Yes. It can help employees thrive when healthcare leaders thoughtfully offer usable, accessible resources.

One of the most effective first steps we can take in managing our mental health is to pause and take stock of how we're feeling. While patients may receive this advice from healthcare providers, I hope our country's healthcare workforce of about 22 million are doing this ourselves.

It’s clear our industry’s workforce faces challenges on that front. 

U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has described the level of burnout – a state of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and low sense of personal accomplishment at work – being experienced among health workers as “alarming.” He highlighted last year the association between burnout and anxiety and depression. Even before the intensity of the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Academies of Medicine (NAM) reported in 2019 that burnout had reached “crisis” levels . Following the height of the pandemic, more than 50% of public health workers have reported  symptoms of at least one mental health condition, such as anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder .  

We owe it to ourselves, our loved ones and our patients to address these personal challenges. Let's take that necessary pause as we begin Mental Health Awareness Month . It’s an opportunity to join nationally in addressing "stigma, provide support, educate the public and advocate for policies that support the millions of people in the U.S. affected by mental illness," including healthcare workers.

Health systems and healthcare leaders have a significant role to play in creating cultures that address mental health challenges. It’s imperative to consistently tune into how employees feel. We can get ahead of certain challenges by listening and asking for input about what type of support is needed, rather than waiting for them to arise or worsen. 

At Northwell, our Employee Wellness team and internal partners have helped to do this by assessing, building and offering a wide range of mental, emotional and financial resources and programs that support employees and their loved ones/dependents. The focus on mental and emotional well-being support is grounded with our Employee and Family Assistance Program (EAP), as a no-cost benefit to our workforce.

Though Northwell is a large employer, we’ve built the EAP to be agile and responsive to day-to-day requests and/or crises using a “No Wrong Door” approach. Through a collaboration with Chaplaincy Services, Team Lavender (professionals dedicated to supporting colleagues during times of stress or hardship) and the Center for Traumatic Stress and Resilience and Recovery, the EAP ensures that employees and/or their loved ones obtain the services they need.

• So far, employee use of the program—which provides counseling, coaching, referrals and follow-ups for a range of mental health needs—has led us to double the size of its clinical team to serve the needs of our growing workforce.
• In 2022, the EAP’s clinical team fielded more than 6,000 calls, referring half to other resources in the health system and serving nearly 3,000 Northwell employees.
• The EAP also offers assistance and training to our managers and leadership on how to handle difficult situations that may arise in the workplace, and mental health educational workshops and resource fairs.

We also use a survey to find out which resources employees are using and communicate regularly and closely with team members to build awareness about the services we offer. It’s one of the many lessons that the pandemic amplified – that we must make it a primary goal to take care of ourselves and each other.

Taking the time to pay attention allows us to recognize when to lend a hand or make a referral. Mental Health Awareness Month is the perfect time to remember the importance of listening and assess how we feel, so we can work toward building resilience, optimism and health for the future.