Union Care Solutions - A Conversation on Mental Health in the Electrical Industry

In this vital episode, host Kate Wade sits down with Jenny Lavin, the founder and CEO of the nonprofit Union Care Solutions, to tackle the pressing mental health crisis within the union electrical community. Jenny, a union wife and mother with deep family roots in the IBEW, shares the alarming statistics that prompted her to take action: in the construction industry, workers are five times more likely to be affected by a mental health condition than an on-the-job fatality.

   

Tune in to explore Union Care Solutions' "for us, by us" approach to building psychological safety through a powerful "Train, Mobilize, and Deploy" model. Jenny discusses the importance of peer support networks, critical incident stress management for workers who witness traumatic events, and her mission to create a national hub of accessible mental health resources for every local. This is a must-listen for anyone in the utility and construction trades who wants to learn how to support their brothers and sisters and end the stigma around mental health.

Key Takeaways

• The Crisis is Real: In one local community over five years, there were 19 suicides and 22 drug overdoses, compared to five on-the-job fatalities, highlighting a significant disconnect in safety focus. Construction workers are five times more likely to be impacted by a mental health condition than a workplace fatality.

 

• A "For Us, By Us" Approach: Lasting change comes from within the community. Union Care Solutions champions a peer-to-peer support model, training people within the trade to recognize struggles and connect their colleagues with resources, as they are the true first line of defense.

 

• Train, Mobilize, Deploy: The organization's core strategy involves training members in programs like Mental Health First Aid, mobilizing them into peer support networks, and deploying Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) teams to help crews process traumatic events they witness on the job.

 

• The Unseen Trauma: Utility workers are often first on the scene of horrific accidents, storms, and fires, and the psychological toll of what they see is rarely discussed or addressed. CISM provides a crucial space for them to process this trauma.

Q & A

• What is the mission of Union Care Solutions? Their mission is to bring advocacy and awareness to mental health issues within the union electrical trade. They achieve this by providing training, resources, and support, with the ultimate goal of creating a hub where anyone in the industry can find vetted, accessible information to build psychologically safe work environments.

   

• Why is peer support so critical in this industry? Peer support is effective because workers often spend more time with their crew than their own families and can notice when a colleague is struggling. There is a strong "brotherhood" mentality, and workers are more likely to listen to and trust one another. A trained peer who understands the unique job pressures can connect with a struggling individual in a way an outside professional might not be able to.

   

Reach out:

[e-mail]

www.unioncaresolutions.org

 

#MentalHealthInTrades #UnionStrong #ConstructionSafety #IBEW #EndTheStigma #PeerSupport

 

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This podcast is sponsored by T&D Powerskills. If you are looking for a comprehensive lineworker training solution, visit tdpowerskills.com today and use the exclusive podcast listener promo code IP2025 to receive a 5% discount!