Mental Health Action Day Reveals Huge Demand for Resources

NAHB proudly participated in the first-ever Mental Health Action Day on May 20 as a part of a coalition of more than 1,400 organizations and brands focused on turning mental health awareness into action.

Organized by MTV, the day of action focused special attention on groups that have been marginalized and overlooked by mental health advocacy, including construction professionals. Rather than discussing the issue, the intent was to drive participants to take some kind of action.

NAHB partnered with MindWise Innovations to develop a free, confidential screening tool that can be used by anyone to quickly assess if they are in need of professional mental health services, and it provides recommendations for next steps, and valuable resources that can offer help. Home builders responded positively to the tool, with MindWise reporting a huge jump in traffic and completed screenings on May 20.

The tool is still available, and members are encouraged to use it to determine if they or someone they care about should connect with a behavioral health professional. Users can choose a screening for depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance use, or a variety of other concerns, or can take a “wide range screening” if they are not sure what is at the root of their feelings. Early identification of mental health or substance use challenges leads to improved health and reduced costs.

The Mental Health Action Day overall also was a success. MTV reported nearly 700 million views on social media and more than 500,000 engagements and actions taken, in addition to press coverage from some 1,700 media outlets. Watch the video below to see what kind of coverage and participation MTV received from brands and celebrities.

NAHB’s participation in Mental Health Action Day is part of the sustained member mental health and wellbeing initiative launched last year. NAHB is looking to change the culture and reduce the stigma in the construction industry around mental health awareness by providing resources specifically tailored to home building professionals.

Please don’t hesitate to use or recommend the free resources on the NAHB Member Mental Health and Wellbeing page. They are there specifically for residential construction professionals.