State reminds workers of support program after Rep. Dan Johnson’s suicide

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ) – After Representative Dan Johnson’s suicide, the State is reminding its workers there is a program available to help if they are struggling.

The Kentucky Employee Assistance Program supports state employees by helping them find a balance between personal and work life.

Trina Koontz says they work specifically with depression, grieving and suicidal thoughts.

Koontz says there is a nurse’s station inside the capital annex where employees can go for help, but the program also makes visits to job sites.

“When an employer, when upper management contacts us and asks us to come there, there’s so much value in the invitation itself,” said Koontz. “Employees, it helps them so much to know that their employer cares about them as a human being.”

Koontz says she understands it can be hard to do your best work if you’re also struggling with something personal.

“You can say, ‘Check your personal problems at the door,’ but everything comes with us in our full humanity to our work lives, and so I’m grateful for when employees want to provide this service to their employees,” said Koontz. “It shows a lot of compassion.”

The assistance program is only for state employees and their families, but everyone can use the national suicide prevention line. That number is 1-800-273-TALK.