Seeking Help - Accomodations
Teaching
Accommodation strategies for employees with mental health issues who are at work or returning to work.
Dentistry
Dentists returning to work after treatment for mental health or addiction issues would ideally be supported by a network of mentors, through a process that uses benchmarks drawn from existing successful programs (p1). A life-long support system that could be provided through associations would ensure that a dentist returning to work would not feel alone and can always turn to a “kindred spirit” for help. (p.7)
Dentists would benefit from programs that recognize the financial stressors associated with seeking care (e.g., costs for treatment and monitoring) and returning to work. Financial counselling services would be helpful, and perhaps long-term disability plans could have an overrider for addiction so that funds are coming in when the dentist is undergoing treatment and not at their practice. (p.6)
CDA has partnered with MHCC to create this course that is available to CDA members free of charge. It covers various topics related to MH, including how to communicate with employees about mental health illness in a workplace context and workplace accommodations and return to work and how to how to reduce associated stigma.
Dentists who must withdraw from practice to undergo treatment for mental health or addiction reasons face the challenge of keeping their practice viable in their absence and covering costs associated with treatment and income loss. B.C. dentists, for example, are supported in these challenges through the BCDA (locum placements).(p.1)
A policy is needed to address and protect the future insurability of the practitioner for short- or long-term disability once they have undergone rehabilitation for an addiction or mental health problem (p.7).
Dentists living with addictions can take advantage of a range of rehabilitative services for health-care providers, developed by the ODA and the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario.
This plan is an insurance plan available to all ODA members, including new graduates, and their family and dental staff.