Construction experts talk mental health awareness, suicide prevention

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One of the biggest hurdles for construction workers supporting their mental health is being able to share about their vulnerability, said Bruce Morton, founder of the Wisconsin Construction Wellness Community.

Morton, who dealt with anxiety, said deciding to be vulnerable around his fellow construction experts helped him find the support he needed. In the construction industry, where suicides occur more often than in other job sectors, pushing through the stigma was important for his own struggles.

“It was the right thing to do, and it made me stronger,” Morton added.

Morton will talk on a panel about mental health at Bourbon, Brews and Brave Talk, a free event hosted at Miller Marriott 2025 Charity Home, located at 545 Wisconsin Ave. in Delafield. The free event will feature discussions facilitated by the National Alliance on Mental Illness Southeast WI about education and early intervention and a raffle with donated prizes.

The event is on Thursday, April 10 starting at 5:30 p.m.

Construction workers face a suicide rate four times higher than for the general population, the U.S. Department of Labor reported. Seasonal work, deadlines and demanding work schedules are some of the driving factors. Abuse of substances such as alcohol and opiates are prevalent as well.

For Kirsten Miller, sales and marketing at Miller Marriott, said one reason the company chose to focus its charity home efforts in April around the mental health crisis in the trades was because her brother took his own life in 2024.

“We’re trying to make it okay for people to come to this event and talk about it,” Miller said. “It’s important to find an avenue for resources and support,” she added.

In a male-dominated industry, it can be hard for workers to openly talk about their problems. In 2021, there were 56 men who committed suicide for every 100,000 in the construction industry, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. That same year, it was recorded that 10.4 women out of every 100,000 in construction took their lives.

“Men haven’t been socially conditioned to talk about their issues,” said Mary Madden, the executive director of NAMI Southeast WI. “We heard Bruce talk about how difficult it was for him, even though he was teaching as an instructor… Sometimes (talking) can be hard and that embarrassment is still there. We work hard to reduce the stigma,” she added.

One of the main points at Bourbon, Brews and Brave Talk is encouraging workers to ask about and use their employee assistance programs, which Madden noted is one of the most underused benefits employees offer.

The charity home was designed and built by Marriott Miller, who will later sell the house and donate the profit to NAMI WI, Miller said.

Already more than 100 people are registered to the event and was advertised to subcontractors and tradespeople, Miller added. Those who want to attend are encouraged to register ahead of time.