{"id":1275,"date":"2024-05-28T10:58:17","date_gmt":"2024-05-28T17:58:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/immixgroup.ca\/blog\/?p=1275"},"modified":"2024-05-28T11:10:00","modified_gmt":"2024-05-28T18:10:00","slug":"mental-health-support","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/immixgroup.ca\/blog\/2024\/05\/28\/mental-health-support\/","title":{"rendered":"Mental Health Support: A Simple Guide to Providing Mental Health Coverage within your Employee Benefits Program"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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How employers can support employee well-being within an employee benefits program <\/strong><\/h4>

As defined by the Canadian government<\/a>: mental health refers to one\u2019s general state of psychological and emotional well-being. We acknowledge this is a complex and nuanced topic, and that an employer\u2019s role in supporting positive well-being extends far beyond the insurance coverage they offer to employees. However, our focus here is on employee benefit products and services that fall under the \u2018mental health\u2019 umbrella.<\/p>

We are often asked \u201cwhat more can we do\u201d when it comes to mental health coverage. We have outlined the key areas of coverage for mental health and addressed how they should be reviewed, potentially amended or enhanced, and additional layers or adjacent programs you may wish to consider.<\/p>

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Supporting Mental Health: Crisis Response vs Ongoing Care and Support <\/strong><\/h4>

One thing to consider is an emergency or crisis situation versus an ongoing situation an employee may be struggling with. One may lead to another. While there are many quality resources available for those reaching out during a crisis (there are a plethora of hotlines available to members of various communities, for a wide range of issues or just general support), when an issue requires ongoing professional support, a financial barrier to care may present itself. In this article, we have outlined the various layers of support.<\/p>

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Employee & Family Assistance Program<\/strong>; the First Level of Support <\/strong><\/h4>

Employee & Family Assistance Programs or EFAPs (also called Employee Assistance Programs or EAPs) are well-known for their ability to provide 24-7 phone-based, online or direct support to members experiencing any sort of life event for which they need assistance. As we\u2019ve written about, they offer benefits to both employers and employees<\/a>. Most EFAP providers have extensive online resources available on a large variety of topics, and these often do not require membership or a login.<\/p>

Most plans offer some level of face-to-face or virtual counseling. While this varies depending on the EFAP, they are typically best suited to issues that can be resolved in the shorter-term, or where the member would benefit from referral to relevant online or community resources.\u00a0<\/p>

Our experience is that most members who require ongoing support desire to continue with face-to-face or virtual sessions directly with a counsellor of their choosing, who specializes in their area of concern. A downfall of EFAPs can be the inability to continue sessions with the same practitioner, once the limited free sessions expire. In this situation, a member may look to claim under their extended health care program. \u00a0<\/p>

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Paramedical Practitioners; Reimbursement for Therapist Visits <\/strong><\/h4>

Paramedical practitioners are a key component of an extended healthcare offering, and depending on the group, may make up a large percentage of overall extended healthcare claims.<\/p>

While we still see Massage, Physiotherapy and Chiropractor as the top claimed practitioners, those that fall under the \u2018mental health\u2019 umbrella have risen in ranking over the past several years. These practitioners include:<\/p>