Take Mental Health Programs to the Next Level at SHRM24

Employers have been more focused on workers’ mental health since the COVID-19 pandemic caused feelings of anxiety and isolation for many employees. SHRM has research, resources, and certificate programs to help organizations that want to help their employees address mental health issues, such as an All Things Work article on Mental Health, HR, and the Workplace; the Creating a Mental-Health-Friendly Workplace toolkit; and the Workplace Mental Health Ally Certificate from the SHRM Foundation.

There will be several sessions at the SHRM Annual Conference & Expo 2024 (SHRM24) addressing this subject. The conference will take place June 23-26 at McCormick Place convention center in Chicago and virtually. All times are Central time.

Sunday, June 23

Shattering Stigma: Finding Hope in the Workplace for the Nearly 49 Million People with Substance Use Disorders

1:45 p.m.-2:45 p.m.

Moderator: Kirsten Seckler, chief marketing and communications officer at

Shatterproof

Presenters: Stephen Massey, co-founder and CEO of the Health Action Alliance; Jake Gurock, principal at Cerity Partners; and Amanta Mazumdar, vice president of total rewards at Hilton

The mental health crisis has led to an increase in alcohol and substance use disorders. This session will focus on how to end the stigma around seeking help for substance use disorders in the workplace.

Monday, June 24

10 Ways You Can Improve the Length and Quality of Your Employees’ Lives

11 a.m.-noon

Moderator: Wendi Safstrom, president of the SHRM Foundation

Panelists:  Gerald E. Johnson II, executive vice president for health equity and chief diversity officer at the American Heart Association; Dr. Jay Bhatt, managing director of the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions and the Deloitte Health Equity Institute; and Subha Barry, president of Seramount

This session will explain the biggest drivers of health inequities and teach 10 employer-led strategies to address them.

Strengthening Mental Wellness in the Workplace: Strategies for Empowering Organizations, Reducing Stigma, and Increasing Engagement

2 p.m.-3 p.m.

Presenter: Azizi Marshall, founder and CEO of the Center for Creative Arts Therapy

This session will help define strategies to cultivate psychological safety, as well as demonstrate how to detect employees who may be struggling with a mental health issue and how to help them.

Underutilization of Mental Health Benefits: A Revenue Issue?

3:45 p.m.-4:15 p.m.

Presenter: Melissa Frieswick, U.S. president and managing director of Koa Health

This session explains how to ensure that employees use the mental health benefits available to them and that the benefits deliver results.

 Tuesday, June 25

Maternal Mental Health Is Not a Choice, It's the Right of Every Mom, Every Infant, Every Family!—Time to Address the Human and Economic Cost of Inaction

11 a.m.-noon  

Presenter: Shailja Dixit, CEO of Curio Digital Therapeutics

Pregnancy and the time after delivery can bring specific mental health challenges such as postpartum depression. This session focuses on those unique problems and how to address them.

Put On Your Mask First: Caring for Your Own Mental Health as an HR Professional

2 p.m.-3 p.m.

Presenters: Clayton Lord, director of foundation programs at SHRM; Daroon Jalil, senior researcher at SHRM; and Christina McCarthy, vice president for member engagement and operations at One Mind at Work

Over one-third of HR professionals say their job negatively impacts their mental health. This session offers tools and training for HR professionals to keep them resilient and mentally healthy.

Wednesday, June 26

Alive: How to Boost Wellness, Psychological Safety, and Productivity in Work and Life

10:30 a.m.-11:15 a.m. 

Presenter: Miguel Joey Aviles, chief belonging officer at MJA & CO LLC

This session teaches strategies for reducing stress, increasing energy, and building resilience by examining a case study of an organization that slashed burnout and turnover rates by 50 percent.