District Council 16 – Programa Helping Hands.

La construcción se basa en el trabajo duro, la destreza y el trabajo en equipo; sin embargo, detrás de cada obra hay personas que deben afrontar enormes presiones físicas, emocionales y personales. Por eso es tan importante el programa Helping Hands del District Council 16.

Helping Hands se creó para garantizar que los miembros de DC16 y sus familias no tengan que afrontar solos los desafíos relacionados con la salud mental, el consumo de sustancias o el alcoholismo. El programa ofrece capacitación, educación y recursos, además de facilitar el acceso a la ayuda y el tratamiento adecuados. DC16 recalca que pedir ayuda no es un signo de debilidad, sino una parte importante del cuidado de uno mismo, de la familia y de los compañeros del gremio.

La necesidad de programas como Helping Hands es particularmente urgente en la industria de la construcción. Según una investigación publicada por los CDC, la construcción tiene la la segunda tasa de mortalidad por suicidio más alta de todas las industrias de E.U.En 2021, los trabajadores de la construcción representaron el 17.9 % de las muertes por suicidio entre las personas cuyos certificados de defunción indicaban un sector de actividad, mientras que constituían solo alrededor del 7.4 % de la fuerza laboral.

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

Representante Empresarial

DC16-LU1176