Strategies

Expand broadband availability and adoption in unserved and underserved areas through initiatives that address infrastructure and cost barriers

Involve consumers in health care governance via roles on governing boards, advisory committees, or shorter-term special projects

Provide free and confidential counseling and service referrals via telephone-based conversation, web-based chat, or text message to individuals in crisis, particularly those with severe mental health concerns

Provide confidential worksite-based counseling and referrals to employees to address personal and workplace challenges

Offer employees control over an aspect of their schedule through arrangements such as flex time, flex hours, compressed work weeks, or self-scheduled shift work

Increase patients’ health-related knowledge via efforts to simplify health education materials, improve patient-provider communication, and increase overall literacy

Offer flexible working arrangements, allowing the duties of a single full-time position to be covered by two part-time employees

Organize workers to bargain collectively for improved wages, benefits, and working conditions

Provide an 8 or 12 hour training to educate laypeople about how to assist individuals with mental health problems or at risk for problems such as depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders

Provide employees with child care options at work; care may be provided free of charge, partially subsidized as part of an employee benefit package, or offered at market rates