The Wounded Workforce’s Center for Construction Mental Health™ exists to address the unique mental health risks facing the construction workforce and to equip organizations with tools that work in real-world conditions.
Built by industry professionals. Informed by trauma-aware practices. Designed for the field.
Advancing Mental Health in Construction Through Practical, Industry-Led Solutions
Why Construction Mental Health?
Construction is demanding work. It takes skill, grit, and pride.
It also comes with real pressures. Long hours. Tight schedules. Physical risk. Time away from home. Job sites that change constantly. Injuries, close calls, and loss are not uncommon.
For too long, mental health support in construction has been limited to crisis response or programs that do not fit the way the industry actually operates. Many tools were built for office settings, not job sites.
The Wounded Workforce’s Center for Construction Mental Health™ was created to change that.
We exist to provide practical, construction-specific mental health education and support that respects the work, the workforce, and the realities of the job.
Our mission is to strengthen mental health in construction by giving workers, leaders, and companies practical tools that support wellbeing, safety, and long-term success.
We focus on prevention, early support, and building skills at every level of the workforce, so mental health is a proactive focus, not just addressed when problems escalate to crises.
Our Mission
How We Work
Built for the Job Site
Clear, straightforward language
Real scenarios that workers and leaders recognize
Tools that fit into safety meetings, training, and daily operations
Everything we do is designed with construction in mind.
Informed by Experience & Research
Shaped by construction professionals and mental health experts
Based on proven practices, not trends
Updated as the industry and workforce evolve
Practical & Action-Oriented
Focused on what leaders and crews can actually do
Emphasis on awareness, communication, and follow-through
No unnecessary jargon or theory
What Makes Us Different
What Sets Us Apart
Training and certifications designed specifically for construction
Focus on supervisors, foremen, and field leaders, not just Safety and HR
Clear guidance on roles, boundaries, and responsibility
Emphasis on prevention, not just crisis response
Integration with existing safety and leadership systems- we want our solutions to work for you and your teams, not the other way around
The Wounded Workforce’s Center for Construction Mental Health™ is purpose-built for this industry.
We are not asking construction to change who it is. We are helping the industry strengthen how it supports its people.
What We Do
The Center provides practical education and resources that can be used immediately.
Our work includes
Construction mental health certifications
Supervisor and leadership training
Train-the-trainer programs
Toolbox talks and field resources
Panels, events, and industry conversations
Advisory and partnership support
Who We Serve
We support the entire construction workforce, including:
Tradespeople and craft workers
Foremen, superintendents, and field leadership
Safety and people operations teams
Company owners and executives
Trainers, educators, and industry partners
Bottom line - if you work in the Construction industry- whether on a jobsite, in an office, or from home, we’re here for you!
Our Values
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We honor the skill, effort, sacrifice, and pride that go into construction.
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We focus on tools people can use, not theory that stays on the shelf.
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We work to address issues early, before they turn into crises.
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Mental health is not just an individual issue. It is a workforce and leadership responsibility.
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We strike a balance between accountability, compassion, and common sense.
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We are committed to working alongside industry partners, not competing with them, to improve access to practical mental health support in construction.
Our values guide how we show up for the construction industry, how we work with partners, and how we design our programs. They reflect our commitment to supporting the people who do the work and strengthening the industry as a whole.
Looking Ahead
The construction industry is evolving, and mental health must be part of how we build strong, reliable workforces.
The Wounded Workforce’s Center for Construction Mental Health™ is committed to supporting long-term change by continuing to develop practical training, expand partnerships, and elevate mental health as a core part of safety, leadership, and workforce sustainability.
Driven by passion
The Center for Construction Mental Health was founded by Stephanie Lemek, a workplace mental health leader with more than ten years of in-house experience working within the construction industry, in addition to leading national mental health initiatives through The Wounded Workforce.
During her time working inside construction organizations, Stephanie consistently saw the same challenge. Mental health efforts were often focused on crisis response, after something had already gone wrong. There were very few practical resources designed to help leaders and crews build mental health skills early, reduce risk, and support people before issues escalated.
To address this gap, Stephanie created Building Resilience, the first mental health certification built specifically for the construction workforce. The program was designed to be proactive, practical, and usable in real job site conditions, giving leaders and workers tools they can apply day to day, not just in emergencies.
The Center for Construction Mental Health grew directly out of this work. It exists to move the industry beyond crisis-only approaches by providing construction-specific education, prevention-focused training, and leadership development that strengthens mental health as a core part of safety and workforce sustainability.
Stephanie is also the founder of The Wounded Workforce, a national platform focused on trauma-informed workplaces, and continues to work closely with construction companies and industry partners across the country.