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Bell Seal Application

MHA is committed to supporting your organization's workplace mental health journey. Feel free to connect with MHA before you apply to prepare for the application and learn more about how to support your workers' well-being.

The 2023 Bell Seal application cycle is now closed. MHA is not accepting applications at this time. 

Sign up for updates about the 2024 application cycle by completing an employer information form

Eligibility

Employers of all sizes and industries are welcome and encouraged to apply for the Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health. 

An employer actively engaged in any effort - through legislation, regulation, litigation, or other advocacy - to create public policies that weaken the rights of employees living with mental health or substance use conditions or discriminate against persons with mental health or substance use conditions are ineligible to apply for the Bell Seal. 

Application Process

MHA strives to provide a simple and clear application process for all employers. Follow these steps to get started:

  1. Submit an employer information form.
  2. Once you submit the form, expect an email with a link to the online application.
  3. Complete the online application. This should take approximately 1 - 2 hours to complete. 

Take these two optional steps to help better prepare you to apply:

The renewal process for 2022 Bell Seal Recipients begins in January 2023.

Deadline

MHA accepts Bell Seal applications from September 2022 through March 2023. The submission deadline is March 31, 2023.

Applications submitted after Friday, December 9, will not be reviewed until after January 2, 2023. Please expect a delay in receiving your results or scheduling meetings.

Confidentiality

Individual employer responses submitted with the application will be kept confidential and secure on MHA's servers and be used only for the purposes of this application. MHA may use aggregated information in educational or promotional tools.

Application Cost

The application cost is determined by the organization's number of FTEs at the time of application submission and ranges from $99-299. Please complete the employer information form to inquire about the application cost for your organization or company.

As a non-profit organization, all revenue generated by the Bell Seal program is returned to MHA programming and Bell Seal program-related expenses, including staff time to review applications and assist applicants through the process.

Reapplication

Employers will be asked to renew their certification in January of each year once they are awarded a Bell Seal. If you choose to renew your certification, you will need to review your prior application and submit changes no later than March 31, 2023.

Getting Your Results

Due to a high volume of applicants, receiving your results may take up to 30 business days. Results include which level of recognition - Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Platinum - the employer qualifies for and how they scored in each category.

Applications submitted after Friday, December 9, will not be reviewed until after January 2, 2023. Please expect a delay in receiving your results or scheduling meetings.

Publicizing/Promoting Organizations that Receive Bell Seal Certification

All Bell Seal-certified organizations, at their discretion, will have their logo included on MHA's Bell Seal website and be showcased on MHA's social media platforms and national newsletter. Certified organizations will also receive a toolkit that provides materials to promote the certification among their networks.

What if My Organization Doesn't Qualify?

If an employer doesn't qualify or wishes to achieve a higher level of recognition, MHA and its network of workplace partners can provide resources to assist the employer in improving their score before the March 31st deadline or for the following application cycle. 

Curious if your workplace qualifies for the Bell Seal? Take this quick assessment to get your organization's preliminary results. 

Questions?

MHA staff is available to assist applicants throughout the process. If you have any questions about the Bell Seal or how to apply, please see the FAQs above or contact Taylor Adams, MHA's Director of Workplace Mental Health, at workplace@mhanational.org.

 

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“Applying for MHA’s Bell Seal award was an organizational treasure hunt, rewarding us, as a team, with deeper insights into how we currently address behavioral health concerns in the workplace and where our opportunities lay for future projects. We recommend that any organization complete this exercise, large or small, to discover how you can encourage a workplace that thrives!”