Mental Health & Suicide Prevention

In late 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) MMWR found that 40% of U.S. adults reported struggling with mental health or substance use and that 11% of U.S. adults seriously considered suicide.

In the U.S., you are more likely to die from suicide than an automobile accident or by homicide. We lose 47,500 people per year to suicide, 38,800 to automobile accidents, and 19,141 to homicide. This means you are 2.5 times more likely to die by your own hand than the hands of others.

More specifically, the construction industry has the highest rate of suicide at 53.2 per 100,000 U.S. workers. That rate is four times greater than the national average and five times greater than that of all other construction fatalities combined.

“We cannot stand by while a silent epidemic of suicide takes place within our industry,” said Stephen E. Sandherr, AGC of America’s chief executive officer. “We want to reduce the stigma of mental health issues in this industry, let people know it is okay to ask for help and, ultimately, save lives.”

To break the stigma surrounding the issue of mental health and suicide prevention, the Construction Advocacy Fund financed the production of a series of public service announcements (PSAs) featuring construction professionals discussing their personal challenges with mental health, substance abuse, and the need to seek professional help. Learn more about AGC of America’s mental health and suicide prevention efforts.

Watch the PSAs:

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Project Details

DATE

Ongoing

BENEFICIARY

AGC members & the construction industry

PROJECT TYPE

PSA ads