North Texas Construction Leaders Address Industry’s Mental Health Crisis
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Construction has always carried visible risks, such as falls, equipment failures that result in injury, and all kinds of serious accidents. Entire systems and protocols exist to protect workers from the physical dangers of the job site. But increasingly, leaders across the construction and design world are turning their attention to a far less obvious issue — mental health.
On Wednesday, June 3, Texas Counter Fitters will host the Hard Hat Courage Industry North Texas Launch Breakfast, focused on raising awareness around suicide and mental-health challenges within the profession.
Candy Evans, publisher of CandysDirt.com, will moderate the discussion, bringing perspective shaped by decades covering the real estate and construction industries, as well as the personal impact suicide has had on her own family.
For Chris Blackburn, co-founder of Texas Counter Fitters, the breakfast is about bringing a conversation that has too often remained in the background into full view.
“This business depends on people looking out for one another every single day,” Blackburn said. “If we can create more awareness, understanding, and willingness to talk openly about mental health, then we’re helping build a healthier, stronger industry overall.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the construction industry has the second-highest suicide rate among U.S. industries. Ryan M. Newcomb, executive director of North & Central Texas for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and one of the featured presenters at the breakfast, says the issue is fueled by layered risk factors ranging from chronic pain and financial stress to substance abuse, isolation, and the stigma surrounding mental health in traditionally male-dominated professions.
‘It’s rarely one issue by itself’
“These challenges tend to compound over time, especially in environments where people feel pressure to push through instead of speaking up,” Newcomb said.
The breakfast will also spotlight Hard Hat Courage, a national effort created specifically for the construction sector through a partnership between AFSP and global engineering and construction firm Bechtel. The program offers free construction-focused resources including toolbox talks, leadership training, and crisis-response support.
One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding suicide prevention, Newcomb said, is the belief that talking openly about mental health somehow makes the problem worse.
“The research tells us exactly the opposite,” he said. “The more these conversations become normalized, the more likely people are to seek help before they reach a crisis point.”
At the same time, there are encouraging signs that attitudes are beginning to shift.
“We’ve made a lot of progress, even though there’s still so much work to do,” Newcomb added. “For the first time in nearly 20 years, suicide rates in this country are starting to tick down. Studies continue to show that more people are becoming willing to talk openly about mental health and ask for help when they need it.”
For many construction leaders, that shift may become one of the industry’s most important safety conversations yet — not just protecting workers physically, but creating a culture where people no longer feel they have to struggle alone.
What: Hard Hat Courage Industry Launch Breakfast North Texas
When: Wednesday, June 3, 7:30-9:30 a.m.
Where: Texas Counter Fitters, 909 N Bowser Rd., Richardson, TX
Admission is free but reservations are strongly recommended.
