Morneau Shepell expands iCBT programs to continue supporting Canadians' declining mental health

Programs focus on managing trauma, grief and loss, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder and social anxiety

TORONTO, Nov. 9, 2020 /CNW/ - Morneau Shepell announced today the expansion of programs for its therapist-guided internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy (iCBT) solution, AbilitiCBT.

The new programs are designed to help people deal with trauma, grief and loss and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and round out the current AbilitiCBT programs: anxiety (expanding to better support panic disorder and social anxiety), anxiety related to a pandemic, depression, combined anxiety/depression, insomnia and pain management.

The new AbilitiCBT programs were developed in response to increased need for therapist-assisted digital services as Canadians continue to struggle with mental health challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Morneau Shepell's monthly Mental Health Index™ reports have continued to show a trend of declining mental health for Canadians, with findings showing that the strained mental health of Canadians may be here for the long term.

"Over the past few months alone, we have provided support to tens of thousands of Canadians, through both corporate programs and our partnerships with the governments of Ontario and Manitoba. Our work, however, is just beginning," said Nigel Branker, president, health and productivity solutions. "Our extensive clinical data and comprehensive mental health research continues to indicate a strong and growing need for additional therapist-assisted digital mental health programs during these challenging times. We are committed to expanding our support and working with our partners to help as many Canadians as we can."

AbilitiCBT therapists are well-versed in all aspects of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), which is one of the most effective forms of therapy. "The clinical efficacy of our AbilitiCBT programs is rooted in the combination of accessible, user-friendly digital content and professional guidance by a therapist, who not only completes the online health assessment with a phone or video consultation, but also provides ongoing monitoring and regular check-ins throughout the program," explained Linda Naranjit, clinical director for AbilitiCBT. "The structured approach to providing clinical support allows users to work through our programs at the pace that works best for them, knowing a therapist is there to help them every step of the way."

Morneau Shepell is a leading global provider of wellbeing services, with thousands of therapists in an extensive network, including crisis counsellors, who offer support to any AbilitiCBT user who needs help. 

The new trauma and grief and loss programs will be available by the end of 2020, while the OCD and the expanded anxiety programs will be on the AbilitiCBT platform in early 2021, in both English and French. 

About Morneau Shepell
Morneau Shepell is a leading provider of technology-enabled HR services that deliver an integrated approach to employee wellbeing through our cloud-based platform. Our focus is providing world-class solutions to our clients to support the mental, physical, social and financial wellbeing of their people. By improving lives, we improve business. Our approach spans services in employee and family assistance, health and wellness, recognition, pension and benefits administration, retirement consulting, actuarial and investment services. Morneau Shepell employs approximately 6,000 employees who work with some 24,000 client organizations that use our services in 162 countries. Morneau Shepell is a publicly traded company on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: MSI). For more information, visit morneaushepell.com.

SOURCE Morneau Shepell Inc.