Mental Illness Awareness
For many years, I was the educational consultant to the Canadian Mental Health Association in Toronto, Ontario. In that capacity, I promoted mental health and awareness around mental illness. One of my proudest accomplishments was in developing several mental illness awareness workshops for frontline workers, agencies and caregivers that brought understanding and support strategies to those that worked directly with those experiencing a mental health challenge.
Knowledge Equals Hope
Today, through my own business, I still find that the most satisfying part of presenting is going into work with a group of participants who are fearful of mental illness, and opening their eyes to the realities of mental health and resilience. The proverbial light bulbs go off, stigma is lifted and their minds are opened to how they can better the lives of those who are experiencing a mental illness and build resiliency in their own lives. One frontline manager told me after a session, ‘I finally understand how to approach my employee with compassion instead of anxiousness.’”
Mental Illness Facts:
- In any given year, 1 in 5 Canadians experiences a mental illness according to the Mental Health Commission of Canada
- By the time Canadians reach 40 years of age, 1 in 2 have – or have had – a mental illness. MHCC
- It’s estimated that at least 500,000 Canadians miss work due to mental illness every week. Workers Health and Safety Center
- According to Mental Research in Canada, more than 1 in 2 people (52%) struggling with their mental health aren’t getting the help they need.
- Mental illness and substance use disorders are leading causes of disability in Canada. Global Burden of Disease Study in Canada
- About 4,000 Canadians per year die by suicide – an average of almost 11 suicides a day. Statistics Canada
- The annual economic cost of mental illness in Canada is estimated at over $50 billion per year. This includes health care costs, lost productivity, and reductions in health-related quality of life. Chronic Disease in Canada
Mental Illness Awareness Week
Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW) is an annual national public education campaign designed to help open the eyes of Canadians to the reality of mental illness. The first full week in October was established in 1992 by the Canadian Psychiatric Association, and is now coordinated by the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH). Each year, the campaign highlights different themes—such as youth, workplace mental health, or the voices of people with lived experience—to shed light on issues that are often misunderstood or overlooked.
MIAW is not only about awareness; it’s about action. It’s a chance for employers, educators, health professionals, and communities to host events, share stories, and create opportunities for real conversations that reduce stigma and increase compassion. The week also leads into World Mental Health Day on October 10, connecting Canadian efforts to a global movement. At a time when stress and burnout are rising, campaigns like MIAW remind us that mental illness affects us all—whether directly or indirectly—and that small actions, from a workplace workshop to a social media post, can make a big difference in breaking down barriers to support.
Mental Illness and the Workplace
Mental health is the number one cause of disability claims in Canada. Yet acknowledging the issue and taking subsequent action has presented a challenge to the business community. In a recent survey of Ontario Chamber of Commerce members, they discovered a “mental health action gap”: while a majority of businesses believe investing in mental health is important, few firms were taking concrete action. It is estimated that 10-25% of these disability costs could be avoided by employers taking action.
The reality is that many leaders want to help, but feel unsure of how to move forward. Some worry about the costs of implementing new programs, while others fear saying the wrong thing or stepping into what feels like a sensitive area. At the same time, doing nothing comes at a far greater price: lost productivity, higher turnover, and reduced engagement. Untreated mental health issues don’t just affect the individual; they ripple through teams, impact customer service, and weaken workplace culture.
The good news is that progress doesn’t require massive budgets or complicated initiatives. Small, consistent steps like reviewing policies, offering training, or connecting employees to resources, can make a measurable difference. Organizations that act see stronger employee loyalty, lower absenteeism, and higher overall performance.
Investing in mental health isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s a smart business strategy.
Five Action Steps For Employers:
Mental Illness Awareness Week is a great time for individuals and companies alike to bring mental illness issues out into the open.
- Educate yourself. Educate others. Taking the time to learn about mental illness could make all the difference to you or to someone you care about. During this month – open your eyes and find your own path to helping a family member, a friend, a co-worker or a person you meet sitting there on the street who may desperately need your understanding and compassion. Bring mental health and mental illness workshops into the corporate world. Dispel myths by educating all the staff about causes, treatment, and personal experiences of mental illness. Promote resiliency and stress management programs.
👉 Consider offering microlearning modules or short virtual sessions so hybrid and remote staff have access to this important education. - Examine policies and attitudes that prevent those experiencing a mental illness from getting the help that they need including access to benefits that support mental health. Discuss workload and mental health in annual performance interviews.
👉 Incorporate principles of psychological safety and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), since stigma and inequity can limit access to mental health support. - Develop guidelines around accommodation. Be flexible in enforcing traditional policies including flex hours and time away from work. Develop human resource principles that are positive and constructive.
👉 Hybrid flexibility and clear return-to-work strategies for employees recovering from a mental health leave are crucial ways to support recovery and retention. - Build a network of support and service providers that can be accessed by a team leader who may be concerned about an employee. Include a list of crisis response phone numbers such as distress hotlines, poison control, etc. Post these in workplace washrooms or other private spaces available to employees to allow for easy access by employees in crisis.
👉 Promote resources like Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), peer support initiatives, and the 988 Suicide Crisis Helpline. - Develop a comprehensive workplace wellness program that addresses the top sources of stress and impact on employee health and promotes resiliency building.
👉 Consider evidence-based initiatives such as mindfulness programs, resilience skill-building, or even financial wellness resources to reduce one of today’s top stressors.
How Can You Help?
Beverly Beuermann-King is inviting media, employers, health care organizations and associations across the country to bring awareness to the issue of mental illness, coping with stress and creating balance and life satisfaction.
Spread the word!
Go ahead and post links to on-line articles and tools, develop and disseminate educational materials and/or start a social media discussion. It may be as simple as sending out a reminder that MIAW and World Mental Health day are just around the corner and encourage your employees to consciously plan to do some activities that will relax, re-energize and reconnect them to friends and family.
Beverly’s Hot Tips For Building Your Resiliency:
- Identify the sources of stress in your life. They may not all be large and in-your-face issues. Some sources of stress are irritating annoyances that have built up over time. This Resiliency Test on might help:
https://worksmartlivesmart.com/vulnerability-to-stress-test/ - Evaluate what you are already doing that is positive to deal with your stress. How have you handled difficult situations in the past? What are you doing to keep yourself healthy? The answers to these questions may give you an idea of your positive copers. Then see what strategies may fill in the gaps.
- Talk to those around you. Find out how others may have handled similar situations. Chances are someone in your social network has already ‘been there and done that’. Their strategies may or may not be useful to you, but they can certainly give you a starting point.
- Look to your community for more information. Your company, through it’s HR department or EAP, may have access to additional information. The local health unit, CMHA and Distress Centres can also point you in the right direction. You may find that talking to your doctor, spiritual adviser or community leader may provide you with some insights.
👉 Leaders can play a key role here, too—by encouraging employees to take breaks, share coping strategies openly, and role-model their own healthy practices, they create a culture where resiliency is not just personal but collective.
Mental Illness Awareness Week is a reminder that change starts with awareness but must be sustained through action. Employers have the power to break the silence, reduce stigma, and create workplaces where employees feel supported and safe. By taking even small, intentional steps such as educating teams, reviewing policies, offering flexibility, and building a culture of compassion, organizations not only protect their people but also strengthen their own success. Let’s use this week to move from good intentions to meaningful action.
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Contact Beverly about hosting a mental health workshop for your teams on mental illness in the workplace. Learn more about mental illness awareness and what is mental illness prevention and support!
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If you have some strategies to share – comment on this posting!
Want to see more upcoming mental health awareness celebrations visit: https://worksmartlivesmart.com/wellness-calendar/
Additional Postings:
Mental Illness Awareness Week – October
National Depression Screening Day
De-Mystifying Delusions and Hallucinations
How Can You Tell If It Is Depression
Lessening The Anguish of Depression Through Supportive Workplace Conversations