Pilot Offers Anonymous Mental Health Help to Workers

A QR-code survey platform linking New Jersey construction workers with private mental health and substance-use resources is being tested at sites across the state.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Substance Abuse

Pilot Offers Anonymous Mental Health Help to Workers

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New Jersey Institute of Technology and International Union of Operating Engineers Local 825 launched a pilot program that lets construction workers take anonymous mental health surveys by scanning QR codes. By October 23, 2026, 202 people had tried the platform.

Why it matters

Construction workers face elevated rates of anxiety, depression and substance use, and the pilot tests whether confidential, low-barrier access can reach workers who might not otherwise seek help. The program's results could shape how unions and employers in New Jersey approach worker wellbeing.

By October 23, 2026, 202 people had tried the platform at a dozen pilot sites in New Jersey and New York, compared with a construction industry where a 2025 Clayco-funded survey found 64% of workers had faced anxiety or depression in the prior year. Whether the pilot will reach a larger share of the workforce, and what effect it has on outcomes, has not been reported.

The players

New Jersey Institute of Technology

A public research university in Newark that partnered on developing the construction worker mental health platform.

International Union of Operating Engineers Local 825

A construction trades union whose Member Assistance Program serves more than 7,800 active members and about 1,000 retirees.

Chris Lalevee

Runs the union's Member Assistance Program and distributes the posters and stickers used to promote the platform at job sites.

The details

Workers scan a QR code on posters outdoors or stickers inside restrooms, complete a survey without giving their name, and are directed to help based on their answers. Each code is unique so the team can tell which site was used, and survey data is anonymous; users can flag depression, substance use or gambling trouble. The platform, called Protecting Under the Hard Hat, was ready as a prototype at the start of 2026 and went live this spring at a handful of sites in Essex and Hudson counties.

2019: Chris Lalevee began running the union's Member Assistance Program.
Start of 2026: A working prototype of the platform was ready.
Spring 2026: The platform went live at sites in Essex and Hudson counties.
October 23, 2026: 202 people had tried the platform.

Big Picture

The CDC has reported that the construction suicide rate runs about four times the general population rate, and a February 2026 analysis found that rate fell to 41.9 per 100,000 workers in 2024. The pilot tests whether anonymous, workplace-based access can build on that trend in a sector where help-seeking has historically been low.

Construction workers in New Jersey can scan a poster or sticker on site to take a private survey and be pointed toward help without giving their name. The approach gives workers a confidential first step if they are dealing with depression, substance use or gambling problems.

The takeaway

Workers who notice signs of depression, substance use or gambling trouble in themselves or coworkers can use confidential, workplace-based tools to start a conversation about help. Early, private contact can matter most in trades where stigma has kept many people from seeking support.