{"id":7144,"date":"2025-05-12T10:56:53","date_gmt":"2025-05-12T14:56:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/communicator.pef.org\/?p=7144"},"modified":"2025-06-04T15:25:19","modified_gmt":"2025-06-04T19:25:19","slug":"aft-webinar-emphasizes-the-need-to-address-mental-health-crisis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/communicator.pef.org\/issue\/volume-43-no-5\/aft-webinar-emphasizes-the-need-to-address-mental-health-crisis\/","title":{"rendered":"AFT webinar emphasizes the need to address mental health crisis"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"AFT<\/p>\n

June 5, 2025 —<\/em> In another installment of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) series, Vital Lessons: Health Chats with Dr. Vin Gupta<\/em>, discussion revolved around mental health in the United States.<\/p>\n

\u201cMental health is a crisis in this country,\u201d AFT President Randi Weingarten said in opening the discussion. \u201cAcross the board we\u2019re seeing rising rates of anxiety, depression, and ADHD (Attention-Deficit\/Hyperactivity Disorder) and we\u2019re seeing it in our schools a lot, but we\u2019re also seeing it in hospitals and city offices. A lot of us are seeing it at home.<\/p>\n

\u201cNurses are dealing with intense burnout,\u201d she said. \u201cSo is, frankly, everyone else in hospitals and in health professions. Public employees are navigating more stress than ever before, often without any support. If we\u2019re not taking care of the people who are doing the work, whether it\u2019s teachers, nurses, school staff or public employees, everything breaks down.\u201d<\/p>\n

Anxiety disorders affect more than 40 million adults in the United States, said guest speaker Jerome Adams, Presidential Fellow and Distinguished Professor of Practice and the Executive Director of the Center for Community Health Enhancement and Learning (HEAL), who served as President Donald Trump\u2019s Surgeon General during his first presidency.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s almost 20% of the population,\u201d he said. \u201cThey\u2019re on the rise among young people. Depression will impact one in six Americans in their lifetime. It\u2019s the leading cause of disability worldwide, and suicide is the second-leading cause of death for people between the ages of 10 and 34. But each of you has the power to make a difference.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur mental health isn\u2019t just a private struggle, it\u2019s a public health crisis,\u201d he said. \u201cThere\u2019s the pressure of modern society, there\u2019s economic stress, there\u2019s social media, there\u2019s the COVID-19 pandemic, and there\u2019s an overall breakdown in community connections.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adams said the 24-hour news cycle, with a drumbeat of sensationalized headlines and divisive rhetoric, coupled with increased job and housing insecurity keep stress levels sky high.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe dysfunction, gridlock and political infighting that we see in Washington, D.C., isn\u2019t just shaping policy, it\u2019s shaping our collective anxiety,\u201d he said. \u201cWhen every issue is framed as an existential crisis, a threat to our very lives and our livelihoods, it\u2019s no wonder so many feel so overwhelmed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adams said there are stark disparities in mental health \u2013 with LGBTQ+ youth facing significantly higher suicide rates and mental health challenges; Blacks and Latinos experiencing poorer outcomes; and minority communities facing access issues.<\/p>\n

\u201cStudies show that racial and ethnic minorities often have less access to mental health services and are less likely to receive needed care,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd when they do, that care is often of lower quality.\u201d<\/p>\n

But the mental health crisis isn\u2019t just in our homes \u2013 it\u2019s in our workplaces.<\/p>\n

According to the World Health Organization, depression and anxiety cost the global economy more than $1 trillion each year in lost productivity; in the United States alone, there are $200 billion in earnings lost annually.<\/p>\n

So, what can we do? For adolescents, Adams encouraged curating social media content, limiting screen time, and creating a place for youth to be present outside the internet. For the wider crisis, reducing stigma and continuing to advocate for equitable access for all, are a start.<\/p>\n

To view the complete presentation, including a deeper dive into ADHD, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

PEF members also have access to a valuable work\/life services benefit \u2013 The Employee Assistance Program (EAP). This program was made possible by a unique collaboration between labor and management and the resources and services are provided at no cost. An EAP Toolkit that contains important information and resources is available here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Download the new PEF App<\/a><\/span> <\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n

for the l<\/span><\/strong><\/span>atest union news and resources on the go!<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n<\/td>\n

\"PEF<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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