Hello SCCDA members and friends!

Finally! There is a whiff of fall in the air, and a morning chill that surprises me every year after the unrelenting heat of summer.

Besides the cooler weather, pumpkins and football, fall brings our annual professional development conference on November 9. And this year’s promises to be the best ever!

We are back in person at Saluda Shoals River Center, which alone is great news after two plus years of isolation due to COVID. But our conference topic is one that resonates deeply right now: Navigating Mental Health in the Workplace.

According to the Department of Labor, nearly 1 in 5 American may experience some form of mental health condition each year. In Lyra Health’s 2022 State of Workforce Mental Health, employees’ mental health is at an all-time low.

“Nearly a third (31 percent) of workers surveyed said their mental health has declined over the past year—up from 24 percent at the end of 2020,” it said.
 

Dr. Samer Touma delivering the keynote address, “Mental Health Matters.” and surely the double meaning is intentional. Of course, we will discuss mental health matters, but with the statistics currently being experienced in the workplace, mental health matters above most else.

There will also be sessions on mental health topics from AbleSC, USC, SC Thrive, and Vocational Rehabilitation.
If you haven’t registered, sign up now here.

Brenda Gardner, MPA, GCDF
SC Department of Commerce
SCCDA President | 2022-2023