Employee and Family Assistance Program

• There are no costs to current benefit-eligible employees and their immediate family members when they receive this service.
• Occasionally, one of the EFAP clinicians may refer the individual to an outside service or agency if an extended counselling program is required or if some specialized treatment is warranted. In these instances, the EFAP clinician will stay in touch with the employee until the problem is resolved and the outside service is no longer required. An attempt will be made to refer to outside services where provincial or employee health plans and government services will cover the cost.

A Client Care Representative (CCR) from the Intake Team will receive your call and is qualified to put you in touch with the resources you require to handle the situation at hand. They will evaluate your situation, risk, needs, and preferences before directing you to the help that will help you find a solution. To make sure you qualify for the EFAP program, they will ask you several questions, including who your employer is.

Ways to access Telus Health counselling include calling 1.833.366.4544 or connecting through the chat online or through the app. 

• Urgent or emergency support is available 24/7/365by calling 1.833.366.4544. 
• In-person counselling is a traditional session format, ideal for families or couples who need interaction.  
• Video counselling offers face-to-face support virtually. 
• For those who prefer written communication, e-counselling via email exchange with a Counsellor is the most appropriate option. It is also ideal for travelling individuals, providing assistance anywhere. 
• Chat provides instant support with a Counsellor online, via Telus Health (under the ‘Support & Resources’ menu), or through the Telus Health app. 
• Health and wellness resources can be found online and are self-directed in the Telus Health virtual dashboard. 

All EFAP counsellors are properly trained, have a Master’s degree, and have at least five years of clinical experience. Some counsellors may also be multilingual or have specialized skills. Telus Health is working on growing their network and systems to be able to connect clients with counsellors who share a lived experience and will do their best to accommodate requests. 

Both McMaster University and Telus Health take user confidentiality very seriously. No one will know you are using this service unless you tell them. For added privacy, Telus Health doesn’t book back-to-back appointments for any McMaster employees or their family members. 

Yes, we have a page dedicated to supporting your psychological well-being.  There is an additional webpage that outlines the mental health training available for staff and faculty.

Visit login.lifeworks.com or download the mobile app (LifeWorks) from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store and select log in.

LifeWorks has recently been acquired by Telus Health. Telus Health is proud to welcome the LifeWorks team and global community, including the independent health practitioners and organizations from around the world who support the total wellbeing of millions of individuals. During the transition, some promotional materials or communications may still be branded under the LifeWorks brand for the time being. 

All McMaster employees, as well as the employee’s spouse and dependent children up to the age of 21, or up to the age of 25 if still enrolled in full-time education, are eligible for counselling services. 

When a parent or child contacts EFAP, the EFAP clinical team will work to establish if the individual understands the limits of confidentiality/consent and the service they are trying to access. 

•  Child 16 and under: Needs consent from a parent. 
• 16 and over: A child can consent to counselling in Ontario.
• Sometimes children need the services of a counsellor who specializes in supporting children. While there are no trained children’s counsellors available through EFAP, EFAP will offer to provide a referral in this situation. 

At www.login.lifeworks.com Login > select Profile > select Family > and then Invite Family Members. 

From the LifeWorks app Login > select More > Invite Family 

We rarely face just one challenge at a time in life, and occasionally the problems are complicated or interconnected. The EFAP counselling model encourages tackling one problem at a time. The counsellor will assist you in deciding which issue you want to tackle first or which is the most urgent. Once that is concluded, you start over again, generally with a different counsellor. If the complexity of your needs makes this approach undesirable, it’s likely that EFAP isn’t the best strategy at this time and you’ll be referred to additional counselling resources.