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(Alexandria, VA, Thursday, February 6, 2020) – About one in five employees will experience a mental health condition each year, but given the right resources, five in five employees benefit from a supportive and psychologically safe workplace.

Employees want workplaces that are stable, supportive, and less stressful. Employers want employees who are engaged, productive, and loyal. By implementing policies and practices that support employee well-being, employers can achieve the distinct but complementary goals of both employees and the organization.

Mental Health America (MHA) has created the Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health, a first-of-its kind certification program, that recognizes employers who are committed to creating mentally healthy workplaces.

An employer will be assessed—and recognition ultimately determined by—the following five categories: Workplace Culture, Health Insurance & Benefits, Employee Perks & Programs, Legal & Ethical Compliance, and Leadership & Community Engagement.

An organization with Bell Seal certification will be recognized nationwide as an organization that values mental health and a mentally healthy work environment for all employees.

MHA believes that a mentally healthy workplace includes policies and practices such as:

• An employer that values employee feedback and takes a measured approach to learning about and addressing concerns at work that contribute to stress and burnout. The findings are incorporated into company-wide policies and practices.

• An employer that has a designated team that feels comfortable and has the ability to identify and address concerns with workplace culture and promote mental health awareness, education, and available resources to all employees.
• An employer that understands the importance of fair and effective management practices that encourage mutual trust and respect between supervisors and direct reports.
• Employees have the ability to negotiate their roles and support needs and have clear opportunities for professional growth and development.
• An employer that provides employees with access to affordable, quality, and easy-to-understand health insurance that covers mental health and substance use services at parity with physical health services for them and their families.

Mental Health America (MHA), founded in 1909, is the nation’s leading community-based nonprofit dedicated to addressing the needs of those living with mental illness and to promoting the overall mental health of all Americans.  Our work is driven by our commitment to promote mental health as a critical part of overall wellness, including prevention services for all, early identification and intervention for those at risk, integrated care, services, and supports for those who need it, with recovery as the goal.