GreenShield and Landsberg will exclusively launch First Step, a first-of-its-kind mental health program aimed at tackling the topic with real, raw conversation
TORONTO, November 29, 2023 /CNW/ – Today, GreenShield, from Canada non-profit health and benefits company, announced a partnership with renowned Canadian broadcaster and mental health advocate, Michael Landsberg, to transform the conversation around mental health. The partnership, designed to support the one in five Canadians currently suffering*, will begin with the launch of First Step, a first-of-its-kind program exclusively offered by GreenShield aimed at sparking meaningful dialogue about mental health.
“The first time I knew Canadians needed a show like First Step was in 2009, when I first shared my battle with severe depression and anxiety on television national. I was immediately struck by the overwhelming response, particularly the level of loneliness people felt,” said Michael Landsberg, mental health advocate. “Since then, we have made a lot of progress as a society, but we have failed to reduce the stigma around mental health. Those who suffer are three times less likely to disclose a mental illness than a physical illness, such as cancer. partnered with GreenShield to bring the First Step program to life to change that. The program will remove the clinical conversation, share real, unfiltered lived experiences, and do it all in a format that people actually want to engage with.
Launching in the new year, First Step will begin with a monthly 60 Minutes entertainment platform, hosted by Landsberg. Designed as an anti-webinar, the platform is the antithesis of traditional discourse on mental health in business, tackling topics selected from real-life experiences and medical texts. Each month, the hosts will interview a new guest, from celebrities to executives to everyday professionals, opening up an unfiltered conversation never before seen in the field of mental health.
The monthly show will be accompanied by a series of eight digital modules that GreenShield customers will work on alongside Landsberg itself. Modules will include interviews with celebrity guests, dispelling myths and misconceptions about mental health. “We speak from our hearts and not from a textbook,” adds Landsberg. “We talk the way Canadians talk – not corporate or clinical, but real and relevant.” All of First Step’s programming will be infused with what Landsberg calls “comedy and catharsis,” introducing humor and laughter into a traditionally dark conversation. This one-of-a-kind platform will be available exclusively through GreenShield.
Landsberg will also join GreenShield as a national mental health ambassador. In this role, he will engage on behalf of GreenShield in speaking engagements, marketing initiatives and other business development opportunities.
“Unfortunately, mental health issues remain surrounded by stigma, lies and misconceptions,” said Joe Blomeley, Executive Vice President, Head of GreenShield Health and Corporate Growth, GreenShield. “Discussions about mental health tend to be too clinical and, sometimes, inaccessible to the average Canadian, which deters people from seeking help. Our partnership with Michael will unlock topics related to mental health in a way that has never been done before, in the hope that we can get rid of the stigma once and for all. »
As one of from Canada A leading innovator in mental health focused on achieving positive health outcomes, GreenShield is uniquely positioned to commercialize First Step. Acting as both a payer and provider, GreenShield offers insurance, manages benefits, and pays claims as a “payor,” while also offering health services such as mental health, pharmacy, and medical services in as a “supplier”. Specifically, it offers unique mental health services, including employee assistance programs, virtual therapies, trauma and specialty services, and internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), going beyond self-management and including offers assisted by coaches and therapists. Knowing that two-thirds of Canadians suffering from mental illness do not seek help**, GreenShield’s systems are designed to be accessible anywhere and at any time, eliminating geographic barriers. The organization’s advanced technology and algorithms also enable intelligent matching between patients and therapists and monitor the effectiveness of care, ensuring better health outcomes.
Developed by Landsberg, the First Step Advisory Board includes John Ruffolo, founder and managing partner, Maverix Private Equity; Bruce Poon Tip, founder and CEO of G Adventures; Phil King– former president, TSN, CTV; Dr. Hayley Wickenheiserfour-time Olympic gold medalist and current assistant general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, as well as Zahid Salman, CEO and President of GreenShield. First Step will be available to all GreenShield plan sponsors in 2024.
To learn more or sign up for GreenShield mental health services, visit
https://www.greenshield.ca/health/mental-health
About GreenShield
GreenShield is an integrated health and benefits organization and the leading organization in Canada operate as a payer-provider – offering insurance, administering benefits, and paying claims as a “payor” while offering health services such as mental health, pharmacy, and medical services as a “provider” . Integrating both sides of the payer-provider equation allows GreenShield to simplify access to care, remove administrative barriers, and improve health outcomes for its customers.
GreenShield is uniquely structured as a nonprofit social enterprise that reinvests its profits and redeploys its services to support underserved Canadian communities through its social impact brand, GreenShield Cares. The primary objective of the company is to generate $75 million of social impact investments to improve the lives of at least one million Canadians by 2025, with a focus on mental health, oral health and essential medicines. As a noble industry challenger, GreenShield continues to innovate, evolving its offerings and services to further its purpose of promoting better health for all.
GreenShield.ca
GreenShield collectively refers to Green Shield Canada (GSC), Green Shield Association and Green Shield Holdings Inc., which is the primary home to health and benefits administration businesses including Inkblot Therapy, Tranquility, BCH Consultants , NKS Health Canada, The Health Depot Pharmacy, Benecaid and Computer Workware Inc. Green Shield Holdings Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Green Shield Association, a non-profit organization.
About Michael Landsberg
Michael Landsberg has been a prominent face and voice on the Canadian sports scene since 1984. With his unique style, he quickly became one of this country’s most polarizing figures – seen by some as outspoken and others as arrogant.
People have had plenty of time to form their opinions about Michael. The show he hosted- Unofficiallyaired daily for 18 years and became the longest-running daily talk show in Canadian history.
In 2009, there was more agreement on Michael after he publicly shared his then decade-long struggle with severe depression and anxiety. Since then, he has become one of the strongest voices in the country, urging all Canadians to view mental illness as an illness, not a weakness. Michael has frequently used his platform as a producer and host of Unofficially on TSN to change people’s minds about mental illness.
Michael has been the official spokesperson for Bell Let’s Talk Day since the initiative was launched. In 2016, Michael launched his own initiative, a charity called SickNotWeak. SickNotWeak is dedicated to changing the way Canadians view mental illness and understanding that mental illness is an illness, not a weakness.
*https://www.camh.ca/en/driving-change/the-crisis-is-real/mental-health-statistics
**https://www.cbc.ca/radio/checkup/are-people-who-suffer-from-mental-illness-getting-the-support-they-need-1.3954862
SOURCE Green Shield Canada
View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/November2023/29/c2485.html
