue that is preventable and that workplaces have a responsibility to respond and a vested interest in prevention and mental health promotion
to increase skills related to suicide prevention, intervention and postvention in the workplace
to offer models of recovery at the individual level and mental health promotion at the organizational level

The program components include an interactive website (www.WorkingMinds.org), a toolkit for managers, and a network of organizations that are focused on promoting mental health at work. The Working Minds Toolkit, a cornerstone of the program, offers employers an off-the-shelf curriculum to begin to change the conversation workplaces are having about mental health and suicide. The toolkit, published in November 2009, is available on Amazon and through the Working Minds website.

In 2010, we continue to see the momentum for the Working Minds Program build:

The Anschutz Family Foundation funds the Working Minds Program implementation among organizations that serve homeless populations.
Mountain States Employer’s Council, the go-to organization for HR training in the Rocky Mountain Region, agrees to offer Working Minds training to its members
The Working Minds Toolkit is accepted to the Best Practice Registry after being reviewed by national experts who determine that it adheres to standards of care
Presentations are made at the Navy’s Suicide Prevention Conference and other national and regional conferences touching leaders in the military, risk management and suicide prevention fields.

With the increasing strain of economic hardship and the challenges of reintegrating returning military from active combat into a civilian workforce, mental health concerns will continue to confront employers in many ways. The Working Minds Toolkit helps give them skills to proactively address these problems rather than just react to them.

How is your company promoting mental health and preventing suicide?

Fundraising Events - Please Come!

2007-07-27T14:34:00.000-06:00

Please attend one of our upcoming Fundraising events. All proceeds go to the Carson J Spencer Foundation.

Upcoming Events:

2007 Events

Shining Lights of Hope

Two Denver Colorado Fundraising Events in July 2007

July 28th - Benefit Auction Evening in Denver

Where: The Wynkoop Brewing Company - Mercantile Room
1634 18th Street
Denver, CO 80202
(303) 297-9999
(located at the corner of Wynkoop and 18th)

When: Saturday July 28th beginning at 5pm

What: Silent and Live Auctions. Emcee 9News Anchor Cheryl Preheim. Remarks by Colorado's First Lady, Jeannie Ritter, Buffet Dinner, free raffle ticket for a $75 value gift, Microbrew tasting and entertainment by Troy Gray, classical and flamenco guitarist.

Click here to view selection of items available for the auctions

Click here to view details or register for the auction

July 30th - Colorado Golf Event

Where: The Ranch Country Club in Westminster, CO

When: Monday, July 30 at 7:30am

What: Four-person Best-ball scramble

Click here to view details or register for the golf tournament

Sponsors for these events are welcome.

Thank you to Colorado Group Insurance Association

for their participation as a Beacon of Hope Sponsor!

Working Minds

2007-07-27T14:13:00.000-06:00

From the Carson J Spencer Foundation website...

Working Minds: Increase Mental Health &
Prevent Suicide in Your Workplace

Training Provided by the Carson J Spencer Foundation

DID YOU KNOW?

* 25% of the U.S. Workforce suffers from at least one mental or substance abuse disorder each year.

* Three out of four employees who seek care for workplace issues and mental health concerns see substantial improvement in productivity after treatment.

* 85% of middle managers believe part of the job responsibility is to identify and intervene to help employees with depression, yet only 18% of those managers receive training that would prepare them to do so.

* In 2002, the President's Commission found that as much as $105 billion per year is lost in economic productivity due to untreated or under-treated mental illness.

WHAT: "Working Minds" Training for the workplace, similar to a mental health and suicide first aid course. Brief, skills-oriented training is designed to help identify a person at risk for suicide and connect them to help.

WHEN: This on-site training can be conducted over the lunch hour.

WHO ATTENDS: The training is appropriate for employees at all levels.

COST: For a limited time the training is free, only travel expenses will be reimbursed.
The Carson J Spencer Foundation will accept any donations.

How was the training developed?
Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas is a psychologist, suicide survivor, and Clinical Director for the Carson J Spencer Foundation developed the training from best practices established by the Yellow Ribbon International Suicide Prevention Program, the Air Force, the National Mental Health Association, and SAMHSA.

Schedule today:
To schedule your company's gatekeeper training contact - Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas at Sally@CarsonJSpencer.org
or call 720-244-6535.

Working Minds: Increase Mental Health and Prevent Suicide in Your Workplace Training Provided by the Carson J Spencer Foundation www.CarsonJSpencer.org

Click Here to download a brochure

WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO CREATE A MENTALLY HEALTHY WORKPLACE?

* Increase bottom line results
* Reduce absenteeism and increases worker productivity
* Keep healthcare costs down
* Increase workplace morale
* Improve employee loyalty and reduce staff turnover
* Create a positive climate for interpersonal conflict resolution

It makes sense!