Mental Health & Suicide Prevention

In late 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) MMWR found that 40% of U.S. adults reported struggling with mental health or substance use and that 11% of U.S. adults seriously considered suicide.

In the U.S., you are more likely to die from suicide than an automobile accident or by homicide. We lose 47,500 people per year to suicide, 38,800 to automobile accidents, and 19,141 to homicide. This means you are 2.5 times more likely to die by your own hand than the hands of others.

More specifically, the construction industry has the highest rate of suicide at 53.2 per 100,000 U.S. workers. That rate is four times greater than the national average and five times greater than that of all other construction fatalities combined.

“We cannot stand by while a silent epidemic of suicide takes place within our industry,” said Stephen E. Sandherr, AGC of America's chief executive officer. “We want to reduce the stigma of mental health issues in this industry, let people know it is okay to ask for help and, ultimately, save lives.” 

NEW! AGC Mental Health PSAs

On December 6, 2022, AGC of America released a series of videos telling the stories of real industry professionals who have struggled with mental health. The hope is that in sharing their stories, others will know they are not alone, and it is okay to seek help when it is needed. These videos are part of the association’s ongoing efforts to combat high suicide rates and improve mental health among the industry’s workers. 

AGC Mental Health & Suicide Prevention Task Force

AGC of America established a Mental Health & Suicide Prevention Task Force comprised of professionals from across the country. The task force will host quarterly forums to discuss best practices, engage with industry partners and legislators, and conduct needs analyses to develop a comprehensive collection of resources for construction companies and their workers.

Members

If you are interested in becoming a task force member, please complete the interest form HERE.

Mental Health & Suicide Prevention Forum

The Mental Health & Suicide Prevention Task Force will host 2-4 discussion forums each year. The goal of these forums is to provide a safe space where construction industry stakeholders can gather to share success stories, challenges, and seek/share resources and best practices.

Below you will find the dates/times for upcoming forums. To be added to the distribution list and receive invitations, please sign-up HERE.

  • January 19, 2023 | 3:45 PM - 4:45 PM Eastern
  • April 19, 2023 | 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Eastern
  • July 26, 2023 | 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM Eastern
  • October 18, 2023 | 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Eastern

Other Industry Events 

Helpful Websites

Chapter Resources

Additional Resources

  • Mental-Health Best-Practice Guide - Written as a Master’s Degree thesis by AGC of Washington safety director, Mandi Kime (CHST, B.S. & B.A., Central Washington University), this Mental-Health Best-Practice Guide is backed by member input to a construction-focused survey. Detailing eight practices that construction employers should consider, this is the first time, to our knowledge, that new data has been developed for mental health in construction that is completely accessible publicly.

  • Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Program - AGC of Washington has written a FREE SAMPLE Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Program that can be incorporated into your existing written safety and health programs and policies. 

  • Mental Health for the Construction Industry - Online training co-developed by AGC of Missouri and Washington University in St. Louis. Not only is physical safety important, but the safety of our mental and emotional health is also important. Click here for more information on taking better care of your mental health.

  • How to Build Wellness Programs with Impact - The construction industry is raising awareness and encouraging open discussion about mental health and substance abuse to reduce suicide in the workforce. We can all agree this is a scary subject and we need to address the public health crisis in our country.  But how do we heal our workforce?  Please use the following resources on this page to help you spot warning signs, start the conversation, and provide support to those who need it – which can save lives. It takes construction professionals at all levels working together and with their risk partners to build a culture of caring and prevention. 

  • Toolbox Talks

 

 

 

This page was last updated on February 19, 2023. 

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