From Burnout to Saving Lives: Wellness Council of Wisconsin Community Bravely Acts Together 

 "If we have to call on our bravery, we’re doing something right."--Bravely Act Together

On May 25, 2023, over 50 wellness professionals came together for this powerful workshop to learn about mental health training and resources from two dedicated Wellness Council of Wisconsin Members who are walking the walk to support employees at their organizations, Meredith Baciak and Sallie Scovill.

Meredith Baciak, Wellness Coordinator at Miron Construction in Neenah, WI shared her journey of bringing QPR Institute training to the entire organization to combat the high suicide rates in the construction industry. She shared how the story of the data and the needs of the people in her organization led to a company-wide Gatekeeper training that has already translated into more open conversations and human connection that is saving lives by breaking the silence. 

Dr. Sallie Scovill, Professor in Health and Wellness at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, encouraged attendees to be brave by taking a seat at the table to advocate for their employees' mental health and well-being. She shared her journey of listening to her students and their stories about depression, suicidal thoughts, and other mental health concerns and realizing that something had to be done. She is trained in a number of mental health programs like Make it Okay,  Mental Health First Aid and recently added QPR Instructor to that list. She helped us to understand the biases we have when talking about mental illness and how we can Craft the Narrative to end the stigma in our organizations. 

The mental health crisis in Wisconsin demands attention. It demands action and it requires bravery. We ended yesterday's workshop with an activity that showed us how much we have in common with one another and helped us to understand the power of shared lived experiences. We are not alone. We are all in this together. 

The Wellness Council of Wisconsin continues to be present at community events and experiences, such as the Mind the Mind Symposium with Mental Health America-Lakeshore, the NAMI Wisconsin Conference, and the American Heart Association's Wisconsin Workplace Wellness Symposium to advocate for the mental wellbeing of employees and communities throughout Wisconsin.

The spheres of influence driving the wellbeing of employees are deep and inter-connected. Wellbeing cannot be impacted in a silo. It takes a collective effort across leaders and strategists in our organizations, and employers in our communities, to act with intention and courage as we work toward creating positive impact for the wellbeing of our people and workplaces. 

To bravely act is to: 

• invite many perspectives to the table, 
• view the complexities of the employee experience with empathy, 
• and work together to strengthen employee wellbeing 

Organizations, leaders, and strategists who are bold in valuing their people, taking risks, and compassionately going beyond the usual limits of conventional action are poised to take brave action together. We invite you to bravely act together with us! 

Thank you to our Invested Advisor Partner Sponsors US HealthCenter Inc. and Standard Process Inc. and our Experience Sponsors Miron Construction Co., Inc. and SECURA Insurance for making this event possible and for supporting the Wellness Council of Wisconsin's mission to transform the wellbeing of Wisconsin's workforce. 

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