Dr. Janine Hubbard, co-president of the Association of Psychology Newfoundland and Labrador, said the next national initiative will be to try to get private businesses to follow in the federal government’s footsteps.

Treasury Board President Tony Clement announced Feb. 24 the feds would increase  coverage for psychological services for federal workers, their families and retirees.

“They doubled it from $1,000 to $2,000, and that makes a big difference,” said Hubbard.

“We want to approach the larger employers and have them look at their insurance packages. We can assist people if they have workplace insurance and help nip mental-health issues in the bud,” she said.

Hubbard said patients on a long wait list to see a provincial health psychologist could benefit from having private insurance.

She said if patients had access to six or eight sessions privately, psychologists could either help address a crisis or help them cope with issues while they wait to get into the public system.

“Not everything is suited for private practice, but if you can give someone the tools to effectively help while they’re waiting, it would be beneficial. And sometimes it might be a matter of getting a proper diagnosis,” she said.

At the launch of psychology month in February Dr. Kerry Mothersill, president of the Canadian Psychological Association, said one in five Canadians will experience a mental-health problem in a given year, yet only one in three reportedly receives care.

Access to a psychologist should be a right, not a privilege. The statistics are staggering. Canada needs to do a better job at making sure that help is available to those who need it.
Dr. Kerry Mothersill, president, Canadian Psychological Association

“Access to a psychologist should be a right, not a privilege. The statistics are staggering. Canada needs to do a better job at making sure help is available to those who need it,” said Mothersill.

According to www.cpa., in 2011, the disability plan for federal employees took in 3,875 new claims, and more than 47 per cent  were for mental-health conditions, led by depression and anxiety.

Mothersill said despite the significant toll mental disorders take on the Canadian population, on the workplace and on the economy, psychological services are not covered under public health insurance plans.  

“When employee coverage does exist, the caps are often too low and many Canadians are unable access the care that they need for a return to sustainable recovery and productivity,” Mothersill said.

Are you willing to talk about your experiences with accessing a psychologist? Inbox Bonnie Belec at bbelec@thetelegram.com or on Twitter @BelecBonnie