NATCA’s Northwest Mountain Region Hosts Insightful Wellness Town Hall

NATCA’s Northwest Mountain Region (NNM) successfully hosted its fourth Annual Wellness Town Hall, focusing on mental health and support resources. The virtual event, held Dec. 15, provided a platform for members to discuss mental health challenges, substance abuse, suicide, and everyday stressors that impact individuals in high-stress professions.

NNM Regional Vice President Alex Navarro spoke about why he started this town hall. “We in the NNM have made an emphasis to educate and support our members in honor of those that may struggle and those that we have lost. We must try and remove the stigma of seeking help in the name of wellness. We are grateful for the support that NATCA gives us and hopeful that this annual event can make a difference.”

Jamie Sanders, of both the Drug & Alcohol Committee and Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and Sam Navarro of Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM), provided a joint briefing about the different committees and resources available. They introduced speakers on each front to discuss real life examples from members that have utilized the resources. Speakers included retired NATCA member and National Office staff Bill Geoghagan, who shared his personal journey through the self-referral process for substance abuse; Pam Butler, a NATCA member who has benefited from CISM’s support at her facility; and Michael Napolitano, a CISM Committee member who visited Butler’s facility.

Sarah Grampp, Chair of CISM, and Martin Ramirez, Chair of NATCA’s EAP, provided an oversight of their committees, as well as answered questions from participants during the townhall.

The event highlighted NATCA’s commitment to the well-being of its members, reinforcing the message that no one is alone in their struggles.

Learn more about CISM and the support available through EAP here:

Contact EAP at 800-234-1327
http://magellanascend.com
[email protected]