“We Don’t Talk about That” – Caring for Those Who Care for Others
By: Josh Cantwell, CEO
I’ve been with GRAND Mental Health since 2005 and began my career path as a behavioral health rehabilitation specialist, working with kids and families. Since then, I’ve taken on many different roles while growing both my passion for, and knowledge of, effective and accessible mental health treatment. When I was working with kids and families, I found I enjoyed celebrating their successes but also had a hard time leaving their struggles at work. It was hard for me to separate my work and personal life.
I think a lot of health care workers, especially those in the mental health space, face challenges with work-life balance. This is a very compassionate and caring industry. Most people enter this field because they care, and they have a true calling to help people. And many times, in doing so, they neglect their own mental health and wellbeing. They often feel like they shouldn’t ask for help or need it because they are the experts and the ones helping others. It took me a long time to realize that to help people to the best of my ability, I also need to take care of myself. For me, that included dedicated time with my wife and daughter, working out, eating right, reading and talking to other mental health professionals when I need counsel.
At GRAND, this delicate balance of care/self-care in our team is paramount. We are working every day to break the stigma of mental health and making it okay for our clients to ask for help. It is especially important that we do the same for our employees. As the CEO of GRAND, it’s my responsibility to ensure that our staff have the resources and opportunities to care for their own mental health. It is my commitment to ensure I create an environment where staff feel comfortable with being open and honest about what they need to care for themselves. We know this includes having extra time for themselves and their families. It’s why we created Wellness Days, where staff get every other Friday off to unwind, take care of tasks that require weekday availability, and just enjoy a long weekend. We also cover the costs for staff to see their own mental health providers – for those participating in our health insurance benefits, in network, or out, GRAND team members can choose their personal mental health provider for just the cost of a $10 copay. But we don’t stop there. We believe that affordable mental health care can’t be limited to just our team members, but must be accessible to their families, too. Our enhanced mental health assistance program allows all staff, and their families, to access quality mental health services quickly and at no cost for many of their visits. We are also Investing heavily in proven AI technology, designed to help alleviate the stress of administrative work on our behavioral health specialists, while providing more time for quality client engagement. Finally, we foster a true team environment, taking the time to celebrate each other’s successes and most importantly support each other during hard times.
Working in the mental health field is rewarding and fulfilling. Seeing others’ lives change and improve is incomparable. But it’s also hard, emotional work. Taking care of those who care for others is not only the right thing to do, it’s a win-win for our team and those they serve.