BCBS NLO on the 988 Coin Campaign and Mental Health in the Trades

A union worker hands a coin to a colleague. On it: someone cares about you. Call or text 988. That act — started in the construction trades with poker chips, now at 150,000 coins distributed in the industry and heading into schools nationwide — is what the BCBS National Labor Office is building into a nationwide youth mental health campaign. On today's episode of America's Work Force Union Podcast, BCBS National Labor Office Executive Director Merrilee Logue and consultant Catherine Raley join during Suicide Prevention Month to discuss the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, how the construction trades' poker chip program became the NLO's 988 Coin Campaign, why the act of handing someone a coin matters beyond the number on it and what BCBS has done to expand behavioral health access — including a 55% increase in in-network providers since 2020. They also address the 70% of employers who believe mental health coverage costs too much and why Logue says the country cannot afford not to address this. If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988. Follow @BlueLabor on LinkedIn and X for more.