Wrapping Up Suicide Prevention Month?
Don’t Let the “State Trooper Effect” Win.
You did it! You showed up for Suicide Prevention Month.
You hosted a lunch-and-learn, passed out 988 stickers, wore your purple and teal ribbons, maybe even walked or rode in memory of someone you love.
That’s the good stuff. Truly.
But now comes the hard part: not letting it fade in the rearview mirror.
We call it the “State Trooper Effect.”
Image credit: Rusty Clark
You know… that thing where everyone slows down when they see the cruiser, but once it’s out of sight, it’s back to 90 and texting?
In mental health promotion, the same thing happens. Suicide prevention receives a spotlight for a week or a month and then disappears until the following year’s calendar reminder.
Here’s what construction is doing differently.
The construction industry has learned how to integrate mental health into daily life, rather than bolt it on like a forgotten bracket.
From pre-shift toolbox talks to peer support built into apprenticeship programs, mental health is becoming part of the safety infrastructure. It’s not a one-off initiative. It’s a system.
Supervisors in the field deliver short mental health check-in messages as part of their daily safety rituals (aka “Toolbox Talks”)
Safety trainings now include 2-hour VitalCog community helper modules, alongside fall protection and PPE.
Some companies are adjusting business projections based on workforce stress data. (Yes, really.)
Leadership development includes training on boundaries, emotional intelligence, and actually having a plan when someone says, “I’m not okay.”
Featured Podcast Episodes
Employee Engagement & Workplace Mental Health – with Joaquin Diaz
Recruiting Gen Z? Start with mental health.
In this episode, Joaquin Diaz with the Division of Health & Safety with Gilbane Building Company shares how baked-in wellbeing strategies — not just pay bumps — are keeping workers engaged and sticking around.
Joaquin Diaz and me at the 2025 Oregon GOSH (Governor's Occupational Safety & Health)
Conference in Portland
Leadership, Strategy & System Change – with Stuart Binstock & Michelle Walker
These leaders break down what it means to build a business case for wellbeing that actually drives culture change.
Stuart Binstock and me at the 2021 Engineering News-Record Awards Dinner in NYC
Michelle Walker, Cal Beyer, and me at the 2018 Construction Financial Management Association conference in Miami
In Case You Missed It: Previous Lessons
With snacks, humility, and a plan.
Lesson #2: Leaders Are Human and Need Support Too
Leaders can’t show up if they’re running on fumes.
Lesson #3: Leverage Lived Expertise to Build the Blueprint
Because no one trusts a glossy brochure more than a real human story.
What You Can Do at Work and in Your Community to Avoid the State Trooper Effect
Build a 12-month wellness plan that includes micro-moments, not just big events
Add a peer support component to your wellbeing committee
Review your strategic goals: where does worker wellbeing show up?
Put mental health in every leader’s toolkit — not just HR’s and counselors’.
Takeaway: Suicide prevention isn’t a campaign. It’s a commitment.
The construction industry is teaching us how to make that commitment stick.
#ConstructionMentalHealth #WorkplaceWellbeing #SuicidePrevention #CultureChange #HeadspaceForTheWorkplace
With courage,
Sally