As concern about post-traumatic stress disorder mounts, Morneau Shepell is adding a trauma assist program to its employee and family assistance program.
The new program, which is focused on early intervention, will help people affected by post-traumatic stress by providing confidential access to specialized care. It provides employers with an opportunity to reach employees with post-traumatic stress symptoms who are at risk of missing work or going on disability.
“While post-traumatic stress affects thousands of employees across Canada, the impact on organizations and employees whose workplace or daily job involves traumatic stressors is profound,” said Barb Veder, vice-president of clinical services and research lead at Morneau Shepell.
“We found that despite this, few short-term treatment and support programs exist for affected individuals. The trauma assist program was designed to fill this need.”
Read: How to deal with PTSD in the workplace
The trauma assist program doesn’t provide diagnoses of post-traumatic stress disorder. If diagnosis or long-term care is necessary, the program will refer people to the appropriate resources and treatment through Edgewood Health Network or an existing partner of their organization.
“The key to successful post-traumatic stress treatment is early intervention,” said Chris Dawson, chief executive officer of The Edgewood Health Network. “If left untreated, these stressors can increase in severity, with the potential to develop into a serious mental health issue, such as PTSD.”
Read: Ontario introduces PTSD legislation for first responders