VitalCog in Construction
Suicide is personal, but it is also a public health issue that affects workplaces, communities, and families. The construction industry experiences one of the highest rates of suicide, making suicide prevention an especially important part of creating a safe and supportive workplace. By improving workers’ understanding of mental health and suicide prevention, construction professionals can play a key role in recognizing warning signs, starting conversations, and connecting coworkers with support.
The VitalCog in Construction program trains employees at all levels of a construction organization to understand the critical need for suicide prevention while creating opportunities for open conversations and resources within the industry. The vision is to cultivate a construction community equipped to reduce the devastating impact of suicide.
Delivery: In-Person or Virtual
Audience: Construction workers, field crews, supervisors, foremen, project managers, safety professionals, office staff, and leadership — appropriate for all levels of the construction industry, age 18+
Training Time: 1–2 hours
Goals:
Reduce stigma and raise awareness around mental health and suicide prevention
Promote open dialogue around mental health wellness
Encourage help-seeking and help-giving behaviors
Videos, group discussions, exercises, and role-play practice are used throughout the training to help participants better understand their role in suicide prevention and build confidence having direct conversations about suicide.
This training is a program of University of Colorado’s Johnson Depression Center and is specifically designed to address suicide prevention within the construction industry.
In this training, participants will engage with videos, group discussions, and practice sessions to raise awareness and create a better understanding of their role in suicide prevention.
Design: Why Construction?
Discuss the prevalence of suicide in the construction industry and why it is important to create opportunities for conversations about mental health and suicide prevention within construction workplaces.
Bid: Identify Risk and Signs
Discuss risk factors and warning signs as they pertain specifically to the construction industry, using the Joiner Risk Model to better understand suicide risk.
Build: Conversations Around Suicide
Discuss the value — and necessity — of having direct conversations about suicide and practice the skills needed to talk with a coworker who may be struggling and help connect them with support.
After the training, participants report feeling more knowledgeable about suicide prevention, more confident talking about suicide and getting help, and more likely to apply what they learned.