Eric

Did you know that, similar to the US, 1 in 10 Canadians talked with a healthcare professional about their alcohol use in the past year?  Yet for the most part, medical professionals have under-communicated the harms associated with everyone’s favorite socially accepted substance of choice.

But the latest scientific evidence has revealed a new sobering truth: alcohol is worse than we thought. The just released guidelines state that to remain within the low-risk range of consumption, people should drink a maximum of two drinks each week. Much lower than the 2012 guidelines which considered low-risk drinking to be under 15 drinks a week for men, and under 10

Mental Health Awareness and Communication Series

Encompas Mental Health Wellness Program

January 25^th, 2023 – 1000 – 1100 ET

Featuring Laura Kloosterman, Executive Director of Badge of Life Canada

About the Speaker:

Laura Kloosterman is a retired OPP officer with 32 years of experience. During her career, she was involved in several different positions with various units within the OPP, from witness protection, recruitment, dignitary protection and retired as a Constable from the Professional Standards Branch.

Laura has been a strong advocate for mental wellbeing and acknowledging everyone’s own personal resilience. Her journey has taught her sustainable growth equals sustainable happiness.

Her role with Badge of Life Canada started several years ago while

The Encompas Mental Health Wellness Program has connected with and vetted a new resource for Members, which focuses on the science and treatment of substance use.

Substance use disorders are a common mental health challenge that affect people from all walks of life. That said, sometimes treatment options are inaccessible – such as a long-term residential program, or frequent in-person groups or individual sessions. Fortunately, virtual treatment can allow people to overcome these barriers to recovery. ALAViDA, Canada’s first virtual substance use management care provider, is a science-based solution that delivers an immersive experience developed by medical professionals with a comprehensive background on substance use disorders and delivered by technology. ALAViDA’s

By Diana Ballon

Tend Academy offers first responders two online courses, one on staying grounded when doing stressful work, and the other on the essentials of compassion fatigue. Course material is provided through workbooks, resource guides and video that you can use on your own time, and be assured of complete confidentiality.

Staying grounded in stressful work

This course will help first responders learn strategies to prepare for, cope with and reset following a stressful situation. Rather than being reactive or avoiding difficult situations, users learn to be centred so they can choose consciously how they want to respond. The course

By Diana Ballon

Dalton Associates offers first responders two online courses — one on improving your relationship with a partner or spouse, and the other to support solutions for anger. Course material is provided through video, exercises, quizzes, checklists and written text that you can use on your own time, and be assured of complete confidentiality.

Couples course: Moving towards a stronger relationship

This course offers ways you can work to improve your relationship with your partner or spouse. The course consists of seven modules, and provides everything from practical examples to tips to consider when communicating with your partner, to ways to reconsider the

May 13, 2021

The priority of Dalton Associates and the Encompas Mental Health Wellness Program has been and continues to be the mental health and safety of those OPPA members who reach out for support.

In the late afternoon of Tuesday, May 11^th, 2021, we became aware of a serious situation involving Project Trauma Support that occurred in 2018. Project Trauma Support is a not-for-profit residential treatment program for First Responders experiencing occupational stress injuries and trauma. This program has been on Encompas’ roster of residential treatment programs since launching in March 2020.

We do not take these concerning allegations lightly. Encompas is committed to ensuring our members have access to

The Encompas Mental Health Wellness Program is proud to announce a new resource on our website for Encompas Members called Show Up for Our Heroes: A PTS Awareness Project. The project aims to amplify a message in support of First Responders and front-line mental wellness, and to support the recognition of the work of those on the front lines through acknowledgement of a National First Responder Day by the Federal Government.

About the Project

When doing your job means that you show up to assist during the worst times in people’s lives, no one is able to escape without some kind of mental or physical response. This project wants everyone to realize

April 6, 2021

About the New Member Client Portal

The Encompas Program was designed to minimize barriers and facilitate easy, streamlined access to quality mental health treatment by providing centralized, wrap-around care navigation and support. And, over the course of the Encompas Program’s first year, we are pleased to have helped several hundred OPPA Uniformed and Civilian Members and their families, connect with quality treatments for their mental health issues that we know has made a tremendous difference in the lives of many OPPA Members.

In keeping with our commitment to delivering ongoing quality program evolution, we are excited to launch a new and secure state-of-the-art Client Portal that has been

September 21, 2020 at 9:00am

Dalton Associates is pleased to announce our partnership with the Ontario Psychological Association (OPA) to provide members, families and retirees of the Ontario Provincial Police Association (OPPA), and the OPP Commissioned Officers’ Association, with better access to mental health supports through the Encompas Mental Health Wellness Program.

This partnership will increase the number of mental health clinicians available and improve the way members access care. New technology, powered by Strata Health, will draw from the OPA’s robust database of care providers as well as the existing roster of care providers, rapidly and automatically matching police personnel with the best care based on unique needs

February 2, 2021 at 10:00am

To OPP Association Members, and our Partners:

Over the past several months, since the outset of the Encompas privacy breach in July of 2020, we have been committed to remedying the situation and remaining transparent and accountable to those who were affected.

We deeply value the positive and trusting relationship we feel fortunate to have built with Ontario Provincial Police Association (OPPA) members and their families. We also recognize that the privacy breach caused some members to feel concerned about placing their trust in the Encompas Mental Health Wellness Program, which we sincerely regret. Upholding your confidence is one of our highest priorities, which is why