LITTLE CHUTE, Wis. (WFRV) – It is suicide prevention month, and across the country, construction companies are working to break the stigma around mental health.
At exactly 1:50 this afternoon, across all Faith Technology Inc. sites around the country, including here in Little Chute at Excellerate. All participated in a moment of silence.
“Everyone is coming off the floor today to talk about suicide prevention and the stigma around it, and talking about the resources available. If they need it personally, or a loved one that might need it, and talking about the importance of it and being there for one another,” said Alyssa Kwasny, Wellness program director at Faith Technology Inc.
It’s part of construction suicide prevention week, as an effort to raise awareness about mental health struggles within the industry.
Nonprofits receive nearly $160,000 to support women and girls in northeast Wisconsin
“The construction industry has the highest rate of suicide, so we are 4 times greater than the average industry; the more we can talk about suicide awareness, the better,” Kwasney said.
Josh Ring, Safety Director at Excelerate, said safety for their team is not just physical health.
“It’s the importance of understanding not only physical safety but mental safety as well…in the construction industry, we use a lot of power tools, and do a lot of hazardous or high-risk activities, which require 100% focus; if your mind isn’t on the task you are working on, a slip can result in a serious life-changing injury,” Ring said.
The nationwide ‘Stand Down’ was only one minute, but Faith Technology Inc. hopes the impact on their workers is much longer.
If you or anyone you know is struggling with mental health, you can call or text 988 at any time to connect with the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
