July 2016 Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) report revealed that construction is one of the most at-risk industries for suicide. Accordingly, the Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA) formed the Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention. With the support of 30 key organizations, the Alliance launched with a mission to provide resources for suicide prevention and to promote mental health within in the construction industry. The Construction Marketing Association (CMA) is proud to be a member of this very important organization.
The construction industry’s “culture of safety” focuses on the physical aspects and neglects the psychological aspects. According to the New York times, for white, middle-aged men with less than a college education, mortality increased 22% between 1999 and 2014. The causes of this increase include suicides, opioid overdoses, and alcohol abuse. Additionally, the subpopulation most likely to die by suicide – white, working-age men – dominates the U.S. construction workforce.
“It is an industry imperative to provide resources to assist construction companies so that they may address this issue which has long been ignored. There is a need for more proactive, prevention-based strategies, solutions, and services to help the construction industry address mental health and suicide prevention.” – CFMA President and CEO Stuart Binstock
What the Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention Offers
Alliance member organizations also assist with the distribution of information to their membership through:
- Quarterly e-mail communications
- Newsletters
- Videos
- Blogs
- Education summits
- Website promotion
- Webinars
Furthermore, various resources can be found at this link here. These resources include:
- Published articles
- “Blueprints” for companies
- Posters in English and Spanish for display in the workplace
- Information and tips on how to plan an education session or suicide prevention summit
The Alliance also gained the support of organizations throughout the US, including:
- Asphalt Pavement Association of Oregon
- Construction Management Association of American (CMAA)
- Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network
The Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention Has Seen Incredible Growth
Because of their reach, the Alliance has planned numerous Suicide Prevention Summits throughout 2017. Accordingly, Binstock states:
“National, regional, and local Suicide Prevention Summits are planned throughout 2017 to spread the word about addressing this industry imperative. Our hope is that these events are shared with local chapters, CFMA members, and industry members of the Alliance and garner active participation and collaboration among mental health professionals and construction industry CEOs, CFOs, HR professionals, and Safety and Risk managers.”
Further, in a very short period of time, the Alliance’s support has doubled, leading Binstock to make this statement:
“We are humbled by the industry’s strong support of this initiative to save the lives of our most valued resources – our human capital. The press coverage this topic has received from industry associations and top business publications has been overwhelming and continues to bolster the importance of building a zero-suicide industry.”
If you’d like to learn more about the Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention, click here.
About CFMA
CFMA, headquartered in Princeton, NJ, dedicates itself to bringing together construction financial professionals and those partners serving their unique needs. It provides invaluable resources and education to its more than 7,800 members via the headquarters office and 95 chapters across North America. CFMA also promotes industry best practices and continuing education in support of its mission: To be essential to the growth and success of construction financial professionals. Finally, to learn more, visit www.cfma.org for more information.