As the ever-growing mental health crisis sweeps across the country, plan sponsors are facing increased urgency to deliver robust, accessible mental health services to their plan members (and their dependents). While 33 per cent of Canadian companies have mental health strategies in place, these solutions are frequently falling short.
With the pandemic nudging plan members towards “care that comes to them”, the situation calls for mental health services that are digital and available anytime, anywhere. Green Shield Canada (GSC) continues to lead the charge with fresh ideas. We know that forward-thinking plan sponsors are taking a holistic approach to mental health – and increasing mental health maximums is often just a part of the larger puzzle.
As you may recall from our announcement in March, the GSC group of companies acquired Inkblot Technologies (Inkblot), one of Canada’s leading and fastest growing digital-first mental health services companies. Since then, GSC and Inkblot have worked closely on digital offerings to meet the evolving mental health needs – and we have recapped the offerings below, including the newest layer of our digital mental health strategy, Access.
- Inkblot Direct to Consumer (DTC): Via our Digital Clinic, GSC plan members can connect with an Inkblot professional. This is similar to working with a counsellor in a physical setting, except it’s digital. The same reimbursement limitations that apply to a benefits plan – maximums, visit frequency, provider eligibility, etc. – apply here. Think of this as simply a different channel (digital vs. in-person) for someone to access their existing mental health coverage, if it is part of their plan.
- Inkblot Employee Assistance Program (EAP): As GSC’s preferred EAP provider, Inkblot delivers the most tailored EAP experience in the marketplace, headlined by digital mental health care (including 24/7/365 crisis support) and backed by valuable additional services.
- NEW! Inkblot Access: Access is a low-cost option for plan sponsors that provides plan members with a mental health hub for rapid counselling support, plus reduced rates to stretch their benefit maximums across more sessions. (Scroll down for more of the Access highlights.)
SO, HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHICH OFFERING IS THE BEST FIT FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION?
Click here for a handy chart that captures the all-important details, helping you compare the key features of Inkblot’s DTC, EAP and Access offerings.
MORE ON INKBLOT'S ACCESS OFFERINGS
- Getting started with Access is simple. Plan members receive a secure link to a co-branded Inkblot-GSC site to complete their registration.
- Using Inkblot’s unique matching algorithm, which incorporates diversity and inclusivity considerations, plan members are able to select a best-matched counsellor from a curated list – one that meets the required credentials of their benefits plan, with sessions available as early as 24-48 hours (regardless of geography). No more lengthy wait times; no more confusion in navigating their benefit coverage and the health care system.
- The first consultation session is free to ensure the selected counsellor is the right fit for the plan member. Inkblot’s virtual counselling sessions are booked by plan members right into their chosen counsellor’s schedule with reminder messages sent prior to every session.
- As Inkblot providers are “GSC-approved”, plan members can easily submit Inkblot claims via GSC everywhere for reimbursement under their existing mental health plan maximum. Even better, with counselling rates that are 50 per cent of the national average, plan members can stretch their maximums further for more sessions resulting in greater resolution, even with more complex issues requiring longer-term care.
- The Inkblot team will provide all the necessary support to launch the Access offering for plan members, including implementation resources and promotional materials. The offering also includes mental health training for managers and plan members, and detailed evidence-based reporting on utilization, clinical improvement outcomes, satisfaction ratings and more.
Contact your GSC account team today for a quote and more information.
