Employers can receive free training on identifying mental health and substance abuse problems in the workforce

As anybody who has managed a workforce of substantial size already knows, Alabama has a drug and mental health problem; but the state and the University of Alabama are teaming up to help employers deal with this challenging element of the state's workforce.

The state is offering businesses free training to help supervisors identify and respond to mental health and substance abuse issues within the workforce. The University of Alabama's VitAL partnership uses education and training to help employers identify the employees in crisis in order to get them the help they need in order to improve the health of Alabama's workforce. The training can be held at the business or online and is available through June.

Ellen McNair is the Secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce.

"A healthy workforce is a productive workforce, and supporting mental health in the workplace is essential for Alabama's continued economic success," said Secretary McNair. "This free training program gives businesses the tools to recognize and address mental health and substance abuse challenges, ensuring employees have the support they need to thrive. We encourage Alabama employers to take advantage of this opportunity and invest in the well-being of their teams."

Dr, Nicole Jones Wadsworth told the Alabama Gazette, "The workforce development initiative enhances employee well-being and strengthens productivity as well as economic stability across our state. By investing in mental health resources, Alabama businesses can foster a more resilient workforce, which ultimately improves the quality of life for employees and their families"

VitAL says that nationwide nearly 9% of working adults have a substance use disorder. 6.7% have an alcohol use disorder while another 1.6% have a cannabis use disorder.

Every year thousands of workdays and millions of dollars in productivity are lost in Alabama because of mental illness.

To find out more about VitAL contact Wendi Hogue, who leads the initiative, at wendi.hogue@ua.edu. You can learn more about the free workplace mental health training for Alabama employers at the VitAL Alabama website.

https://vitalalabama.com/training-events/in-person/free-workplace-mental-health-training-for-alabama-employers/

VitAL works to help Alabamians with mental health, substance abuse, and trauma-related challenges. For more information on VitAL, visit their website:

https://vitalalabama.com/