A new employer care kit to address suicide prevention

Effective mental health support needs to go beyond counseling and therapy apps and include safeguards and training for when employees may be at risk of a crisis.   

More than 720,000 people die due to suicide every year, according to the World Health Organization. However, research from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation found that over the last three decades, suicide mortality rates have decreased by around 40%, indicating that mental health strategies are working. In an effort to help move that progress forward, online therapy platform Rula launched their Care Kit, a valuable addition to organizations' wellness initiatives. 

"There's a myth around [suicide] that if we don't talk about it, it doesn't exist," says Rachelle Scott, national medical director at Rula Health. "There's also a scary and overwhelming vulnerability when talking about suicide because there's so much they can't control and they don't know how to help."

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Rula's Care Kit, which is accessible through partnerships with the platform or by requesting it directly, acts as a centralized and comprehensive educational resource containing critical information about suicide prevention. The kit contains guides on how to recognize signs that someone may be struggling — such as aggression, fatigue and withdrawing from interactions — as well as data on the populations most at risk, infographics debunking common myths and misconceptions and coping strategies for losing someone to suicide. In addition, the kit also includes other necessary resources such as suicide hotlines, support groups and therapy services. 

In the workplace, mental health and wellness benefits have grown to become non-negotiable for employees and therefore a priority for organizations hoping to keep their talent happy, healthy and engaged. Incorporating suicide prevention into those tactics could make a significant difference in employees' lives, Scott says.    

"A lot of times work can be the source of someone's anxiety and depression," Scott says. "Organizations have the opportunity to meet employees where they're at and make sure that they have the tools available to them to best live their lives and that all of their [mental health] needs are being addressed."  

Breaking the suicide stigma

Breaching the topic of suicide can be daunting, Scott acknowledges, especially in a professional setting where there are certain personal boundaries leaders need to be respectful of. But with their understanding of the benefit marketplace and the employee data they have at their disposal, HR managers and benefit leaders are in the perfect position to not only start conversations around suicide prevention, but to find the right programs and services to support those conversations. It will take a lot of sensitivity, transparency and empathy, but the positive repercussions of being proactive around suicide awareness and prevention can be incredibly rewarding.

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"It shows your employees that you care and that you're willing to back that up," Scott says. "It's not just words — it's action and it's reinforcing the idea that their company's culture is to care for them. That level of support makes people feel more positively about being where they are." 

Scott urges leadership across every level to be vigilant and keep a look out for signs and symptoms of an employee struggling with suicidal thoughts and ideation. She also encourages leaders to normalize intervening when they do notice certain behaviors and checking in regularly with those employees. 

"When someone's struggling, they think that they are alone," Scott says. "If you're just able to create space for someone by opening the door to have that difficult conversation and be present, that's what they're looking for and that's what they need."