New psychological services benefit coverage

In recent years, we’ve seen a welcome shift across higher education and a growing awareness of the importance of mental well-being. Mental well-being is rightfully moving to the forefront of conversations around how to ensure all employees have access to the support and resources they need to ensure a high quality of life, to feel valued and to reach their full potential. 

Effective October 1, 2023, employee health plans will cover psychological services.

• Services of a registered psychologist or a registered social worker will be added to the existing paramedical practitioner coverage in the health plan. 
• Benefit program eligibility and levels of coverage vary depending on your appointment. For details on what your plan covers, refer to the plan documents available on the Benefits Overview page. 
• Expenses incurred on or after October 1, 2023 can be submitted to Sun Life.
• Existing support from the Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) will not change. 
  • Adding psychological coverage to the health plans is a complement to our EFAP model and allows individuals autonomy to seek support that works best for them.
  • Please be reminded that there is no predetermined limit on the number of sessions that can be provided within the EFAP program, however services are solution focused in nature. 
  • EFAP services include speciality programs such as depression and trauma care. 

Changes to the academic and support staff health plans were reviewed and approved by the respective benefit committees. 

• The change to the academic plan resulted from the Mediator's Recommendations from the last round of collective bargaining and has been approved by the Academic Benefits Management Committee (ABMC). More information on the ABMC can be found in Appendix D of the Common Agreement. 
• The change to the support staff plan was reviewed and approved by the Support Staff Benefits Committee (SSBC). More information on the SSBC can be found in Appendix B of the Collective Agreement.

Have questions? You may find the answers to common questions below helpful. If you have additional questions, please contact the Staff Service Centre. 

Frequently Asked Questions

When does coverage begin?

Coverage begins on October 1, 2023. Expenses are eligible if they are incurred on or after October 1, 2023.

What practitioners are covered?

Registered means the individual practitioner is a member of the appropriate professional body for their profession. The practitioner’s registration number must be included on the receipt when submitting an expense.

Registered psychologists and registered social workers.

What does registered mean?

Registered means the individual practitioner is a member of the appropriate professional body for their profession. The practitioner’s registration number must be included on the receipt when submitting an expense.

How much coverage will I receive?

Program eligibility and levels of coverage vary depending on your appointment. For details on what your plan covers, refer to the plan documents available in the benefits overview.

Can I claim expenses under my Health Spending Account?

Expenses for a registered psychologist are eligible under the Health Spending Account. For information on other practitioner eligibility, please refer to the Canada Revenue Agency website, or call Sun Life at 1-800-361-6212.

Where can I find out more information on the Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP)?

More information about the EFAP model and services provided can be found on the HRHSE website.

I am currently seeing a counsellor through EFAP. Do I need to start paying or change providers?

There is no charge for visiting EFAP counsellors or accessing other EFAP services.The cost of the service is covered by the university.

The University of Alberta is committed to the safety, health and well-being of our faculty, staff and students. Every day, we advance this commitment to safety through the Culture of Care.