Using Project ECHO to Keep Professionals Well at Work: Individual and Organizational Outcomes

Abstract

Objective: The toll of COVID-19 stress on the mental health of the workforce has been well-documented. The present study examined the use of the Project ECHO framework to provide practices and resources on stress management and emotion regulation to increase individual and organizational health and well-being. Methods: Three independent ECHOs were designed and conducted over an 18-month period. Data was collected on the implementation of new learning and comparisons of organizational efforts toward being more secondary trauma responsive from baseline to post initiative, using cloud-based survey methods. Results: Findings suggest that the use of micro-interventions at the organizational level improved over time in the areas of resilience-building and policy-making, and that individuals were actively integrating skills related to managing their stress. Conclusions: Lessons learned adapting and implementing ECHO strategies in the midst of a pandemic are offered, as well as how to cultivate wellness champions in the workforce.