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August 31, 2025: International Overdose Awareness Day

Drug overdose is a leading cause of death in the United States and Canada, and construction workers are affected at even higher rates than average. Fentanyl, a highly lethal synthetic opioid, has significantly worsened the devastation of the opioid and polysubstance crisis, and families and communities have and continue to be left shattered. 

Public health initiatives to reduce drug overdose deaths (such as wider spread access to Naloxone, an opioid overdose reversal medication) appear to have promising results, given the drop in overdose fatalities in the U.S. in 2024. This means that we must keep building momentum around the important cause of educating and advocating for efforts to help save lives; and the BAC Member Assistance Program is ready to support any member or their loved ones who may be at risk for an overdose. 

Whether you are experiencing substance use challenges and need information or help; are seeking counseling related to the loss of a loved one due to an overdose; are wanting to learn more about overdose death prevention pathways (such as Naloxone and other harm reduction practices); or would like to further discuss any other aspect of substance use, overdose, or prevention, please contact the BAC Member Assistance Program by calling 1-833-MAP-TALK, M-F, 8am-7pm ET. 

For more, please visit the following links:

• Substance use screening
• International Overdose Awareness Day
• Overdose Awareness (CDC)
• SAMHSA

If you or someone you know is experiencing a life-threatening emergency, please call 911. You may also obtain immediate 24/7 help from the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling 988. 

July 2025: Minority Mental Health Awareness Month

While mental health challenges do not discriminate; differing cultural perspectives on mental health, poor access to care, historical trauma, and inequitable policies can all add invisible weight, making Minority Mental Health Awareness Month an important time for education and advocacy to help improve wellbeing outcomes for all BAC members. 

The Bricklayers' Member Assistance Program (MAP) is a place to talk to someone who both understands the pressures of the job and who can provide culturally responsive support and guidance. BAC MAP will help you get connected to the resources that work for you, no matter your background or story. We encourage all BAC members and their loved ones who are seeking mental health help to get in touch by calling 1-833-MAP-TALK, M-F, 8am-7pm ET. 

To learn more about Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, please visit the following links:

• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) - Minority Mental Health Awareness Month
• Mental Health America (MHA) - Minority Mental Health Awareness Month

If you or someone you know is experiencing a life-threatening emergency, please call 911. You may also obtain immediate 24/7 help from the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling 988. 

June 2025: Men's Health Month

With over 90% of construction workers being male, the Bricklayers' Member Assistance Program (MAP) joins the U.S. and Canada in recognizing Men's Health Month. Many construction-related behavioral health issues can be prevented or addressed with awareness and education, so keep reading to learn more. 

Relevant Facts and Figures:

• Construction workers are more likely to engage in several behaviors that are considered health risks (such as smoking, smokeless tobacco use, binge drinking, low leisure-time physical activity, and inconsistent seatbelt use).
• More than half of men do not get regular health screenings or engage in preventive care. 
• Men are more likely than women to drink excessively, and to have higher rates of alcohol related hospitalizations. 
• Men are more likely than women to use illicit drugs, and to have higher rates of illicit drug related hospitalizations and overdose deaths. 
• Men are almost four times more likely to die by suicide than women. 
• Men living with a mental illness are less likely to have received mental health treatment than women living with a mental illness. 
• Nearly 1 in 10 men experience some form of depression or anxiety, but less than half seek treatment. 
• Men have higher mortality and morbidity rates of coronary heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and cancer. 
• Loneliness - a risk factor for heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, depression, anxiety, addiction, suicidality, and self-harm - appears to be more common in men than women. 

What You Can Do:

• Address stigma and treatment avoidance (studies show that males who avoid or underutilize health care services, including mental health and substance use treatment, may do so because there is a false perception that such services threaten masculinity). 
• Recognize signs and symptoms by getting screened (for behavioral health conditions and physical health conditions). 
• Choose a primary care doctor if you do not already have one. 
• Engage in preventive care by getting regular check-ups. 
• Manage chronic pain with a medical professional. Discuss non-opioid pain management options to treat musculoskeletal injuries and disorders with your doctor. 
• Know that help is available. Call MAP (1-833-MAP-TALK) for mental health and substance use related health matters, as well as guidance for locating a medical professional to address physical health issues. 

For additional information and resources, please visit the following links:

• Men's Health Month (NAMI)
• Men's Health (CDC)
• Men's Health (Canada)
• Men's Mental Health (ADAA)

If you or someone you know is experiencing a life-threatening emergency, please call 911. You may also obtain immediate 24/7 help from the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling 988. 

May 2025: Mental Health Awareness Month

May 19, 2025, 8pm ET: Mental Health Awareness Month: A BAC Conversation (virtual event)

_{Please click this link to register for an important fireside chat style conversation between three BAC local leaders and the Director of the BAC Member Assistance Program on the topic of construction worker mental health. The live virtual event is being held on May 19, 2025 at 8pm ET.} 

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and the BAC is here to help. With a vision of increasing understanding, reducing stigma, and promoting care and recovery, the Bricklayers' Member Assistance Program (MAP) has the goal of protecting the mental health and wellbeing interests of all BAC members and their loved ones. 

Construction workers may feel pressure to appear tough and together at all times, and may not hear enough that it's okay to not be okay. Our message, however, is clear: you are not broken, and you are not alone. BAC MAP is a resource that can help members and their loved ones address their mental health needs, allowing for opportunities to lead happier, more fulfilling, and peaceful lives. To connect with BAC MAP, please call 1-833-MAP-TALK, M-F, 8am-7pm ET. 

In addition to connecting with BAC MAP for help if needed, we encourage members to participate in Mental Health Awareness Month in a variety of additional ways:

• Complete a mental health screening.
• Share your story. If you are at a place where you are ready to share your story, doing so with trusted individuals and groups can be a powerful way to promote healing for yourself and others. 
• End the stigma. Recognize that stigma and myths/false beliefs around mental health conditions can be extremely harmful. Commit to taking actions that will end stigma, self-shaming, and the shaming of others. 
• Increase knowledge. Learning about mental health conditions, what to do in a crisis, and of available resources are some of the most important actions you can take to make a difference. 
• Plug in. Whether you attend the Mental Health Awareness Month: A BAC Conversation webinar on May 19 at 8pm ET (referenced at the top of this page); participate in a community event (such as the AFSP Construction Hike for Hope, referenced further down on this page); or seek out an alternative way to be connected with others who are championing this cause, engaging is a way to find hope and be a part of the solution. 

For additional information and resources, visit the links below:

• SAMHSA: Mental Health
• Mental Health and Wellness Canada
• NAMI
• Mental Health America

Note for Union Local and ADC leaders: for more guidance on participating in Mental Health Awareness Month and to access MAP's 2025 IMI Mental Health Awareness webinar, please see the MAP drop-down menu on the PO section of the BAC website. 

If you or someone you know is experiencing a life-threatening emergency, please call 911. You may also obtain immediate 24/7 help from the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling 988. 

Spring/Summer 2025 (Dates Vary): AFSP Construction Hike for Hope 

As a part of its initiative to help reduce deaths by suicide within the construction industry, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) is hosting various Construction Hike for Hope events around the US this spring and summer. Saving and improving lives is a driving mission of the Bricklayers' Member Assistance Program (MAP), and we encourage our members to join the efforts by learning more and signing up. There is no registration fee.

For more information about an upcoming Construction Hike for Hope event in your community, please click here. 

If you or someone you know is experiencing a life-threatening emergency, please call 911. You may also obtain immediate 24/7 help from the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling 988. 

Spring/Summer 2025 (Dates Vary): AFSP Construction Hike for Hope 

As a part of its initiative to help reduce deaths by suicide within the construction industry, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) is hosting various Construction Hike for Hope events around the US this spring and summer. Saving and improving lives is a driving mission of the Bricklayers' Member Assistance Program (MAP), and we encourage our members to join the efforts by learning more and signing up. There is no registration fee.

For more information about an upcoming Construction Hike for Hope event in your community, please click here. 

If you or someone you know is experiencing a life-threatening emergency, please call 911. You may also obtain immediate 24/7 help from the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling 988.