Raise awareness, reduce depression by lending support to Mental Health Month

I know you pros aren’t exactly raving fans of mental health parity, but I’m almost positive mental health charity is something you could get behind. And Guardian Life and Mental Health America are hoping the same thing.

To mark both Disability Insurance Awareness Month and Mental Health Month the life insurer and nonprofit group are teaming up this month to raise awareness about depression as a common cause of disability.

And although I’m certain both groups would appreciate it if you would spread the word all month long among your employees about mental health and disability, all they’re really asking is for you to take a quiz. Easy peasy, right?

The month-long educational campaign is centered on a brief online quiz designed to dispel myths about mental illness and disability, as well as reinforce the importance of protecting one’s ability to earn an income.

Every time someone completes the quiz during the month of May, Guardian has pledged to donate $1 to support MHA’s work nationwide to improve mental health and well-being, up to $10,000.

Click here to take the quiz. I already have — out of seven questions, I got three wrong. Not a great score, obviously, but consider me more aware — which I guess is the point. And I’m happy Guardian and MHA now are $1 closer to their goal.

I encourage you to take the quiz and forward the link to colleagues and among your workforce. Each $1 Guardian and MHA raise can go a long way to making a dent in the $150 billion that untreated and mistreated mental illness costs the nation each year, with employers carrying $44 billion of the financial load.

According to the Council for Disability Awareness, mental illnesses accounted for nearly 6.5% of new disability claims in 2008, not far behind the 10% caused by injuries and accidents.

So, get clicking! And if you’d like to brag about your score, post it in the comments.