Conference Coverage: 2020 Mental Health Summit

The coronavirus pandemic has brought the importance of mental health to the forefront like never before.

On Nov. 12 and 13, the virtual 2020 Mental Health Summit featured a two-day agenda of expert presentations to equip plan sponsors with all the tools and resources required to implement positive changes within their organizations’ benefits plan.

Find out what you missed:

A look at the link between mental health and gut health
The mental-health impacts of isolation and quarantine are clear, but Canadians may not realize loneliness can also harm their physical health. Read more.

Plan members using EAP, virtual care to support mental health during pandemic
The coronavirus pandemic has significantly increased plan members’ willingness to seek help for their mental-health concerns and to access video or telephone counselling. Read more.

Online CBT effective for treating chronic, severe mental-health conditions
Internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy is reaching pockets of the population that had never previously accessed mental-health care and achieving clinical improvement for users. Read more.

Meeting the growing need for mental health with virtual care
Long before the coronavirus pandemic disrupted everyone’s lives, a large portion of the working population had mental-health issues that affected their jobs and performance. Read more.

Understanding the journey of a patient with depression
Defining depression may seem simple, but it’s actually a complex mental-health disorder that can look different for every person it affects. Read more.

Addressing the role of the workplace in mental-health issues, support
Two-thirds of employees making short- or long-term disability claims cited their workplace or work-related issues as a cause, but despite this only one in three Canadian employers has a mental-health strategy in place. Read more.

Widespread use of AI could spur mental-health challenges
Technology and artificial intelligence can play important roles in helping to address mental-health issues, but they also have the potential to greatly exacerbate them. Read more.

Is private and public health care ready for a mental-health tsunami?
While group benefits plans can help employees access essential mental-health support, barriers still exist that keep people from receiving the care they need. Read more.

Canada’s mental-health care system ripe for a digital makeover
With the coronavirus pandemic expected to double the demand for mental-health service, digital technology is opening the door to a new normal, with shorter wait times for services, more personalized treatment options and improved integration between public and private providers. Read more.

Co-ordinated treatment plan required to get staff with depression back to work
With depression rapidly becoming the primary reason for workplace impairment and disability claims, it’s important to understand the role work plays in maintaining good health. Read more.