Have concerns about your mental health? Support is available for faculty and staff

Nakachi Ogbonna is the University of Calgary's mental health consultant, located within Staff Wellness. Nakachi is a resource for faculty and staff dealing with mental health distress or experiencing a mental health crisis, and is able to refer employees to Homewood Health’s Employee and Family Assistance Plan and other community resources. She provides consultation support to employees, the ability management team, Human Resources and the WellBeing and WorkLife team, and supports the implementation of the Campus Mental Health Strategy.

Question: How can faculty and staff access the mental health consultant’s services?

Answer: If an employee has concerns related to mental health, they or their manager can contact Staff Wellness to be connected with the ability management team, who will refer that employee to the mental health consultant. I work closely with the ability managers, Human Resources, and departmental operations. I can help employees connect with Homewood Health or different departments at the university such as Active Living, WorkLife and WellBeing, depending on the employee’s needs.

Q: How do you support employees returning to work following mental health issues?

A: When an employee has gone on sick leave due to mental health issues, we develop a strategy to ensure they are successful in returning to work by focusing on areas in which they need support and what their limitations may be, in consultation with their doctor, psychologist or psychiatrist, ability manager and Human Resources. We look to bridge gaps and make the adjustment back to work easier.

Q: What supports exist to help a colleague who may be exhibiting signs of declining mental health?

A: Our assisting a colleague in distress handout can help faculty and staff identify early indicators of a colleague who may be in distress and guide employees on how to help. You may notice something has changed with a colleague and you want to support them, but are not sure how — our materials provide a step-by-step guide on how to approach a colleague, how to begin a conversation with them, and what resources are available. Employees can also make referrals to Staff Wellness to ensure appropriate and beneficial resources are recommended for that specific colleague.

Q: If you could share one tip on how faculty and staff can better support each other’s mental health and wellness, what would you suggest?

A: Be aware of changes with your colleagues and don’t be afraid to speak with someone or approach them if you do feel concern. Listening is often the biggest help we can offer — when someone is dealing with something, they really are the experts in what they’re experiencing and it’s important to listen to them in order to support them in the best way possible.

For more information on programs offered by Staff Wellness, visit their website or contact their office at staffwellness@ucalgary.ca or 403.220.2918.

Homewood Health is the university’s employee and family assistance plan provider and offers counselling, coaching, resources, information and support for all types of issues relating to mental health, health management and achieving greater personal and workplace well-being.

How to access Homewood Health 

Call Homewood Health toll-free, 24 hours a day, seven days a week to book appointments, or access immediate help:

• Toll-free English: 1.800.663.1142
• Toll-free French: 1.866.398.9505
• TTY: 1.888.384.1152 
• International (call collect): 604.689.1717
• Homewood Health Online: Go to the website and create an individual login profile