• Mental Health Helpline. 24/7 crisis and support helpline - call 1-877-303-2642. Call if you need to talk to someone. No problem is too small. They will connect you with resources that meet your needs.
• First Nations and Inuit Hope for Wellness. 24/7 helpline – call 1-855-242-3310 or connect to the online chat. Immediate counselling and crisis intervention to all Indigenous peoples across Canada. Language options include Cree, Ojibway, and Inuktitut.
• Alberta Health Services Addictions Helpline. 24/7 helpline – call 1-866-332-2322. Free addictions support, information and referral to services including free addictions counselling.
• HealthLink. – call 811. A free 24/7 telephone service providing advice from a nurse.

GPRC provides its employees and their families with wellness support through HumanaCare Employee and Family Assistance Program. One of the benefits included in this program is face-to-face personal counselling. Call 1-800-661-8193 24/7 for support. There is no cost to you for this service.

For more information on the other benefits available to you through HumanaCare look at your benefits package on Sharepoint. The information will be located under Human Resources – Orientation - Benefits.

What About Confidentiality?

• All counselling services provided through HumanaCare are confidential. Your employer will never know you have used the service unless you choose to tell them.
• All HumanaCare counselling services are provided off-site. To protect confidentiality, there are no counselling services available on-site for staff and faculty.

Consult your extended health benefits package for information on additional coverage for personal counselling services.

If your concern is related to a workplace incident, please see the Respectful Workplace Policy, and feel free to contact a person in authority whom you trust, or your Human Resources representative for support.

Tips for talking to someone who might be struggling

The most important information to convey to someone else is that they matter, and that you care about them. By talking to others on campus when you notice they are struggling, we promote a safe, caring, and mentally healthy campus.

Approach

• Express concern in a private, one-on-one conversation.
• Be specific about the behaviour that concerns you.
• Don’t be afraid to discuss mental health openly. This actually reduces stigma around seeking support!
• Sample script: “I’ve noticed you’ve turned in the last two assignments late. That’s unusual, and I’m concerned about you.”

Listen and Support

• Listen openly and without judgement on what they tell you.
• Acknowledge the person’s feelings in a compassionate way.
• Sample script: “It sounds like you’ve been dealing with a lot lately, and are feeling overwhelmed. Is there anything I can do to help?”

Refer

• Provide the person with resources that are appropriate for them. See the For Students, or For Staff and Faculty sections of this page for appropriate referral information.
• Offer to sit with them, or support them while they call the resource.
• Sample Script: “Asking for support can seem scary, but it’s really a sign of courage and strength. If you’d like, I can give you some information on who to call for help. I could even sit with you while you contact them if you’d like the support.”

What if a person says no to a referral?

• Respect the person’s decision. Accessing assistance is a person’s choice. They have the right to refuse resources or support, except in certain emergency situations where a person’s life (or the safety of others) is in danger.
• Know that the person’s response to you is not personal.
• Don’t’ force the issue, and don’t try and trick the person into going.
• Try to leave the door open for the future
• Sample Script: “I respect your decision, maybe these options will be helpful in the future. My door is open if you change your mind.”

Mental Health Services offers informational sessions for staff and faculty to feel better equipped to support and refer a student they think might be struggling. Click here to sign up for an upcoming session.