The Greater Orlando Society for Human Resource Management (GOSHRM) will host its second Mental Health Forum on Tuesday, May 7, at the Guidewell Innovation Center in Orlando, with the theme: "Thriving Together: Integrating Mental Health into the Organizational Culture". GOSHRM's goal is to provide increased awareness and support for mental health concerns plaguing the current workforce; Register here.
ORLANDO, Fla., Jan. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Greater Orlando Society for Human Resource Management (GOSHRM) will host its second Mental Health Forum on Tuesday, May 7, at the Guidewell Innovation Center in Orlando, FL. The theme : "Thriving Together: Integrating Mental Health into the Organizational Culture" for HR and medical professionals seeking best practices to tackle mental health challenges in today's stressful, post-pandemic workplace.
GOSHRM's goal in presenting this annual Mental Health Forum is to provide increased awareness and support for mental health concerns plaguing the current workforce. This highly anticipated event has a limited capacity of 250 attendees and is expected to sell out. Attendees receive 4.5 SHRM and HRCI recertification credits.
Highly sought after speaker, April Simpkins, PHR, SHRM-CP will keynote the event this year. With 30 years of HR experience, April is Chief Human Resources Officer for Questco, and a powerful advocate for mental health. She gained global prominence following the passing of her daughter, Cheslie Kryst, who was Miss America 2019 and battled depression for years. April, an ambassador for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), is committed to breaking the stigma of mental illness and promoting mental wellness in the workplace. She has shared Cheslie's tragic story with national media including CBS Mornings and ExtraTV.
"I advocate for mental health because of the impact our mental health has on every part of our daily living, from our peace to our sense of self, to our physical health," says Simpkins. "I advocate publicly and boldly to help break the stigma associated with talking out loud about our mental health struggles and challenges. And I advocate in honor of my daughter, Cheslie, who battled depression for years until she couldn't fight anymore. May she rest in peace knowing that I will continue to be a voice in the mental health space, so no one feels unseen, unheard, or unvalued."
The 2024 Forum theme was carefully chosen by GOSHRM's Board of Directors to increase awareness around the stigma associated with mental health issues on the job. "There is a real hesitancy among the HR community to talk openly about these issues," said GOSHRM President, Pamela J. McGee, SHRM-SCP, PHR, MBA. "Our Mental Health Forum is designed to inspire and teach HR professionals how to break the silence and create a workplace culture that supports those who struggle."
The upcoming event features other dynamic speakers including Andrae Bailey, President of Change Everything & Project Opioid, an organization committed to creating catalytic transformation for society's most impactful and seemingly unsolvable problems. Also among the line-up is Darrell "Coach D" Andrews, President of Darrell Andrews LLC and Associates, a prominent professional development, consulting and motivational speaking firm. Coach D's company emphasizes true leadership lies in both individual capabilities and the positive impact it generates on others.
In placing a spotlight on mental health, GOSHRM is echoing SHRM's goal to show that workplace environments with belonging and mental health support are healthy for both employees and organizations. Acknowledging that it has never been more important to build inclusive, empathetic and supportive workplace cultures given the current mental health crisis happening right now.
The program will be emceed by Efrain "Ricky" Baez Jr. MHR, SPHR, Chief HR Consultant, Baezco Learning. Other highlights of the day include a session on "Promoting Work-Life Balance: Strategies for Supporting Employee Wellbeing" presented by Marni Stahlman, President/CEO, Mental Health Association of Central Florida. Author, Dwight Bain, NNC, LMHC, LifeWorks Group, will present a session on "Recognizing and Responding to Mental Health Red Flags: Training HR Professionals as First Responders" and Troy Clements, SPHR, SHRM-CP, Director of HR Sunlight Solutions will round out the list of speakers.
About GOSHRM
GOSHRM was founded in 1957 as the Central Florida Human Resources Association (CFHRA). It is one of the 575 local affiliate chapters of SHRM, and one of 28 local chapters in the State of Florida. GOSHRM has almost 700 HR and related professional members who represent and provide support to small, medium and large size employers across multiple counties in Central Florida. GOSHRM's Mission, Vision and Values are as follows:
MISSION - Elevate people and workplaces through education, connections and service.
VISION - Make Central Florida a workplace destination of choice.
VALUES – Offer Continuous Development to enhance each member's role as trusted advisers and valued business partners.
GOSHRM encourages the active participation of members and promotes interaction between chapter members, from students to long-time industry professionals, in an effort to better connect the HR community in the Greater Orlando area. GOSHRM is the only Society for Human Resource Management affiliated chapter in the greater Orlando area. For more information visit http://www.goshrm.org.
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Media Contact
Elizabeth Fairleigh, GOSHRM, 1 4046954562, [email protected], www.goshrm.org
SOURCE GOSHRM
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