We're so grateful that AGC New Mexico continues to provide resources for mental health in the trades. After their mental health summit last September, our safety team got busy. They worked with a graphic designer to create poker chips (inspired by AGCs Summit) with a suicide prevention hot line on them. Our leadership and HR teams worked together to design a support guide to provide even more resources for mental, family, financial, and personal health. Employees volunteered to start two employee support groups that still meet 2-3 times a month. People in the trades are tough. There's grit and perseverance. But underneath all that toughness, there is still a human being. We love our team and hope that we can play a small role in helping every person not just survive but thrive. #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth #Support #TLCPlumbing
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. 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 one of the highest rates of suicide at 53.3 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.” AGC NM, in collaboration with Mental Health Partners, are planning our Annual Mental Health/ Suicide Prevention Summit, September 9th, 2024. For More Information on how you can participate in AGC NM's Annual Construction Career Expo & Mental Health/ Suicide Prevention Summit on September 9th and 10th, 2024, please contact Jennifer Greenwood at JGreenwood@agcnm.org NEW Suicide and Crisis Lifeline number now available nationwide You can still call 1-800-273-8255 or text HELP to 741-741, but now, across the country, the new 988 crisis line is available just like dialing 9-1-1. It remains FREE, CONFIDENTIAL and available 24/7.