Washington, D.C. — The American Psychiatric Association (APA) Foundation's Center for Workplace Mental Health has released a new version of its flagship mental health resource for people managers, Notice. Talk. Act.® at Work. The Center for Workplace Mental Health is a program of the APA Foundation that provides employers with the tools, resources, and information needed to promote and support the health of employees and their families.
"Workplace stress is a fixture of American life, but the APA Foundation envisions a future where discussing mental health at work is not only acceptable, but encouraged," said Rawle Andrews, Jr., Esq., Executive Director of the APA Foundation. "Our new version of Notice. Talk. Act.® at Work opens the door to more transparency in workplaces, reduced fear and shame around mental health conditions, and more avenues to accessing mental health care."
Notice. Talk. Act.® at Work is an e-learning module that equips leaders, managers, and supervisors with skills to understand the impact of mental health conditions on their employees and the organization. The module educates managers about how to notice when an employee is showing signs of a potential mental health concern, talk to the person about their concerns, and act by connecting the person with the appropriate services and supports. Public and private companies and academic institutions utilize Notice. Talk. Act.® at Work to prepare their workplaces to address mental health, demonstrate an organizational commitment to employee well-being, and equip employees with the tools to achieve better mental health outcomes.
This evidence-based program meets the needs of employees and managers alike by addressing the impact of managerial relationships on employee mental health. Many American workers spend more time daily with their managers than with their children and loved ones, giving the managerial relationship influence over employees' states of mind. In fact, research shows that the best thing organizations can do for employee mental health is to cultivate strong leadership through practical management training.
Further, a 2024 survey fielded by the American Psychiatric Association found that two in five employed adults feared retaliation or being fired if they took time off for their mental health (44% of respondents) or sought mental health care (39%). Implementing Notice. Talk. Act.® at Work ensures that employees and managers alike are exposed to stigma reduction content.
In addition to the new version of NTA at Work, the Center has expanded Notice. Talk. Act.® at Work based on corporate demand by offering a new adaptation that provides all employees – beyond managers – with the skills to notice, talk, and act with their peers and colleagues. The new version is designed to increase employee confidence when discussing mental health. Employees can practice supporting peers through scenarios and activities in the training module, which uses person-first language to emphasize that mental health conditions can happen to anyone and that it's okay to struggle with your mental health.
"Although support from managers is a crucial piece of the workplace mental health puzzle, our peer colleagues often spend more time with us and can be sensitive to small changes in our demeanor," said Betsy Schwartz, M.S.W., the Director of the Center for Workplace Mental Health. "Expanding Notice. Talk. Act.® at Work to serve direct reports and their colleagues helps provide wraparound mental health support that APA survey research shows employees – from the C-suite to early-career professionals – are seeking from their places of business."
To learn more about the Center for Workplace Mental Health and to bring Notice. Talk. Act.® at Work to your organization, visit workplacementalhealth.org/NTAatWork.
American Psychiatric Association Foundation
The American Psychiatric Association Foundation is the philanthropic and educational arm of APA. The APA Foundation promotes awareness of mental illnesses and the effectiveness of treatment, the importance of early intervention, access to care, and the need for high-quality services and treatment through a combination of public and professional education, research, research training, grants, and awards.
American Psychiatric Association
The American Psychiatric Association, founded in 1844, is the oldest medical association in the country. The APA is also the largest psychiatric association in the world with more than 38,000 physician members specializing in the diagnosis, treatment, prevention and research of mental illnesses. APA’s vision is to ensure access to quality psychiatric diagnosis and treatment. For more information, please visit www.psychiatry.org.