Employers Could Save Billions by Reducing Stigma of Mental Illness
Canwest News Service – January, 14, 2009
Summary: According to a recent article published by Canwest News Service, the military in Canada has achieved success in treating mental illness among soldiers and removing some of the stigma associated with it. Bill Wilkerson, the Chairman of the Global Business and Economic Roundtable on Addiction and Mental Health, recently held a meeting of representatives of some of Canada’s top businesses to learn how the military and Veterans Affairs made managing and treating mental health a priority for the armed forces. Wilkerson feels that if the military can take some of the stigma out of mental illness, so can private employers. Taking action could save them billions of dollars. According to the forum, the costs of mental disorders now exceed 50 billion dollars a year in Canada.