Mental Health Works, a national social enterprise led by the Canadian Mental...
Mental Health Works, a national social enterprise led by the Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario division, has a new, free resource developed by experts in the field that will help employers and managers address mental health in the workplace.
Mental Health in the Workplace: An Accommodation Guide for Managers and Staff outlines key skills employers and managers in Ontario workplaces should have when an employee presents a mental health concern. The guide is divided into three parts that are intended to build awareness around mental health concerns and mental illnesses, teach appropriate responding skills, and inform organizations on ways to collaborate with employees to make the workplace more accessible.
“As public awareness of mental health increases, more and more employers have a desire to provide mental health support to their employees,” said Jim Harris, director, operations for CMHA Ontario. “We’ve already provided this material to several businesses of all sizes across the province and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. It’s creating awareness in an area that’s often misunderstood, but directly or indirectly impacts everyone. By looking at accommodation specifically through a mental health lens with our guide, employers are starting to prioritize mental health on the same level as physical health.”
This new resource was developed as part of the EnAbling Change program, an initiative of the Accessibility Outreach & Education Unit, in partnership with the Ontario government. It’s meant to orient employers and supervisors to their responsibilities under the Accessible Employment Standard and provide workers in Ontario with practical techniques on how to request accommodation.
