US national lifeline
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Free, confidential support around the clock by call, text or chat. Put the number in every awareness message, intranet footer and break room.
Visit resource ↗
Resources
Every tool, program and guide on this page was chosen against the same four tests:
- It is evidence-based or practice-based – backed by independent research, or used by employers who report good results.
- It comes from a credible, established organization with a track record in mental health or occupational health.
- It supports at least one of the four key areas.
- It works for different kinds of workplaces – offices, frontline teams, small businesses and large employers.
- It is free, or free to explore before committing.
Area 01
Know the impact, raise awareness, break the silence
Tools for understanding the scale of the issue, building basic literacy and making help easy to find. Understand how mental health shows up in your workforce and make it an ordinary topic of conversation.
National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Mental Health First Aid at Work
A structured course that teaches employees to recognize signs of distress or substance use and connect a colleague with the right support.
Visit resource ↗National Institute of Mental Health
Health topics on mental illness
Plain-language, research-based explainers on common conditions – useful source material for internal communications.
Visit resource ↗NAMI
Programs and presentations
The National Alliance on Mental Illness runs free programs, including talks by people with lived experience – one of the most effective ways to reduce stigma.
Visit resource ↗Free Canadian resource
Guarding Minds at Work
Assessment tools and action guides built around thirteen psychosocial factors; works well alongside a US employee survey.
Visit resource ↗Our library
How to run a workplace assessment
Our step-by-step guide to planning, fielding and acting on an organizational mental health assessment.
Read the guide →Area 02
Create a mentally healthy culture
Frameworks and standards for designing work, training managers and building psychological safety. Shape everyday working conditions, from workload to manager habits, so they support wellbeing instead of eroding it.
Office of the US Surgeon General
Framework for Workplace Mental Health & Well-Being
Five essentials – protection from harm, connection and community, work-life harmony, mattering at work and opportunity for growth – with practical components for each.
Visit resource ↗World Health Organization
Guidelines on mental health at work
Evidence-based recommendations on organizational interventions, manager and worker training and individual support.
Visit resource ↗International Organization for Standardization
ISO 45003 psychological health and safety
The first international guidance on managing psychosocial risk inside an occupational health and safety system.
Visit resource ↗CDC / NIOSH
Total Worker Health
An approach that joins safety with wellbeing, with free planning tools and guidance on work organization.
Visit resource ↗UK portal run by Mind
Mental Health at Work toolkits
Free toolkits and templates on manager conversations, wellbeing plans and sector-specific issues; most translate well to US workplaces.
Visit resource ↗Our library
Training managers to talk about it
Sample wording and a do/don’t table for managers starting supportive conversations without overstepping.
Read the guide →Area 03
Improve access to mental health services and supports
Rules, services and locators that help employees actually reach care when they need it. Make sure help is genuinely available: adequate networks, a trusted EAP and support in formats people will use.
US Department of Labor (EBSA)
Mental health and substance use parity
Guidance for employers and workers on the federal parity law, with compliance tools and frequently asked questions.
Visit resource ↗Funded by the US Department of Labor
Job Accommodation Network
Free, confidential guidance on workplace accommodations for mental health conditions, searchable by limitation and job task.
Visit resource ↗US EEOC
Mental health conditions at work: your legal rights
A plain-English overview of ADA protections, confidentiality and reasonable accommodation – useful for HR and employees alike.
Visit resource ↗SAMHSA
FindTreatment.gov
A confidential locator for mental health and substance use treatment facilities across the United States.
Visit resource ↗Our library
Why employees don’t use the EAP
The five gates between an employee and their EAP, and the promotion tactics that genuinely raise use.
Read the guide →Our library
Open-enrollment benefits checklist
Nine checks for employees and HR reviewing mental health coverage: networks, parity, telehealth, session limits and more.
Read the guide →Area 04
Leadership as a catalyst
Material for executives and owners who want to lead the work rather than delegate it. Turn good intentions into accountability: a named owner, a budget, measurable goals and leaders who model the behavior.
US nonprofit
Mind Share Partners
Research and free resources on workplace mental health culture, written with business leaders in mind.
Visit resource ↗Society for Human Resource Management
SHRM resources
Toolkits, policy samples and articles on wellbeing, accommodation and benefits strategy.
Visit resource ↗Our library
The business case, honestly told
What the cost and return figures really show, and how to present them to finance without overselling.
Read the guide →Our library
Writing a workplace mental health policy
Section-by-section guidance with example clause wording and a checklist of common gaps.
Read the guide →Our library
Measuring a program
A metrics table and FAQ for leaders who want evidence that the work is making a difference.
Read the guide →Our library
Psychosocial risk assessment
Putting ISO 45003 to work in a US organization, with a hazard-to-control table.
Read the guide →Suggest a resource
We review this list every few months and remove anything that has gone stale. If you know a free, credible tool that belongs here, tell us about it. We do not accept payment for listings.
Links to outside organizations are provided for information only; we are not affiliated with them and do not endorse any commercial product.