Calgary, AB – The Mental Health Commission of Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Standards Association and Great-West Life Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace (the Centre), today released a comprehensive Implementation Guide to help Canadian employers fully adopt the National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace (the Standard).
This ground breaking, hands-on, easy to use handbook entitled Assembling the Pieces: An Implementation Guide to the National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace is available at no cost on the MHCC website at the Implementation Guide page or Canadian Standards Association.
Originally developed by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA Group) and the Bureau de normalisation du Québec (BNQ), and championed by the Mental Health Commission (MHCC), the Standard is a voluntary set of guidelines, tools and resources focused on promoting employees’ psychological health and preventing psychological harm due to workplace factors.
“Workplace mental health has a $51 billion economic impact on businesses across Canada as more than 30% of disability claims, and 70% of disability costs, are attributed to mental health problems and illness,” said Louise Bradley, MHCC’s President and CEO. “The first step is always the hardest, that’s why we are together offering a hands-on, easy to use guide to keeping workplaces healthy.”
Launched in January 2013, the National Standard is the first of its kind in the world. It has garnered considerable attention and uptake in Canada and internationally across all business sectors and sizes, as corporate leaders champion the need to focus on psychological health and safety in the workplace. More than 21,000 copies of the National Standard have been downloaded from the Commission’s website www.mentalhealthcommission.ca, and from the CSA Group and BNQ websites.
This project was made possible in part through the support of the Great-West Life Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace. “The Centre works to expand knowledge on mental health issues affecting the workplace and to turn that knowledge into practical strategies and tools for all employers in Canada,” says Mary Ann Baynton, Program Director for the Centre. “Helping to develop the Standard and the accompanying implementation guide are natural extensions of our mandate. We will continue to work collaboratively with the CSA Group, the Mental Health Commission of Canada and their partner organizations to promote psychological health and safety in the workplace.”
CSA Group has been another important partner in this project. “CSA Group would like to extend its thanks and appreciation for the Mental Health Commission of Canada’s leadership,” said Mary Cianchetti, Director Health & Safety and Membership, CSA Group. “In addition, we offer thanks to all of the expert contributors to the project including those from the Great-West Life Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace, the CSA Group Technical Committee Members and to MHCC and CSA staff and supporters.”
The Mental Health Commission of Canada recently received Excellence Canada’s 2014 Gold Level Award for Mental Health at Work®. The award recognizes the MHCC’s leadership in promoting workplace mental health through the championing and implementation of The National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace .
To download a free copy of the implementation guide, visit the Implementation Guide page or Canadian Standards Association.
ABOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH COMMISSION OF CANADA
The Mental Health Commission of Canada is a catalyst for change. We are collaborating with hundreds of partners to change the attitudes of Canadians toward mental health problems and to improve services and support. Our goal is to help people who live with mental health problems and illnesses lead meaningful and productive lives. Together we create change. The Mental Health Commission of Canada is funded by Health Canada.
www.mentalhealthcommission.ca
Media Contact:
Glenn Johnson, Senior Media Relations Specialist
Mental Health Commission of Canada
Mobile: 1-613-683-3940
gjohnson@mentalhealthcommission.ca
