District Council 16 – Helping Hands Program.

Construction is built on hard work, skill, and teamwork—but behind every jobsite are people who can face enormous physical, emotional, and personal pressures. That is why District Council 16’s Helping Hands program is so important.

Helping Hands was created to make sure DC16 members and their families do not have to face mental health challenges, substance use, or alcoholism alone. The program provides training, education, resources, and connections to appropriate support and treatment. DC16 emphasizes that asking for help is not a weakness; it is an important part of taking care of yourself, your family, and your brothers and sisters in the trades.

The need for programs like Helping Hands is particularly urgent in the construction industry. According to research published through the CDC, construction has the second-highest suicide death rate of any U.S. industry. In 2021, construction workers accounted for 17.9% of suicide deaths among people whose death certificates included an industry, while construction workers represented only about 7.4% of the workforce.

Those numbers are more than statistics. They represent coworkers, friends, family members, and members of our union community.

Construction workers routinely deal with demanding physical work, long hours, safety risks, changing job conditions, tight deadlines, injuries, and employment uncertainty. Research has identified these and other workplace factors as contributors to psychological distress and poor mental health.

Helping Hands is DC16’s commitment to addressing that reality head-on. The program connects members and their dependents with (EAP) Employee Assistance Programs that can provide therapy as well as inpatient and outpatient treatment. It also offers rehabilitation services for members or dependents struggling with substance use or alcoholism, at no cost to those eligible through the program. DC16 states that these services are confidential.

The program also brings mental health conversations directly to where workers are: the jobsite. DC16 Helping Hands representatives have participated in safety meetings and jobsite outreach, reinforcing an important message—that mental health and addiction should be treated as part of workplace safety, not as something to hide.

That is ultimately what Helping Hands is about: looking out for one another. Construction workers are trained to recognize hazards on a jobsite and step in when something is unsafe. We need to bring that same mindset to mental health. If a brother or sister is struggling, reaching out can make a difference. Sometimes the most important safety intervention is simply asking someone, “Are you okay?” and being willing to listen.

District Council 16’s Helping Hands program helps break the stigma and create a culture where seeking assistance is viewed as a sign of strength. When we take care of the people behind the work, we build stronger families, stronger unions, and safer workplaces.

If you or your dependent are seeking assistance, contact your Business Representative Rich Morales (510) 508-5493 richard@dc16.us, Director of Mental Health and Addiction James Boster, at (925) 409-1525 jamesb@dc16iupat.org., or Assistant to the Director of Mental Health and Addiction Ryleigh Castro at ryliegh@dc16iupat.org everything that is talked about between you and the Director is all confidential no one else needs to know.

Rich Morales

Business Representative

DC16-LU1176