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Letter CEOs can help with mental illness awareness

Standard Times, The (New Bedford, MA) - 10/5/2015

M ental Illness Awareness Week is Oct. 4 through 10. We at the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Massachusetts (NAMI Mass) want people to be aware of the fact that mental health conditions affect 1 in 4 adults. We want people to know that these disorders are treatable, but according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in Massachusetts only 52.8 percent of our adult population received treatment.

A key reason why people don’t seek treatment is stigma.

With a recent initiative, NAMI Mass is trying to combat this problem through the workplace. Although it is well-documented, most people are unaware that mental health issues are the leading cause of disability in the workplace. We learned through a statewide survey that only 27 percent of employees in Massachusetts are willing to talk about their mental illness at work.

CEOs Against Stigma, NAMI’s campaign, is trying to effect change by meeting with CEOs of companies throughout Massachusetts and promoting empathy and a supportive environment for employees no matter what illness they have.

We hope more CEOs will sign on so we can win the battle against stigma and more individuals can experience hope and recovery.