9-1-1 connects you directly to an operator who then connects your call to the emergency response centre serving your area.
Where primary prevention is about preventing the injury or illness before it occurs, secondary prevention tries to intervene before it fully develops. In this section, we share information to help individuals suffering from an occupational stress injury to seek help.
Self-Assessment and Screening Tools
The Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment (CIPSRT) has a number of anonymous screening tools available that help to identify symptoms for Anxiety, Depression, Stress, Panic Disorder, Risky Alcohol Use and Social Anxiety Disorder. These tools are intended to help increase awareness and educate, and are not designed to provide a clinical diagnosis.
The results let you compare your responses to previously published responses from the general population or other public safety personnel. Your responses are not recorded and there is no person monitoring the screening tools to provide support. Take the information to an appropriate healthcare provider such as a psychologist or physician if you are in need of further assistance.
When to Seek Help for PTSD or an Operational Stress Injury
If you notice that you are not able to function as before in your work and/or everyday life and continue to experience psychological changes (e.g., heightened anxiety, depression, inability to concentrate), you should seek help.
You should seek help from a mental health professional (e.g., psychiatrist, psychologist, or counsellor specializing in anxiety disorders) if your symptoms last for more than one month and include experiencing at least:
- 1 intrusive memory symptom,
- 2 hyper-arousal symptoms, or
- 3 avoidance symptoms.
A trained mental health professional will conduct a comprehensive assessment and provide a medical diagnosis. Your employer, labour union and/or family/friends will also support you during this time.
Important Numbers
Distress and Crisis Ontario connects you to distress and crisis centres across Ontario that offer support and services to their communities including 24 hour distress help lines and other services.
Exposure Reporting
Internal Reporting
Internal reporting procedures should be followed where there is a suspected OSI, such as PTSD.
Reporting to the WSIB
Reporting an OSI through the required channels is handled in the same manner as other injuries or illnesses. There are not special requirements set out by the WSIB at this time. When an injury or illness occurs, the employer must submit a Form 7 Report of Injury/Illness within three days.
In many cases, if you are suffering from an occupational stress injuries or PTSD, you will require time off from work, but in some instances, it may be possible for the employer to accommodate you with alternate work as you are receiving treatment. You will be sent a Form 6 by the WSIB for completion following the employer’s submission of the claim.
The online version will automatically complete over half of the form for you. You’ll receive a confirmation number when you submit online, verifying that your form has been submitted. You can easily review all of the claims you’ve submitted online in the past 90 days.
Accessing Peer Support
Having a peer support program in place is a recognized evidence-based practice utilized within organizations. It is important to remember that while peer support is an important part of dealing with occupational stress injuries and PTSD, it is not a substitute for professional support.
Peer support is an intervention that leverages shared experience to foster trust, reduce stigma and create open channels of communication for seeking help and sharing information and support resources. The focus of a peer support program is to establish positive coping strategies using common language which fosters trust and credibility between team members.
Listed below are some of the benefits of using peer support to address OSI and PTSD in the workplace:
- Peer support is focused on the person - it provides the worker emotional and social support from others who share a common lived experience.
- Peer support encourages the maintenance of social relationships and builds trust with other people, which is important when addressing OSI and PTSD.
- Peer support can help the worker learn how to talk about what is happening to them and support them in seeking help.
- Peer support can help workers cope with memories of the trauma through the process of sharing stories and learning how to deal with emotions such as anger, shame, guilt or fear.
- Peer support provides a focus on hope and recovery.
- Peer support team members speak the same language, they understand the organization and how it operates and they know what services are available to the worker within their organization.
PTSD Treatment Options Available through OHIP
It is important to understand the treatment options which are covered by OHIP, you will need to contact your local healthcare provider to understand the treatment options available to Ontario.
To find a Physician, covered by OHIP, in your area who is trained and has experience in addressing OSI/PTSD, you can search the directory on the Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario’s website. You can search specifically for psychiatrists in your city on this site.
The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care has entered into preferred provider arrangements with US psychiatric hospitals to provide mental health services related to PTSD. (Please note that these services require prior approval from the MOHLTC before being covered under OHIP.) More information is available on the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care website.
The New Orleans Institute: Trauma-Based Disorders
River Oaks Hospital, New Orleans LA
Diagnoses: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Dissociative Identity Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, etc. with/without Substance Abuse Gender: F/M Level of Care: Residential Typical length of Stay: 30 to 90 days
Partial Hospitalization Program for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Rogers Memorial Hospital, Oconomowoc WI and West Allis WI
Diagnoses: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Gender: F/M Level of Care: Day Treatment Typical length of Stay: 30 to 90 days
Finding a Psychologist
The Ontario Psychological Association provides a directory of psychologists in Ontario. You can search by area of practice, service language, age group, and problem area (such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder).
Note that psychologists can provide assessment, diagnosis and treatment for trauma-related disorders as well, however psychologists in private practice are not covered by OHIP and will bill for their services.
WSIB Community Mental Health Network Psychologist Directory
The WSIB has established a network of psychologists and psychological associates who are registered with the WSIB Community Mental Health Network. These psychologists and psychological associates provide care through the Community Mental Health Program. This program is designed for all people with a WSIB registered claim who require psychological assessment or treatment. This includes people who experience a psychological reaction secondary to a work-related physical injury, as well as people who experience a significant work-related psychological response to a workplace incident or cumulative incidents, such as chronic mental stress, traumatic mental stress and PTSD.