Mount Royal's new Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) as of Aug. 1 is Inkblot Therapy, Canada’s first and largest digital EFAP provide. Inkblot Therapy was chosen through a request for proposal process after a thorough review of current services and needs. With a focus on digital-first well-being support, Inkblot provides options that align with our employees’ needs, including easy-to-access counselling, and life and work services in the areas of work and career, health and nutrition, legal and financial, life transitions and more. 

Eligible employees and their spouse and dependants can access:

• Greater flexibility to access resources: online, in person or by phone with the ability to schedule a virtual counselling appointment within 24 to 72 hours.
• Personalized therapist matching service: Flexible matching system allows you to select your own counsellor based on your needs and preferences, including clinical experience, cultural fit, language, religion, availability and more.
• Increased continuity of care: You can stay on with your therapist at a reduced rate if you want to continue seeing them after your sponsored hours are expended. 
• Wide spectrum of experts: Registered nurses, dieticians, coaches and trained experts help you navigate all aspects of life and achieve your personal goals. 
• Legal and financial consultations: Access expert advice and guidance on legal matters, financial planning, debt management and other related topics.
• Work-life solutions: Discover a wealth of resources — including articles, webinars and workshops — to assist you in managing daily life challenges, such as childcare, eldercare and education.
• Health and well-being support: Gain access to tools and resources aimed at improving physical well-being, including online health assessments, lifestyle coaching and personalized wellness plans.
• Support for managers: Inkblot offers specialized support and guidance for managers and supervisors to assist them in supporting their team members during challenging situations.

 

What do I need to do?

You received information on Tuesday, Aug. 1 from Inkblot Therapy — support@inkblottherapy.com — on how to register and create an account. Follow the instructions and then start using the resources and services available to support you and your family in the areas of mind, body, life and work. You can also find the registration code in the Wellness Resources area of the Employee Resources & Timesheets page on myMRU.ca.

What happens to the services/resources I am receiving from Homewood Health?

During the transition period from our previous EFAP provider, Homewood Health, you can continue to use Homewood programming and access resources until Thursday, Aug. 31. After that, those with open counselling/coaching cases will have 90 days to close them. Visit Employee Wellness to learn more about these services. 

How do I access Inkblot Therapy?

Click the link in the email you received on Aug. 1 from support@inkblottherapy.com. You can also find the registration code in the Wellness Resources area of the Employee Resources & Timesheets page on myMRU.ca.

 

How to register and book appointments in Inkblot Therapy

 

 

Frequently asked questions

What is changing and when? 
As of Aug. 1, 2023, Mount Royal’s Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) provider is Inkblot Therapy, Canada’s first and largest digital EFAP provider. Learn more about Inkblot.

How will this affect me? 
All Mount Royal employees can access our EFAP, no matter the provider. You can continue to access Homewood Health services and resources through Thursday, Aug. 31. After that time, Inkblot will be Mount Royal’s sole EFAP. 

What do I need to do? 
Employees received an email on Tuesday, Aug. 1 from support@inkblottherapy.com with instructions on how to register and create an account to access Inkblot resources. Complete the registration process and begin using the resources and services available to support you and your family in the areas of mind, body, life and work. You can also find the registration code in the Wellness Resources area of the Employee Resources & Timesheets page on myMRU.ca.

Why are we changing providers? 
This change was made to better provide critical services and resources for our employees. Inkblot Therapy, Canada’s first and largest digital EFAP provider, was chosen through a request for proposal process after a thorough review of current services and needs. With a focus on digital-first well-being support, Inkblot provides options and resources that align with our employees’ needs, including easy-to-access counselling, and life and work services.

I use services with our existing EFAP. What does this change mean to me? 
You can continue to do so as the resources and services provided by Homewood Health are in place through the end of August. You have until Thursday, Aug. 31 to enroll in Homewood Health programming and access resources. Then, those who have open counselling/coaching cases will have 90 days to close them after Aug. 31. 

Where can I learn more about Inkblot and its services? 
Visit Inkblot’s website to learn more. You can also review services and resources through Inkblot’s online platform once you have registered and created an account.

Who is eligible to access Mount Royal’s EFAP? 
All employees at Mount Royal are eligible to access Mount Royal’s EFAP. Please note: The level of resources differs between employee groups. See below for details.

How many hours of services and resources do I receive with the new EFAP?
Regular employees — including contract faculty — and their partners and dependants can receive the following each contract year (Aug. 1 through July 31):

• Five hours of individual mental health counselling and five hours of couples/family counselling
• Five hours of nutrition/health coaching
• Five hours of life transition coaching
• Legal consultations as needed 
  
• Financial consultations as needed

Casual employees, non-credit instructors and private music instructors, their partners and dependants can receive three hours of individual mental health counselling via phone or online each contract year (Aug. 1 through July 31).

All employees can also access online mental health e-learning courses and the Wellness Hub, in addition to Tranquility ICBT, a self-directed digital program that uses cognitive behavioural therapy to help people with anxiety and depression achieve their wellness goals.

How do I complete the personalized matching and then book therapy appointments?

Once you create your Inkblot account, fill out a short, personalized matching assessment. Inkblot generates a short-list of counsellors best-suited for your needs based on clinical experience, cultural fit, language and more. You can then book a phone, video or in-person* session. Generally, you can book an online appointment in as little as 24-72 hours, making accessing support easy, fast and effective.

The first appointment is a free 15-minute consultation to ensure you have found a good therapist match. Individual counselling appointments can be booked for 30, 60 or 90 minutes and couples/family counselling appointments can be booked for 60 or 90 minutes.

*Note: In-person appointments are only available to regular employees, including contract faculty.

What happens if I use my sponsored hours? 
Seamless continuity of care allows for long-term support after your sponsored hours have been used. Subsequent individual or couples online counselling sessions cost $110/hr for in-person sessions and $90/hr for virtual sessions. You can submit these sessions under your Sun Life coverage or through your Health Spending Account, if applicable. 

Who are the care providers available through Inkblot and what are their qualifications? 
Inkblot care providers undergo a stringent vetting process before becoming part of its network. Generally, they are licensed Master-level counsellors, social workers, psychotherapists and psychologists who are in good standing with their provincial board. These Canadian providers are experienced in various clinical settings and must obtain specific designations to practice.

How is my privacy maintained? 
Only you and your counsellor have access to your mental health information. Appointments on Inkblot are not recorded or stored on any server. In fact, they do not go through our servers at all. A military-grade encrypted link for your appointment is made directly between you and your care provider, which bypasses Inkblot servers.

Inkblot does not store your financial information. A highly secure platform called Stripe (which is similar to PayPal) handles all billing and financial transactions. 

Personal information, such as your name, address, and any of your care provider's notes and documents, are stored on a dedicated server with its own protected network located in Toronto. This data is encrypted at the highest possible level, and the server is audited regularly to ensure it meets the highest standards of best security practices (SOC 2 certified).

All information stored on the Inkblot platform is only accessible to a few Inkblot employees, and their access is regularly audited to ensure security and appropriateness. Inkblot is legally bound not to allow any third-party company (including your employer) to have access to your information without your written consent.

Who should I contact with questions?
Email employeewellness@mtroyal.ca with any questions