VGM’s HR team achieves mental health certification
By HME News Staff
Updated 9:48 AM CDT, Tue September 26, 2023
WATERLOO, Iowa—VGM Group’s entire human resources team has achieved Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) certification. MHFA is a program of the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. Similar to physical first aid and CPR, MHFA helps people assist someone experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis until professional assistance is obtained or the crisis is resolved. “As a 100% employee-owned company, we know that to take care of the company, we have to take care of each other,” said Sara Laures, VGM’s chief people officer. “We all have struggles at some point in our lives. VGM is a place where people lend a helping hand. And the Mental Health First Aid certification allows us to better care for our fellow employee owners.” VGM employee owners have access to several resources and services that provide help, guidance, and treatment for mental health concerns. This includes free, confidential short-term counseling through an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), ongoing webinars on financial, physical, and mental wellness, and access to a free health clinic. The company also continually adds programs and benefits that help reduce barriers and stress for its employees. Recent examples include a language learning program which launched in June and an on-site child care center which opens in November. And in 2021, it launched the VGM Family Fund, an employee-funded program that helps fellow employee owners in their time of need. To date, over $100,000 has been awarded, helping over 200 employee owners.
Comments