Baystate Health Joins Fight Against Top Cause of Workplace Disability

SPRINGFIELD — Baystate Health is the latest company to join the CEOs Against Stigma campaign created by the state chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

Dr. Mark Keroack, president and CEO of Baystate Health, has signed a pledge to help eliminate workplace stigma and create a healthier, more productive work environment for his 12,000 employees, making Baystate Health a leader in the effort to change attitudes about mental illness.

Unlike physical conditions, mental illness is often not discussed in the workplace because of the stigma that surrounds it. Yet, mental disorders affect one in five adults and is the leading cause of workplace disability.

“It’s well-established that good mental and behavioral health are major contributors to a person’s and a community’s overall wellness,” Keroack said. “Our team members play an essential and compassionate role in our community, and it’s our obligation to ensure they have any resources they need to maintain the best possible mental health and wellness.”

The campaign is designed to put an end to stigma in the workplace, employing top-down leadership to change misconceptions about mental illness — including depression and substance use — so people can speak freely about the conditions that that affect them and their immediate families.

One critical component of the campaign involves bringing NAMI’s In Our Own Voice (IOOV) presentations into the workplace. Recognized by a leading national mental-health researcher as the most effective anti-stigma program in America, IOOV presentations feature two people sharing their personal stories of recovery.

“Eliminating the stigma of these health challenges is an important first step toward beating them,” said Keroack.

In addition to providing IOOV for its employees, Baystate Health will also examine the organization’s health and welfare benefits to make sure employee-assistance programs are welcoming and effective in addressing team members’ mental-health issues.

CEOs Against Stigma launched in Boston last June with the goal of involving 250 executives and a half-million employees by next summer. Any Massachusetts company with at least 50 employees can join.