By Kimberly Winter Stern
During a recent interview about the Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City’s (KCHBA) participation in Construction Suicide Prevention Week earlier this fall, executive vice president Will Ruder is proud that the organization offers another resource to its members – one that can help save lives.
“We realize every member requires something different from our organization,” Ruder said. “Our motto signals a deep caring of accessible home ownership for everyone. Likewise, we have compassion for our members and their employees and contractors by providing various resources to help improve lives and careers. The opportunity to affiliate with the Construction Suicide Prevention (CSP) initiative came to us following the pandemic.”
Ruder refers to the moment when mental health came out of the shadows and became a talking point for industries and corporations of all types nationwide – a widespread concern to shatter the stigma of mental health and provide tools to address suicide prevention. The rate of death by suicide for construction workers is 5.5 times the rate of all other construction jobsite fatalities, which is more than four times higher than the general population – making it the second highest rate of suicide in the country – according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
“While CSP isn’t an original core function for KCHBA, including it in member benefits made sense. If only one person pauses to comfort a colleague or someone experiencing a difficult emotional situation picks up the phone to call the 988 Suicide & Prevention Crisis Lifeline for assistance, it’s worth it.”
KCHBA Vice President of Communications and Strategy Kari English learned about CSP from
counterparts in in a related industry – commercial construction.
“As an organization, we understand the enormous pressures in delivering housing options for a robust metro like Kansas City and that the vast majority of companies serving that need are locally owned and operated,” Ruder said. “Kari presented the opportunity to become involved with CSP, and we decided it was time to shine a light on the critical issue that our society was grappling with.”
English is thrilled that KCHBA offers CSP as a membership benefit.
“What’s unique about this program is that it started with mission-driven volunteers and has grown to include 500 companies representing nearly 300,000 workers across 47 states and territories. The response from KCHBA members is that they feel seen and heard and are eager to ensure their employees and contractors know the mental health resources at their disposal.”
It was during a 2022 mental health breakfast where mental health experts spoke to KCHBA about local suicide prevention that cemented the organization’s decision. Ruder was impressed with the diverse attendance, spanning from 15-year members to newer members.
“Certainly, not every iteration of mental health manifests itself into suicide,” Ruder said. “But we recognized the difference in generational acceptance of openly talking about the topic. The younger generation is more forthcoming to discuss, while older generations have barriers they grew up with. What came out of that gathering was a powerful conversation starter.”
This year, Construction Suicide Prevention Week began with a Stand Down to Safety Day in September, where a minute of silence across the country’s construction industry encouraged the remembrance of colleagues who died by suicide, and helped make the statistics more than just numbers on a website, Ruder explains.
“Casting aside the veneer of the stats was a critical beginning,” he said. “People remembered a friend, a co-worker who lost their life to suicide during that week – ‘while they’re no longer, their memory is important to me.’ People then understand there are specific things they can do to help someone get through a difficult time.
“KCHBA is part of a collation of entities in the metro addressing this topic in an organized way. Every housing market is very different. For an organization like ours, mission-driven volunteers manifest this cohesive effort. It’s humbling that KCHBA can join forces with other organizations to help empower people as we all explore the topic and positively impact the problem.”
STARTING THE CONVERSATION
Kari English encourages employers interested in supporting employees with mental wellness to post resources around jobsites, like the 988 crisis number, and incorporate mental health toolbox talks from CSP throughout the year.
“They can look at their health program to make sure the mental health benefits are strong,” she suggested.” They can educate employees about using the EAP to seek help and provide workers pain management options in case of injuries. What we’re seeing after Construction Suicide Prevention Week is that firms of varying sizes have different ways their organization is making mental health a priority.”
An industry barrier to discussing suicide prevention is that often, those tasked with doing so are safety professionals with little or no behavioral or mental health training.
“These individuals often want to be part of the solution but aren’t sure how to get started,” English said. “That’s where CSP comes in.
English hopes efforts to raise suicide prevention awareness in Kansas City’s construction industry extend beyond the designated week.
For more information on how your company can access free mental health tools like toolbox talks in English and Spanish, a speaker sourcing guide, and much more, visit https://constructionsuicideprevention.com.
For more information on how your company can get involved in CSP by volunteering and more, contact .