Professional Services and Supports

Employee Assistance Programs

Most school boards in Ontario have some form of Employee Assistance Program (EAP). The EAP offers easy access to services and professionals that provide external and confidential support when you need it most.

The types of services and benefits afforded to teachers through their EAP program will vary from board to board, but most of these programs offer some free services and/or counselling in the following areas: family, marriage/divorce, depressions, grief, addiction, finances, and anger and stress management. The following types of professionals are available for you to access through a referral from your doctor or an EAP: counsellors or therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, stress specialists, addiction counsellors, and financial counsellors.

Contact the Association representative in your school or call your local OECTA unit office to get the contact information for the EAP in your board. If long-term counselling is required, you should contact your family physician for a referral to a specialist.

Dire Distress Grants

As the need arises, grants may be provided to members, or retired members, who find themselves in dire financial need. Members may be eligible to receive up to $10,000. The amount and any terms by which a grant is provided is determined by a Grants Committee

CAREpath

CAREpath is a Canadian organization that specializes in cancer-related service programs and is made available through OTIP. The following three services are offered as part of the CAREpath program:

• Navigation System – Tailored one-on-one emotional support and medical advice from the initial cancer diagnosis, throughout treatment, post-treatment and into remission
• Survivor Support – Information and guidance for successful survivorship
• Cancer Information Line – Cancer-related information for extended family members, colleagues and friends who have been diagnosed with cancer

FeelingBetterNow

This program helps teachers to get the right diagnosis and treatment as early as possible. FeelingBetterNow is a confidential web-based healthcare program designed for early diagnosis and ongoing management of common emotional and mental health issues.

Available to all OTIP members and their families free-of-charge, FeelingBetterNow is an assessment tool designed for both physicians and patients.