It is important to recognize that individuals who have been off work for an extended period of time should not necessarily be viewed as hopeless cases to be treated by insurers as “maintenance files” or by health care providers as beyond help. In fact, perpetuating the myth of the situation being intractable will quite predictably result in learned helplessness on everyone’s part and serve to potentiate the very problem in a kind of self-fulfilling prophecy. There is no time clock resulting in the expiration of a possible recovery of function.

MHS is appropriate for a target population that presents with complex problems where there may be disagreement or ambiguity with regard to physical and mental health difficulties, or where interventions provided through traditional health care have not resulted in significant improvement.

Individuals have most commonly been out of the workplace for more than two years and, in some cases, as long as 10 to 15 years or have experienced multiple occasions on sick/disability benefits. This service includes the expertise of both medicine and behavioural science to address the medical and non-medical factors that contribute to the prolonged work absence.

Our health-care professionals are drawn from a variety of disciplines. They all have significant expertise and experience in working as a truly effective team integrating different perspectives to develop comprehensive diagnostic formulations and, if appropriate, treatment plans for our patients.

Assessment is comprised of a full evaluation, often incorporating both medical and behavioural sciences and involving at a minimum our core team of a psychologist or psychological associate, behavioural therapist and psychometrist. Assessment of such cases results in the development of a clear, multidisciplinary diagnostic formulation.

Treatment is conducted by a psychotherapist or behavioural therapist under the direct supervision of a psychologist. Treatment may include: ensuring optimal medical management of underlying disease and pathology; optimization of medications to maximize benefit while minimizing untoward side-effects; and implementing evidence-based treatment that combines 3rd generation behavioural techniques with progressive mobilization and activation.