“We’re all used to looking after our physical health, but we need to be just as vigilant when it comes to our mental health.  Emotional first aid builds our empathy muscle and supports those around us.” 

(Harriet Minter & Guy Winch:  Prioritize Mental Health-Great TED Talks)

I have to start out this TRIPLE III TIME message with an admission that I did not really give the necessary amount of attention to the mental health needs of people I worked/networked with until recent years.  Maybe I was lucky and dealt with it appropriately in my early career…. but I did not recognize it’s significant impact in the workplace until it became a more open discussion item.

Probably the biggest eye-opening moments regarding mental health concerns have come during my college teaching times.  I can not even guess the number of “Position Paper” assignments I received that in some way discussed the growing need for mental health help among our young adults.

The Papers were written in a more sincere fashion and often with real life examples of the challenging effects of mental health-based illnesses.  The result for me was to first become more knowledgeable about the topic… but then as a consultant attain the capacity to discuss mental health impacts with all organizational levels.

I am not an expert but TIME-ATTENTION-CONNECTIONS are my three TRIPLE III TIME words of support so you:  Don’t Minimize Mental Health First Aid.

• First as a oversight leader offer appropriate TIME in your workplaces to recognize and treat mental health issues.
• Then be a facilitation leader by creating the most appropriate health care ATTENTION for suffering individual(s).
• Finally, be a multi-purposed leader and obtain all of the professional mental health service CONNECTIONS which may be able to offer assistance.

Success for everyone’s future will require Mental health First Aid prioritization.  Do it well and the return-on-investments will be genuine!