More than 100 people from Pacific Northwest locals, NECA chapters and the mental health industry convened at Portland, Ore., Local 48 in October for a transformational summit on mental health.
“In all my years as a rep, I’ve never seen so many people engaged like that,” Ninth District International Representative Dave Myers said. “It was a day that defied all expectations.”
The summit was planned in only two weeks and “went off without a hitch,” said Kelly Foster, Ninth District mental health representative. “It was amazing.”
The agenda included sessions on employee assistance plans and suicide prevention, and dedicated time for networking and sharing best practices.
With so many decision-makers gathered together, real actionable change was possible, Myers said. Attendees committed themselves to tackling the mental health crises in the construction and electrical industries and pledged to come back with results at the next summit in spring 2026.
