Counslr lands construction partnerships to expand mental health support

Counslr is expanding into the construction sector with new partnerships at JRM Construction Management and United Construction to offer confidential, text-based mental health support. The move targets an industry with high rates of anxiety, depression and suicide, where stigma and jobsite demands often keep workers from seeking help.

Why it matters: - Construction workers face some of the highest mental health risks across professions. - Nearly two-thirds of U.S. construction workers, 64%, reported anxiety or depression in the past year in a recent industry survey. - Forty-five percent said they would feel ashamed discussing mental health, addiction or suicidal thoughts with coworkers. - The CDC said the construction industry had the second-highest suicide rate among occupations in 2021. - Access to private, on-demand support can reach workers whose schedules and jobsite conditions make traditional care harder to use.

What happened: - Counslr announced new partnerships with JRM Construction Management, based in New York City, and Reno-based United Construction. - The partnerships will give employees live, confidential mental health support through text. - The announcement was made Aug. 19, 2026.

The details: - Counslr provides on-demand support within two minutes of opening the app, or by scheduled appointment. - The platform offers unlimited access to wellness resources and live texting sessions with licensed professionals, 24/7/365. - Users can communicate one-on-one with a licensed counselor privately from anywhere. - Counslr said the service is designed for people in employers, schools, unions, nonprofits, military organizations and community groups. - The company said organizations can provide the support at no direct cost to users. - Daniel Katcher, executive managing director at Newmark and a Counslr board member, said construction and commercial real estate employees often face intense deadlines, financial pressure and changing project conditions. - Katcher said unpredictable schedules, jobsite environments, privacy concerns and stigma can keep workers from traditional mental health services.

Between the lines: - Counslr is targeting workers who may never use conventional therapy channels. - Josh Liss, Counslr's CEO, said nearly 90% of the company's users had never previously engaged with mental health services. - A JMIR Formative Research study on a real-time text-based mental health app found most users chose on-demand sessions. - More than 80% of sessions in that study happened between 7 p.m. and 5 a.m., when traditional services are often unavailable. - The expansion suggests Counslr sees construction as a high-need market where immediate and private support can overcome stigma.

What's next: - Counslr said it will continue partnering with organizations that want to offer mental health support to employees. - JRM Construction Management and United Construction employees can now access the platform through the new partnerships. - Counslr said it aims to help users address concerns while they are still small.

The bottom line: - Counslr is betting that text-based, always-available mental health support can reach construction workers who may not seek traditional care.