Mental health in the workplace is not a benefits question. It is a leadership question. Geri Kerger, CEO of NAMI DuPage, framed it clearly at our May 5 Community Leaders Series event: the workplace has significant influence on mental health, and the higher you go in an organization, the harder it becomes to talk about it. When a leader is willing to be vulnerable, the culture shifts.
Leaders from businesses, nonprofits, government, and behavioral health gathered at NAMI DuPage for the conversation. On the way out, more than once, someone said, "I didn't know many of the people in this room." That is exactly the point.
Since the event, I have heard from multiple attendees making new connections across sectors. This is how communities get stronger. Leaders meet, earn trust, and start building things that would not exist otherwise.