Research - What The Household Pulse Survey Told Us About The State of U.S. Mental Health

From The CDA Research Files: What the First 10 Weeks of The Household Pulse Survey Told Us About The State of U.S. Mental Health

By Fred Schott Editor’s Note: This article is #2 in a multi-part series on research conducted by The Council for Disability Awareness prior to and throughout the pandemic. During April 2020, the U.S. Census Bureau, together with five federal agencies, launched an experimental survey “designed to deploy quickly and efficiently, collecting data to measure household experiences…

Leave a commentAnxiety, Depression, Mental Health, Uncategorized

Research: Data and insights from the CDA

From The CDA Research Files: How Anxiety and Depression Impacted Employee Absence Before the Pandemic

By Carol Harnett Editor’s Note: The Council for Disability Awareness – led by Fred Schott and its research committee – has closely monitored the impact of mental health on short-term, long-term, and individual disability claims for several years. Given the exponential increase in attention the pandemic and recent societal events brought to this topic, we…

Leave a commentAnxiety, Depression, Disability, Health and Wellness, Mental Health, Uncategorized

Substitute Perks: How To Give Your Employees Benefits Even When You’re Apart

As the effects of COVID-19 caused offices to close and send workers home, they lost access to many of the perks they might have relied on for comfort and well-being. Given that employees routinely say that benefits play a large role in their job satisfaction, this deficit can lead to a loss of productivity, especially…

Leave a commentEmployee Benefits, Flexibility, HR, Workplace

At-risk populations

How COVID-19 Highlighted Ways We Can Improve Social Services

For decades, asset limits have presented difficulties for individuals with disabilities. These limitations across public assistance programs often lock individuals out of better opportunities. In the face of the coronavirus and its devastating economic consequences, these limitations have been particularly troubling. For example, 60.5% of households where a person with a disability resides are considered…

Leave a commentDisability, Disability Insurance, Social Security Disability Income, Uncategorized

How Mindfulness Empowers Us to Skillfully Engage in Difficult Conversations

By Cheryl Jones, Director of Mindfulness at Aetna As if the intensity of dealing with the coronavirus pandemic with its health and economic implications wasn’t enough, we now find ourselves in the midst of rising racial and political tensions. It feels as though our sanity and our humanity are at risk. I believe mindfulness (awareness that…

Leave a commentHealth and Wellness, Uncategorized

Expand Your Boundaries Beyond Your Disability by Staying Fit

Expand Your Boundaries Beyond Your Disability by Staying Fit

Living with a disability does not mean you’re exempt from fitness activities. In fact, if you have just recently been diagnosed with a disability, exercising can help you cope and live a more rewarding and fulfilling life. Being active and fit has proven to not just improve physical well-being, but mental and emotional fitness, as…

Leave a commentDisability, Excercise, Health and Wellness, Living with Disability, Uncategorized

The Connections Among Sleep, Mental Health, and Absence from Work

The Connections Among Sleep, Mental Health, and Absence from Work

By Fred Schott In March 2021 I wrote a conversation-based CDA blog post with Ian Bridgman, executive director of The Claim Lab and a Council for Disability Awareness Board member, about the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on working Americans’ mental health. Bridgman indicated he was surprised with one trend in particular: “One of the data items…

Leave a commentHealth and Wellness, Mental Health, Protect Your Income, Uncategorized