Suicide Prevention Month resources

By Jenny Yu.  

This September, take time to prioritize your crew’s mental health. 

A 2023 study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that the suicide rate in construction occupations is nearly four times greater than the national average and five times greater than that of all other construction fatalities combined. 

September is Suicide Prevention Month, and here at TheCoffeeShops™, we want to make sure our community has the resources and frameworks to reflect and check in on one another. We believe in the importance of prioritizing one’s mental health and creating cultures of care that invite crew members to do the same. 

Resources 

One excellent resource is the Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention (CIASP). Established in 2016 by the Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA), CIASP became a stand-alone nonprofit in 2018 to raise awareness about suicide prevention and provide resources and tools to create a zero-suicide industry. Some resources on their website include: 

• Needs and Analysis Implementation Tool (in both English and Spanish)  
• 60-90-minute LivingWorks Start online suicide prevention training 
• Toolbox Talks discussion guides (in both English and Spanish) 

Another great resource is the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA)’s mental health webpage which includes free resources to aid your company’s efforts to raise awareness, provide help and offer mental health support and suicide prevention in the roofing industry. Some of the resources include a suicide prevention fact sheet, a break room poster and hard hat stickers. 

Finally, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has a great digital toolkit and suicide prevention resource center.  

Act today 

Participate in Suicide Prevention Month by committing to one actionable step you can make this month to promote mental health awareness in your company. Some steps include:  

• Taking the CIASP STAND Up pledge  
• Posting resources to a break room or another easily accessible place 
• Organizing a meeting to discuss mental health and suicide prevention practices 
• Creating a task force on your team dedicated to mental health  

One small step today could make a huge impact on the lives of others.  

If you or someone you know needs help, call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988.