Indianapolis – A two-day conference focused on workplace health begins Wednesday at the Indianapolis Convention Center.

The summit is co-hosted by the Indiana State Wellness Council and the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce. A variety of topics will be discussed during the two-day conference, but mental health will be the main focus.

Organizers say the pandemic has amplified discussions about many issues that emerged during the pandemic, including drug and alcohol abuse, depression, and burnout.

Jennifer Ferrer, executive director of the Indiana Wellness Council, said:

The summit will emphasize the importance of improving physical and mental health.

“You can’t have good physical health without good mental health,” says Pferrer. “We take responsibility for our work in our lives every day. The pandemic has helped us understand how our employees are struggling.”

Organizers say employers have a duty to provide workers with a safe and healthy environment.

“In Indiana, life expectancy is two years less than the national average,” Pferrer explains. “As an employer, you have a very important role to play in ensuring that individuals have access to healthcare. I want you to understand that there are

The summit will include discussions on the many issues posed during the pandemic and on strategies for addressing many of these issues.

“We can improve it just by providing some tools and education,” says Pferrer. “Our role as the Wellness Council is to improve health throughout Indiana so that employers don’t have to bear that cost and liability.”

According to the Wellness Council, in recent years many businesses and companies have taken additional steps, such as introducing on-site health clinics to increase access to care.

“Employers have really come a long way in understanding that they have a responsibility to allow their employees access to this care. Most employers have great resources through their benefit plans. said Pferrer.

Even if you don’t plan to attend the summit, Pferrer encourages people struggling with health and mental health issues to contact their employers to see what benefits and resources are available. I recommend it.

“Employee assistance programs can be a great place for someone to start a conversation with someone to help them with any mental health struggles they’re having,” she said. If you’re struggling, the state of Indiana has done a great job, calling 211 is a great place to get resources you may not have or think are available. is.”

If you are interested in attending the event, you can register online. The cost is $449 for Indiana Chamber of Commerce or WCI members and $549 for non-members. One-day registrations are $349 or $449 respectively.