6700 Beta Drive, Suite 300
  Mayfield Village, OH 44143
  Phone: 440/684-9700 | Fax: 440/684-9760
  www.ercnet.org | www.northcoast99.org | www.erchealth.com

Contact: Marty Mordarski, Director of Membership, mmordarski@ercnet.org

Press Release
Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Mental Health Programs Strong in Northeast Ohio

Cleveland – According to a recent study of 176 organizations applying for the NorthCoast 99 award, a great workplace awards program conducted by ERC in Northeast Ohio, 78% employ some kind of stress management program for their employees. Seventy-seven percent of these organizations also offer some type of substance abuse program or counseling services to their employees, usually in the form of employee assistance programs (EAPs). About 70% of the organizations surveyed also have programs or employee assistance programs that provide employee counseling for family, marriage, and bereavement issues. Nationally, 11% of organizations have stress management programs and 52% of organizations have employee assistance programs for their employees (2006-2007 EAG National Policies & Benefits Survey).

The costs of not having mental health related programs that help employees deal with personal and work related stresses is high. Health care expenditures are nearly 50% greater for workers who report high levels of stress according to the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. Additionally, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that workers who have to take time off work because of stress, anxiety, or a related mental disorder will be off the job for about 20 days annually.

This data was obtained from organizations applying for the 2007 NorthCoast 99 Award, hosted by ERC, Northeast Ohio’s largest organization dedicated to HR and workplace programs, practices, training and consulting. The organization also hosts NorthCoast 99 and sponsors the ERC Health insurance program. For more information about ERC, check out www.ercnet.org.

###