APF Launches Program to Support Emotional Health in the Workplace

While we may see lots of colleagues during the course of a normal workday, do we really “see” them? In an age where people often have more profound conversations over their smartphones than face to face, detachment and nonchalance can creep into workplace interactions.

Partnership for Workplace Mental Health

But in that indifference, we might be missing some hints of emotional turmoil and opportunities for support. A coworker who looks down might just be having a bad day, or that mood might indicate deeper distress. Either way, investing just a little time to provide assistance can go a long way.

To enable workplaces to foster a culture that will encourage such emotional investment, the American Psychiatric Foundation (APF) and its Partnership for Workplace Mental Health have unveiled a program known as ICU.

ICU—initially developed by DuPont in 2011 and generously donated by the company to the partnership—is an awareness campaign designed to decrease the stigma associated with discussions of mental and emotional health. The acronym corresponds to the three core steps of the program: (1) Identify the signs of distress. (2) Connect with the person experiencing distress. (3) Understand the way forward together. 

And analogous to intensive care units at hospitals, the ICU, or I See You, program envisions an environment wherein people are vigilant and responsive to psychological injury or illness. ICU does not require clinical know-how of mental health diagnoses; rather it focuses on encouraging employees to lend an ear when they observe a peer in distress and help “move forward together.”

“In today’s world of increasing levels of stress and demands on workers, creating a culture of support is all the more crucial,” said Paul Heck, M.Ed., L.P.C., global manager of employee assistance and work/life services at DuPont and a member of the partnership’s advisory council. “The ICU program gives permission for a sense of normalcy around emotional distress.”

Clare Miller, director of the Partnership for Workplace Mental Health, offered a similar take. “There is a lot of worry about getting too personal and overstepping boundaries,” she said. “But ICU gives permission for you to be human.”

APF and the partnership learned about the program—and the many accolades it had received worldwide—through the association with Heck, who realized the partnership, which serves as the employer outreach arm of the APF, was in a great position to disseminate ICU to many other workplaces. In turn, the partnership could promote a product stamped with DuPont’s imprimatur, providing additional credibility to prospective takers.

The ICU product centers on a short video explaining how employees can confidently—and appropriately—connect with distressed peers who may need support. Other components include an implementation guide, a slide presentation, and templates for a flier and email message.

“We wanted a program that would feel like it was living at your company,” said Mary Claire Kraft, a program manager for the Partnership for Workplace Mental Health. “So we adapted the ICU into a white-label product; anyone can easily tailor the templates with their own branding and messaging.” Several employers are already introducing ICU at their companies.

At the same time, acknowledging that time and resources are limited at many workplaces, the ICU program can also be used “as is” if needed.

In line with that, Kraft stressed that successfully implementing ICU does not require additional resources or infrastructure. “What ICU offers is a platform that reminds employees about benefits they already have but often go unused, such as their employee assistance program or other health and wellness services,” she said.

ICU is the second major workplace initiative being offered through the Partnership; last year it launched Right Direction, a program to reduce the stigma and increase understanding of depression and encourage those who may need care to seek help (Psychiatric News, August 16, 2013). ■