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U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy recently told the Huffington Post that “Emotional well-being is more than the absence of a mental illness. It’s that resource within each of us which allows us to reach ever closer to our full potential, and which also enables us to be resilient in the face of adversity.”

The piece adds: “As more research is conducted on emotional well-being, the more its ‘significant impacts' are realized on the risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes and other neurological conditions, he said.”

In fact, the U.S. Surgeon General maintains a page on Mental and Emotional Well-being. He writes: “Mental and emotional well-being is essential to overall health. Positive mental health allows people to realize their full potential, cope with the stresses of life, work productively, and make meaningful contributions to their communities.”

The site also lists “What Can Businesses and Employers Do?”

• Implement organizational changes to reduce employee stress (e.g., develop clearly defined roles and responsibilities) and provide reasonable accommodations (e.g., flexible work schedules, assistive technology, adapted work stations).
• Ensure that mental health services are included as a benefit on health plans and encourage employees to use these services as needed.
• Provide education, outreach, and training to address mental health parity in employment-based health insurance coverage and group health plans.

For more, see the Huffington Post video conversation with U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy here.