TAL issues mental health service to clients

In a statement, TAL said it will add Remedy Healthcare’s ‘MindStep’ program to its existing health support services, offering free life coaching sessions to “customers on income protection claims associated with depression or anxiety”.

“The optional MindStep program will draw on trained mental health coaches from Remedy Healthcare to offer a series of behavior activation sessions to TAL customers aimed at increasing motivation and facilitating improved wellbeing,” the statement said.

Commenting on the partnership, TAL head of mental health Glenn Baird said mental health was a priority for the insurer, and the addition of this program is a step towards meeting client needs.

“Mental health is an important focus for TAL and one of the top three reasons our customers claimed in 2017,” he said.

“We are committed to providing the best possible support for our customers with mental health conditions and one of the ways we do this is by facilitating access to mental health support through partnerships with the external health community.”

The statement said the MindStep program complements the services provided by the customers’ GPs and sees the appointed life coach work directly with the customer’s usual doctor, and according to Remedy Healthcare executive general manager David Brajkovic, has had a “measurable improvement in the mental health of over 70 per cent of [its] previous participants”.

“We are delighted to be bringing the MindStep program to TAL, who have done some leading work in the mental health space within the life insurance sector,” Mr Brajkovic added.