Mental Health and Wellness
Mental Health and Wellness: Caring for Our Most Valuable Resource
North Kitsap recognizes the critical role of its employees in providing excellent services to the community. The organization values its staff as its most valuable resource and understands that without their dedicated and skilled work, fulfilling their responsibilities to clients and stakeholders would not be possible.
To prioritize the mental health and wellness of their staff, North Kitsap has developed various strategies. They acknowledge the importance of mental health and wellness as essential components of overall health, which can positively impact employees' work performance, productivity, and job satisfaction.
North Kitsap encourages open communication and dialogue about mental health issues and provides resources for those who need help. They offer an employee assistance program that provides confidential counseling and support to staff. Mental health benefits are also provided to ensure that employees have access to the care and treatment they need, including coverage for counseling and therapy, as well as access to mental health professionals and resources.
The organization promotes work-life balance, encourages employees to take time off when needed, and provides mental health training to raise awareness of mental health issues, stress management, and resilience-building. They also recognize the critical role of leaders in promoting mental health and wellness, encouraging them to prioritize their own mental health and model healthy behaviors for their staff.
North Kitsap believes that prioritizing mental health and wellness is essential to the well-being of their staff and the success of the organization. They will continue to work towards promoting mental health and wellness in the workplace, with the goal of helping their staff maintain good mental health, build resilience, and thrive in their work and personal lives.
Staff Resources
Washington State Health Care Authority
The Washington State Health Care Authority is an organization that provides health care coverage for public school employees in the state. They offer a range of health insurance options to meet the needs of school employees, including medical, dental, and vision coverage. The Health Care Authority is dedicated to ensuring that school employees have access to affordable, high-quality health care services, so they can focus on their work of educating our children.
Washington State's voluntary wellness program, SmartHealth, is designed to assist you in your quest for a healthy lifestyle. It is a complimentary program that is included in your SEBB benefits, which means you won't have to pay anything to participate.
The Kitsap Public Health District is a governmental agency that serves the Kitsap County community in Washington State. Its mission is to protect and promote the health and well-being of the community through disease prevention, health promotion, and emergency preparedness. The agency provides a range of services, including communicable disease control, environmental health, health promotion and education, and emergency preparedness and response.
Secondary Traumatic Stress... What is it?
The Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development characterizes Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) as the emotional turmoil that emerges when a person indirectly encounters the traumatic experiences of another individual. Often referred to as compassion fatigue, the burden of attending to someone's distressing experiences can generate genuine symptoms in caregivers, including teachers.
Mental Wellness Resources
The following links may provide information and/or support to better understand and cope with a variety of mental health topics.
Use the Wellness Plan Template to create your own coping plan.
- Here is a list of apps through Wesleyan University.
- This Ted Talks playlist features a variety of mental health topics.
- Here you will find a list of Mental Health Podcasts, including the Happiness Lab.
- Anxiety
- Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder
- Autism Spectrum Disorders
- BIPOC Resources
- Bipolar disorder
- Coping Skills
- Coping with Coronavirus Stress
- Crime Victims
- Depression
- Dissociative Disorders
- Drugs and Alcohol
- Eating Disorders
- Emotional Intelligence
- Grief and Loss
- Interpersonal Violence
- LGBTQIA+
- Loneliness
- Mindfulness
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Panic Attacks
- Phobias
- Post-Traumatic Stress
- Relationship Building and Communication
- Resilience: Build Skills to Endure Hardship
- Schizophrenia
- Seasonal Affective Disorder
- Sleep
- Social Anxiety (Social Phobia)
- Stress Management
- Suicide
- Supporting a Friend
- Veterans