We Can’t Go Back on Worker Mental Health

Federal leadership shapes public health perspectives, and a public health perspective that centers on worker mental health and wellbeing is one we can stand behind. The Biden-Harris Administration has demonstrated a commitment to combatting the mental health and substance use crisis. The Harris-Walz Administration promises to further our country’s mental health infrastructure and prioritize equitable treatment.

Mental health is a workforce issue, as our workplaces play a significant role in our daily lives. Mental health challenges can arise from a variety of reasons, such as long, inflexible hours, excessive workloads or pace, discrimination, harassment or bullying, or conflicting home and work demands. These challenges can affect us all, as 84% of workers surveyed by the HHS reported their workplace conditions contributed to a mental health struggle.

Since taking office, the Biden-Harris Administration has taken steps to help people experiencing mental health struggles. Under the Administration’s Unity Agenda, a large and comprehensive national strategy was released to greatly improve access and utilization of mental health and substance use disorder treatment services. These resources are a critical component to the structural success of the Biden-Harris Administration’s 988 suicide and crisis lifeline, which has answered millions of life-saving calls and texts since it was launched in 2022.

The Food and Drug Administration, led by the Biden-Harris Administration, recently approved the life-saving opioid overdose reversal medication Naloxone for over-the-counter use, a critical success for stakeholders within the construction industry, whose workers have been disproportionately harmed by the opioid epidemic. Labor partnerships, with Biden-Harris’s guidance, have led to increased education, training, and distribution of Naloxone via Building Trades Unions and Building Trades Employers’ Associations.

The Department of Labor led by the Biden-Harris Administration has also partnered with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to address workplace mental health challenges, including providing training and resources on how to reduce burnout at work.

Breaking the stigma of mental health struggles takes time and dedication. While mental health is currently a priority, the momentum can easily be shifted. Under different leadership a new Surgeon General could be appointed, or the Department of Labor and OSHA priorities could be completely shifted away from mental health issues. We must stay the course if we are to conquer the mental health crisis.

We cannot go back on mental health in this country.