ASEQ | Studentcare Supports Mental Health Awareness Month

MONTREAL, Oct. 27, 2020 /CNW Telbec/ - In support of Mental Health Awareness Month (this October in Canada), ASEQ | Studentcare would like to remind its members of the mental health services available to them. Access to these resources is especially important now with the COVID-19 pandemic impacting mental well-being, particularly among the student population.

With the help of its Director of National Mental Health Strategy, Dr. Elizabeth Cawley, and in partnership with Optima Global Health, ASEQ | Studentcare provides a student assistance program called Empower Me. This confidential mental health and wellness support service, available 24/7, 365 days a year, seeks to contribute to a resilient student community by supporting existing on-campus resources and creating more support options for students. With Empower Me, students can connect with mental health professionals via telephone, videoconference, or in person. Our philosophy holds that no issue is too big or too small to seek support for, and we encourage students to take steps toward improving their well-being by reaching out to Empower Me.

We are also aware that many students are unable to access on-campus services at this time, and we have worked with Optima Global Health to ensure that Empower Me is available across provincial, territorial, and national borders. Empower Me offers support from coast to coast to coast as well as internationally—this year we launched dedicated toll-free numbers for students in over 20 countries to connect them with mental health services from outside of Canada.

About Dr. Cawley and Optima Global Health

Dr. Elizabeth Cawley has a PhD in Psychiatry from McGill University, specializing in post-secondary student mental health. She was the Medavie Healthy Campuses Coordinator for the Association of Atlantic Universities (AAU) from 2017-2020, and is currently an expert member on the Technical Committee developing Canada's National Standard for the Mental Health and Well-Being of Post-Secondary Students. She works with ASEQ | Studentcare to analyze the specific needs of Canadian students in order to build them a comprehensive program of resources and tools.

Optima Global Health is a pioneer of the integrated approach for workplace health and wellness. Their expertise incorporates health promotion, prevention, psychosocial intervention, physical health support, disability management, and vocational rehabilitation. Through their services to organizations, market intermediaries, and insurers from coast to coast, Optima Global Health cares for the physical and psychological health of over 2 million members.

About ASEQ | Studentcare

Founded in 1996 in Montreal, ASEQ | Studentcare is the leading provider of student health-care programs in Canada, administering plans for over 1 million members from over 100 partner student associations and post-secondary institutions. ASEQ | Studentcare and its Founder and CEO, Lev Bukhman, are both registered at l'Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF).

SOURCE ASEQ