Employee & Family Assistance Program
The Employee & Family Assistance Program (EFAP), through Manitoba Blue Cross, is available to all eligible employees and their eligible family members. For information on eligibility of family members please refer to the Flex Plan Benefits Home Page.
The EFAP, funded by the University of Winnipeg, provides confidential assessments and direct short-term counselling services.
For further information on the Manitoba Blue Cross EFAP please refer to the EFAP brochure [PDF].
Areas of Personal Counselling:
- Family/Parenting
- Marital/Relationship
- Emotional/Behavioural
- Grief and Loss
- Anxiety and Depression
- Domestic Violence/Abuse
- Trauma/Critical Incidents
- Stress (including work stress)
- Addictions
- Financial (budgeting, financial crisis)
- Legal Concerns
- Psychological Disorders
Work Life and Wellness Services:
- Nutritional counselling
- Referral support services
- Smoking cessation support through Blue Cross addictions counsellors
- Weight loss consultation with registered dietician
- Support for self-management of mental health
- Quarterly newsletter that addresses current life issues
- Online wellness resources, tools and workbooks
Manitoba Blue Cross has a dedicated treatment facility, which houses more than 60 clinical professionals with extensive experience in multiple disciplinary fields. Other notable strengths of the Manitoba Blue Cross EFAP are its unique onsite psychiatric consultations, as well as a non-residential assessment and treatment for addictions. Manitoba Blue Cross is also well recognized for offering diverse services including Aboriginal counsellors and dedicated Aboriginal Resource Consultants. Manitoba Blue Cross’ culturally reflective counselling services incorporate traditional Aboriginal healing approaches and provisions of services outside of the traditional counselling setting.
How to Use the Manitoba Blue Cross EFAP
To make an appointment, call the Manitoba Blue Cross Employee & Family Assistance Centre at
204.786.8880, TTY 204.775.0586, toll free 1.800.590.5553.
- You or your eligible family member will be asked to provide the certificate and client numbers found on your Manitoba Blue Cross ID card to verify eligibility.
- We encourage you to share the Manitoba Blue Cross EFAP information and your ID card with your eligible family members to enable them to access the program on a confidential basis.
- Additional ID cards for family members can be requested from Manitoba Blue Cross or through your mybluecross account.
The terms and conditions under which benefits are provided, are governed by the appropriate group policy, contract, or plan text and in any dispute the legal document will take precedence over the information provided here.
Is the service confidential?
Confidentiality is the cornerstone of our EFAP. It is a program that allows you to discuss your personal problems and concerns in complete confidence in an understanding and professional environment away from the University.
Can someone contact the EFAP on my behalf?
The program is voluntary and is not meant to interfere with the private lives of employees, nor to accept responsibility for their personal problems.
Only you can make a counselling appointment for yourself.
How much will it cost?
The focus of the counselling program is short-term problem solving counselling, which is provided at no cost to you.
In cases where longer-term or specialized services are required, the EFAP counsellor will assist you through a referral to an appropriate professional or agency in the community. The fees for such referred services are the responsibility of the employee or family members. However, some of these services may be covered by your provincial medical plan or your Blue Cross Extended Health Plan. In any event your financial situation will be considered by the counsellor when making such a referral and the costs discussed in advance with you.
EFAP Committee
An EFAP Committee was established for the purpose of developing and promoting the Employee & Family Assistance Program and has continuing responsibility for ongoing review of the Program.
If you have any concerns or require further information, you may contact one of the representatives on the EFAP Committee.
Michele Del Rizzo (AESES) 204.786.9709
Karen Tarr (UWFA-Collegiate) 204.786.9080
Bryan Ward (University) 204.786.9133
Gina Schiak (University) 204.789.1451
The people that make up the University of Winnipeg are its single, most valuable asset. The Employee & Family Assistance Program is designed to help employees achieve success, both in their careers and in their level of personal satisfaction.