The ICU Program is an awareness campaign made especially for the workplace, designed to reduce the stigma associated with mental health and foster a workplace culture that supports emotional health. Developed by DuPont’s Employee Assistance Program, the ICU Program was delivered to each of their 70,000 employees worldwide. DuPont has since donated ICU to the Center for Workplace Mental Health, who now makes it available to employers across all sectors, industries, and sizes, cost-free.
The ICU Program points out that just as people with a physical injury or illness may require help through an Intensive Care Unit, people with a psychological/emotional injury or illness may also require help from one another. Thus, “ICU” becomes “I See You.”
The ICU Program offers employers three steps to take in order to help those affected by mental health issues:
- Identify the signs of distress.
- Connect with the person experiencing distress.
- Understand the way forward together.
Understanding the way forward together can be as simple as having a simple conversation with an employee in need, or using the mental health benefits and programs available through your organization.