One development during the COVID-19 pandemic has been the growing number of people seeking help for their mental well-being. From a survey completed in 2019 versus a survey in August 2020, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that symptoms of anxiety had tripled and symptoms of depression had quadrupled.
Mental health referrals around the world are soaring. The causes are well understood: job losses, diminished paycheques, economic displacement and lost opportunity; isolation due to lockdowns and social distancing, and the profound impact of grief for loved ones lost. Surveys and opinions in countries large and small substantiate what is now seen as an emerging mental health crisis.
Since the declaration of the pandemic one year ago, Coralisle Group Ltd. (CG) has monitored its impact in every jurisdiction it operates. In November, it took action, introducing the Employee Assistance Programme as a value-added benefit to provide increased mental wellness support to eligible members with comprehensive health insurance cover.
The Employee Assistance Programme, also known as EAP, is a free, 24/7 service offering member support for any work or personal issue. The programme is confidential, providing counselling and access to various resources to help people manage their emotional, practical and physical needs.
“Adding this programme to our members available resources was a vital step for us to take because so many people are struggling to cope with pressures from the pandemic,” CG’s Chief Operating Officer for Health Beth Frazier said. “In our daily interactions with our client base, we have seen and heard the need for additional support for mental health, financial counselling and physical wellness. It is important that we listen and respond to these needs in a way that’s easily accessible for our clients.”
CG’s EAP is available everywhere CG operates and there are no charges or co-pays for its services. However, it is the only programme of its kind available through a medical insurer in Bermuda, The Bahamas, BVI, TCI and Barbados. Confidentiality is maintained within the organizational confines of the EAP and its independent professional staff.
The EAP initiative reflects CG’s expanding commitment to the concept of wellness. Its longstanding Zest Wellness programme, for example, has brought forward a new focus on mental health through its virtual content, including webinars, podcasts and annual health conference, its meditation series with Deepak Chopra and its recently launched Mindful Leader Programme, featuring Michael Apollo, an international expert in workplace mindfulness.”
CG’s Corporate Wellness Director Jacqueline Perreault noted that “Mental health programmes are surpassing physical activity programmes for the first time, and requests by our members for more support in this area substantiate the trend. As a result, we will continue raising awareness and creating important new levels of support through coaching, workshops and educational content, and partnering with local and international mental health experts.”
Ms. Frazier said CG’s EAP and wellness initiatives were reflective of the company’s people-first approach to business.
“The closer we are with what’s happening in the lives of our members, the better we are able to support them,” she said. “It’s better for them, better for us and better for the communities we live in.”
Should any current CG medical members question their eligibility for this programme, please contact your local customer service representative for details.
About Coralisle Group Ltd.
Coralisle Group Ltd. is a Bermuda-based holding company for the Coralisle Group of Companies (CG or the Group), which has commercial operations in Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, The Bahamas, the British Virgin Islands, Barbados and the Turks and Caicos Islands. The Group comprises independently incorporated companies in these jurisdictions offering property and casualty insurance, employee benefits for pensions and health, life assurance and personal investment products and has received an A rating from AM Best. The Group draws commercial strength from the cohesion of a group of companies accessing a variety of skills, experience and local knowledge in different jurisdictions.
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