July 7, 2022
JULY 7, 2022 - HALIFAX, NS – Traditional in-person appointments for health care needs are no longer the norm. To expand on the ways plan members can access care, Medavie Blue Cross announced today the launch of Text Therapy, a new modality for counselling that enhances how and when people can receive mental health and wellness services. Medavie Blue Cross becomes the first carrier in Canada to provide seamless access and coverage for Text Therapy.
“The way in which individuals are accessing mental health services is evolving to be reflective of the way we communicate and connect in 2022,” shared Shane Reid, Director, Drug, Product & Provider Management at Medavie Blue Cross. “Text Therapy enhances access to therapy for individuals who may experience barriers to accessing services, who may not be comfortable with in-person therapy or who find this modality more convenient for their lifestyles.”
Early findings of a five-year study through the Observatoire sur la santé et le mieux-être au travail (OSMET), sponsored by Medavie Blue Cross, highlights that over one-in-three working Canadians are experiencing some form of mental distress[i]. With the rise of mental health challenges and digitization of mental health access, Text Therapy creates an additional avenue for plan members to avail of important services to manage and improve their overall wellbeing.
“Over the last two years, we have collectively been asking ourselves how can we continue to do things differently? How can we continue to evolve our offering to meet the needs of our plan members in today’s changing environment?” shared Reid. “Text Therapy is a great example of taking a traditional offering, like services from a registered therapist, and evolving it so that members now have another option in when and how they can access these services to better suit their lifestyles. We want to make mental health and wellness services as accessible as possible.”
Text Therapy is provided by a registered therapist and is available, at a preferred rate, to all Medavie Blue Cross group and individual members through our Connected Care digital health platform. This service is provided by Focus Mental Wellness, a company that specializes in text message, telephonic and video counselling.
“We are thrilled to partner with Medavie Blue Cross to support innovative ways for its members to access therapy,” shared Focus Mental Wellness CEO, Marion Adams. “Medavie aligns perfectly with our goal to make therapy as accessible as possible, and we look forward to helping many more Canadians achieve better mental wellness.”
To learn more about Text Therapy, plan members and their families can visit the Medavie mobile app or medaviebc.ca/connectedcare.
About Focus Mental Wellness
Focus Mental Wellness is a secure online healthcare platform and mobile app that conveniently provides video, phone and text therapy to Canadians struggling with mental health issues and substance abuse. We’re compliant with PHIPA, PIPEDA and all equivalent provincial legislation in Canada, with a diverse network of expert therapists who provide confidential, affordable virtual therapy when and where it’s needed.
[i] Observatoire sur la santé et le mieux-être au travail (OSMET) study : Importance of mental health issues in the workplace before and during the COVID-19 crisis