District 4 Councilwoman takes part in NLC webinar
Published on September 20, 2023
District 4 Councilwoman takes part in NLC webinar to share the importance of inclusive mental health policies in the workplace
SAN ANTONIO (September 20, 2023) – District 4 Councilwoman Dr. Adriana Rocha Garcia participated as a panelist in a webinar hosted by the National League of Cities and the U.S. Department of Labor’s State Exchange on Employment & Disability (SEED), about the need to adopt and promote inclusive mental health polices in the workplace.
The topics addressed the major challenges cities, town, and villages face in connecting individuals with mental health conditions to the services and support they need.
The District 4 Councilwoman shared the City’s innovative work-related mental health policies, plans, and practices including the implementation of COSA Cares. “Expanding eligibility criteria for family wellness leave to include mental health days and the rollout of 24/7 access to immediate mental healthcare is important to employees and families,” the District 4 Councilwoman stated. “We invested in mental health in San Antonio utilizing $27.2 million in ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds to address the critical needs of residents, including our youth, older adults and marginalized people.”
The discussion also included expanding workforce and education training in the field of behavioral health. The District 4 Councilwoman shared information about how voters approved the creation of Ready to Work, an initiative to provide San Antonio residents with education and workforce training opportunities. She also shared details about the Chief Mental Health Officer, who leads mental health system continuum for the City of San Antonio and mental health initiatives across City departments and external community partners.
She discussed the critical role youth in San Antonio play in identifying the types of resources, services and programs needed to address a variety of mental health conditions. She highlighted the work of the San Antonio Youth Commission, including the Teen Mental Health Survey they conducted in 2022 and 2023 as well as the recommendations the SAYC members made to City Council.