The Importance of Mental Health in Social Services
Supporting Mental Health in Social Service Organizations
Organizations dedicated to meeting the tangible needs of people—whether focused on housing, food, spirituality, or other essentials—often find the work feels never-ending. For those drawn to helping others, this calling can bring deep satisfaction but also immense challenges. The demands of social service work are constant, and the weight of these responsibilities can be overwhelming for the people striving to meet them.
While mental health is a critical aspect of overall well-being, it is too often overlooked in social service organizations. This oversight doesn’t just affect employees—it ripples through the entire organization and into the communities it serves. A mentally healthy workforce is essential for creating meaningful and lasting change.
The Emotional Toll on Employees and Communities
The impact of external stressors—such as political shifts, economic instability, or systemic inequities—can heighten anxiety within organizations and communities. Following significant societal events, such as elections, uncertainty can create a palpable sense of fear. Employees may experience exhaustion, irritability, and difficulty focusing, while community members may show increased despondence or anxiety. These emotional responses can create a feedback loop that strains both individuals and organizations.
For frontline social service workers, there’s often a polarizing experience early in their careers. The excitement and commitment that draw them to the field are quickly met with the realities of limited resources and systemic challenges. A gap often exists between what organizations would like to provide and what they can realistically offer. Workers must navigate this dissonance daily, which can manifest as frustration, overwhelm, and a sense of helplessness (Markosyan, 2024). Over time, this can erode their well-being and effectiveness (Burke et al., 2017; Zhang et al., 2018).
The Ripple Effects of Mental Health Challenges
Mental health struggles, whether diagnosable or subclinical, can significantly impact an employee’s ability to function at work. When workers are managing mental health difficulties, their productivity, focus, and presence can suffer (Oliveria et al., 2023). In social services, this lack of presence is especially problematic. Connection—between employees and the people they serve—is a cornerstone of this work. When employees are unable to fully engage, critical details may be missed, and opportunities to build trust and foster change can be lost.
Burnout is one of the most common challenges in social services. Defined as “an individual response to a chronic work stress that develops progressively and can eventually become chronic, causing health alterations” (Edú-Valsania, et al., p.2, 2022) burnout highlights the deterioration of a person’s well-being across multiple dimensions. It contributes to high turnover rates, as overworked employees leave in search of roles that better align with their capacity and desired work-life balance.
Compassion fatigue is another prevalent issue. Characterized by one’s reduction in ability to feel empathy towards others due to the strain of others stressors, it uniquely affects those in social service fields (Turgoose & Maddox, 2017). The constant emotional demands of empathizing with others can take a toll, especially when workers lack tools to process the trauma they witness. Symptoms such as irritability, exhaustion, disrupted sleep, and anxiety can arise, even among seasoned professionals (Sinclair et al., 2017; Turgoose & Maddox, 2017).
Addressing Mental Health in Social Services
To create sustainable change, organizations must prioritize the mental health of their employees. Supporting the whole person is key—not just their professional responsibilities but also their emotional, physical, and mental well-being.
Prioritizing Balance: Ensuring employees have manageable workloads and opportunities for rest is critical. Balance fosters resilience and reduces the risk of burnout.
Implementing Mental Health Programs: Organizations should offer effective wellness programs that provide access to counseling, stress management tools, and peer support. Training in trauma-informed care and self-care practices can also equip employees to manage the unique emotional demands of social service work.
Fostering a Culture of Care: Encouraging open conversations about mental health and providing resources to support employees can help build a supportive, inclusive workplace. When employees feel valued and cared for, their ability to serve the community is strengthened.
By attending to the mental health of their employees, organizations not only enhance their workforce’s well-being but also ensure they can better serve the communities that rely on them. Together, we can create workplaces where everyone—employees and community members alike—can thrive.
References
Burke, S., Schmidt, G., Wagner, S., & Hoffman, R. (2017). Cognitive dissonance in Social Work. Journal of Public Child Welfare 11(3), 299-317. https://doi.org/10.1080/15548732.2016.1278068
Edú-Valsania, S., Laguía, A., & Moriano, J.A. (2022). Burnout: A review of theory and measurement. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19, 1-27. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph1903178
Markosyan, T., Sanders, C., & Lamm, A. (2024). Using cognitive dissonance to evaluate extension impact in rural communities. Journal of Agricultural Education, 65(1). https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.v65il.2475.
Oliveria, C., Saka, M., Bone, L., & Jacobs, R. (2023). The role of mental health on workplace productivity: A critical review of the literature. Applied Health Economic and Health Policy, 21, 167-193. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40258-022-00761-w
Sinclair, S., Raffin-Bouchal, S., Venturato, L., Mijovic-Kondejeski, J., & Smith-MacDonald, L. (2017). Compassion fatigue: A meta-narrative review of the healthcare literature. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 69, 9-24. https://doi.org.10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2017.01.003.
Turgoose, D., & Maddox, L. (2017). Predictors of compassion fatigue in mental health professionals: A narrative review. Traumatology, 23(2), 172-185. https://doi.org/10.1037/trm0000116
Zhang, L., Xia, Y., Liu, B., & Han, L. (2018). Why don’t I help you? The relationship between role stressors and helping behavior from a cognitive dissonance perspective. Frontiers in Psychology. 8, 2220. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02220