IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS OF THE OPPA

Your Health & Wellness
VOLUME 6 2014
NEW
HIRES
IMPORTANT
INFORMATION
FOR NEW MEMBERS
OF THE OPPA
PM40787580
YOUR OPP ASSOCIATION
BENEFITS TEAM
Lisa Hillstrom
By Lisa Hillstrom, Marilyn Thomson and Debi Cosworth
Y
our OPP Association (OPPA) Benefits Team
would like to welcome everyone to the 6th
edition of the OPP Association’s Your Health
& Wellness magazine.
Marilyn Thomson
In this e-version we are pleased to provide information to our new Civilian and Uniform members, as
well as valuable information to our current OPP
Association members.
Some of the highlights in this edition include
information from Best Doctors regarding Ask
the Expert – “When 15 Minutes Isn’t Enough”;
Great West Life (GWL) provides information on
“Helping to Keep Access to Specialty Drugs Affordable”;
The Ontario Pension Board (OPB) wants to help
New Members “Just joined the Public Service Pension
Plan” (PSPP); Ontario Shared Services helps with
an article “Are You New to the OPP?” information
on Ontario Shared Services (OSS); Target Benefit
Administrators (TBA) “Do You Know if You Have Your
Assets and Lifestyle Protected Against The Unexpected?”
and an important article from Dr. Kevin Gilmartin
on PTSD called “The Lethal Triad”.
We are very pleased to provide valuable information from Tema Conter Memorial Trust, EAP and
Best Doctors to help support our members.
We encourage members to provide comments
regarding the content of this edition and recommendations for future articles at [email protected]
Please watch for the next issue of Your Health &
Wellness magazine which will be a printed version
in the Spring of 2015.
Debi Cosworth
IMPORTANT REMINDER
YOUR TIME TO FILE A CLAIM MAY BE RUNNING OUT!
DECEMBER 31, 2014 DEADLINE FOR 2013 HEALTH & DENTAL CLAIMS
All outstanding medical and dental claims incurred from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2013 must be received by GreatWest Life (GWL) by 4:30pm on December 31, 2014 otherwise they will be declined. Claims post marked prior to December
31, 2014 and received by GWL after December 31, 2014 will be declined. It is recommended that members submit all claims
in a timely manner (quarterly) to avoid a claim to be declined due to the deadlines not being met.
Claim forms are located on the “Forms Library” button of the Member Benefits Services area
of the OPPA website at www.oppa.ca
Members without internet access may contact Target Benefit Administrators at 416-740-1335
or 1-888-660-6055 to request a claim form.
Your Health
and Wellness
Benefits Team
Lisa Hillstrom
Marilyn Thomson
Debi Cosworth
2
www.oppa.ca
Published by:
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33 South
Station Street
North York, Ontario
M9N 2B2
Toll Free:
(866) 480-4717
531 Marion Street
Winnipeg, MB
Canada R2J 0J9
Toll Free:
(866) 201-3096
Branch Manager
Nancie Privé
Editor
Ali Mintenko-Crane
President
Kevin Brown
Senior VicePresident
Robert Thompson
Senior Design
Specialist
James T. Mitchell
Published October 2014
Please return all
undeliverable
publications to
119 Ferris Lane,
Barrie, ON
L4M 2Y1
The contents of this
publication may not
be reproduced by any
means, in whole or in
part, without the prior
written consent of the
OPP Association.
All rights reserved.
Publication
Mailing Agreement
number: 40787580
DO YOU KNOW IF YOU HAVE YOUR
ASSETS AND LIFESTYLE PROTECTED
AGAINST THE UNEXPECTED?
Article provided by Target Benefit Administrators
W
hen you completed all of your paperwork at the start
of your career with the Ontario Provincial Police it
was probably a little overwhelming. Now you have
had some time to adjust and you may be wondering if you have
enough protection for yourself and your family in the event of
a medical emergency, debilitating accident, inability to work or
loss of life. Certainly you should have a clear understanding
of your coverage. Reviews should be done on a regular basis as
well as when you have a life event such as starting a common
law relationship, marriage, birth or adoption of a child.
details on your coverage see the Plan Overview in the benefits section of the OPPA website www.oppa.ca, Great West
Life’s GroupNet system or contact Target at 1-888-660-6055.
Best Doctors – The right diagnosis. The right treatment.
Heath & Dental – The cost of living a healthy lifestyle is
increasing every day. Medical emergencies may be even
more costly.
You may contact Best Doctors to discuss your health
challenge in confidence. Services range from a second
opinion regarding surgery or a life threatening illness to
a referral to a medical specialist and even information
on community support programs. These are resources
available to you to assist you in making the right decision. Best Doctors may be contacted at 1-877-419-2378 or
[email protected].
Your provincial health plan will cover many major health costs
but it still leaves costs such as prescription medication, paramedical services, vision care and dental services. Your group
health and dental plan provides assistance with these costs. For
Your Association (OPPA) provides options for life insurance
so you can elect additional coverage to best suit your needs.
Do You Know if You Have Your
Assets and Lifestyle Prote
Life Insurance – Protect your family’s future.
Life Insurance
Best Doctors
Dependent Life Insurance
Critical Illness Insurance
Health & Dental
Long Term Income Protection
Travel Insurance
Wills & Estates
Accidental Death & Dismemberment
www.oppa.ca
3 When you completed all of your paperwork at the start of your career with the
Dependent or Spousal Life Insurance – Insurance payable to you
in the event of a death of a spouse or dependent child.
The Basics OPP 1 x Annual Salary
OPPA $6,000
OPPA Mandatory $20,000
Building Additional
Protection
OPP 1, 2 or 3 x Annual Salary
OPPA Optional $10,000
The loss of a spouse or child would be a devastating event, without
question. Your OPP Association offers dependent/spousal life
insurance to provide financial assistance. Specific application for
dependent or spousal life is always required, adding a spouse or
child to health and dental benefits does not guarantee life insurance
coverage.
OPP Dependent Life $2,000/spouse and/or $1,000/child(ren)
For additional coverage, refer to the benefits section of the OPPA
website www.oppa.ca or contact Target at 1-888-660-6055.
OPPA Dependent Life $6,000/dependent
OPPA Spousal Life $30,000 or $60,000
OPPA $6,000
OPPA Accidental Death & Dismemberment - $50,000 - $500,000
upgrade can be made from Member to Member/Family – AD&D
coverage for spouse and/or children is based at a % of the member’s
principle sum
Protection
OPPA Optional $10,000
For additional coverage, premiums and rates, refer to the benefits
section of the OPPA website www.oppa.ca or contact Target at
1-888-660-6055.
OPPA
$50,000 - $500,000
Accidental Death & Dismemberment – Accidents are beyond your
control, provide a safety net for accidental death or debilitation.
The Basics
Building Additional
AD&D
For additional coverage refer to the benefits section of the OPPA
website www.oppa.ca or contact Target at 1-888-660-6055.
4
www.oppa.ca
Critical Illness Insurance – Surviving a critical illness can
be costly.
Survival rates for critical illnesses are improving, which is great
news, but life often changes dramatically after diagnosis. Not just
emotionally, but financially too. Critical Illness Insurance covers
31 different illnesses and provides a lump sum payment you can
use however you choose. Critical Illness policies are available for
the OPPA member, spouse and children. For additional information please refer to the benefits section of the OPPA website
www.oppa.ca or contact Target at 1-888-660-6055.
Long Term Income Protection (LTIP) – Income protection to protect
you if you are unable to work for an extended period of time.
Long term income protection assists with maintaining a salary to
your household in the event you are unable to work. This program
is administered by Ontario Shared Services. Information may be
obtained at [email protected] or 1-866-979-9300.
Travel Insurance – A medical emergency while out of the country
should not be financially devastating.
Through the Great West Life group insurance benefits, all OPPA
members have Out of Country coverage for an unexpected medical
emergency on a reimbursement basis. Optional Travel Insurance is
available for members who would like the peace of mind of having
assistance with managing their medical emergency while outside
of Canada. Information can be obtained through Target Benefit
Administrators at 1-888-660-6055 & Emergency 911 Travel Insurance at 1-866-962-9837.
Wills & Estates – Not having a current and updated Will can be
an expensive mistake.
Having a will is one of the most important things you can do. It
is tempting to only consider your Will and Powers of Attorney
when you are faced with a medical event or going away on holiday.
However, circumstances change quickly and often without warning.
Regularly reviewing your estate planning documents is crucial.
The Will & Power of Attorney Program is available to assist you
in making or updating your Last Will and Testament. Information
can be obtained through the benefits section of the OPPA website
www.oppa.ca or by contacting the Will & Powers of Attorney
Program at 1-800-246-6852.
GROUP INSURANCE BENEFITS
Statement of Group Life and Critical Ilness Insurances
An individual statement of your OPP and OPPA group life, AD&D
and critical illnesses policies may be requested through the OPPA
website or through Target Benefit Administrators by telephone.
Application to Increase Life Insurance Benefits
Group Life insurance benefits may be applied for at any time up
to retirement. Restrictions begin at retirement, specifics can be
obtained by Target Benefit Administrators. Some applications
require medical underwriting, completion of a medical and lifestyle
questionnaire which can be accepted or denied.
Exceptions to medical underwriting
Specific policies have an exemption to medical underwriting within
31 days of a Life Event. Life Events are your new hire date, start
of a common law relationship, marriage and birth or adoption of
a child. The policies that have this exemption are; OPP Supplementary Life, OPPA Optional $10,000 and OPPA Dependent Life.
GROUP INSURANCE BENEFITS
Benefits with dark border will have premium paid by the OPP or OPPA. See the Insurance Overview for details.
www.oppa.ca
5
How do plan members
feel about Health Case
Management?
Health Case Management creates a
personal touch and collaboration between
patients, physicians and health case
managers to help achieve improved
health outcomes.
In a recent survey¹, we found that many plan members were positively impacted by the direct
interaction with their health case managers.
How do health case managers help plan
members?
Provide education and support – resources and information
• “I really appreciate all the support I’ve received. I just want to get
healthy and have a normal life and I will gladly accept any advice
and support given to me.”
Work with your physician
• 89% of those surveyed were “very satisfied” (78%) or
“somewhat satisfied” (11%) with the interaction between the
health case manager and their physician.
Involved in the Patient Assistance Program
• Of those surveyed, 77% found the health case manager’s
involvement with the Patient Assistance Program was “very
helpful” (65%) or “somewhat helpful” (12%).
82% of those surveyed
were “very satisfied”
with the frequency of
contact with their health
case manager.
Plan members “strongly agreed” with the following statements about the help
they received from their health case managers:
90%
strongly
agreed
6
I felt my health case
manager resolved
my concerns or
issues in a timely
manner
• 88% strongly agreed – I felt my health case
manager provided adequate time to discuss
my health and overall needs
• 88% strongly agreed – My health case manager
made himself/herself available when I
needed support or information
• 84% strongly agreed – My health case manager
was easy to talk to and explained things in
a way that was easy for me to understand
www.oppa.ca
M
What were some of the biggest changes plan members experienced as a result of
Health Case Management?
• Feeling better
• More confidence
• Healthier eating
• More education/support
• Increased energy
Of those surveyed, many plan members found “everything” about the program
helpful, with “support and someone to talk to” as the most valuable.
What some plan members said about their
experience…
“I was at the bottom of a pit (depression
and what not) now I’m at the top, it’s
changed my life. I’m back in control.”
“Getting back to normal, going from my
death bed to where I am now.”
“I think it has helped me better get access
to my medication and I can relax and live
life.”
“I’m gaining my life back.”
A plan member’s health issues can affect his or her work performance and attendance, resulting in an impact to
business. With DrugSolutions initiatives like Health Case Management, you can take comfort in the fact that plan
members receive one-on-one support through the assistance of a health case manager. These professionals provide
guidance on medications and healthy living, and can also help alleviate some of the stress involved with having
an illness.
¹Source: Great-West Life: Health Case Management Early Assessment Survey, PMG Intelligence, 2013. All numbers noted are from Wave 2 of 2.
M7207-9/13
www.oppa.ca
Great-West Life and the key design are trademarks of The Great-West Life Assurance Company.
©The Great-West Life Assurance Company, all rights reserved. Any modification of this document without the express written consent of Great-West Life is strictly prohibited.
7
JUST JOINED THE PSPP?
HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Article provided by the Ontario Pension Board (OPB)
W
e know that starting a new job can be overwhelming –
in addition to adjusting to your new position, you’re also
trying to make sense of your new benefits, including your
new pension plan – the Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP).
In this article we’ll walk you through the key things you need to
understand about the PSPP and highlight important deadlines you
may need to act on now. We want to ensure you don’t miss out on
important opportunities to increase your pension credit.
About your new plan
The PSPP is a contributory defined benefit pension plan. What
does that really mean?
First it’s a contributory plan. This means that as a member you
are required to make contributions to the pension plan and your
employer matches those contributions. We’ll walk through the
specifics of the contribution rates for both Officers and Civilians
later in this article.
Second it’s a defined benefit plan. Put simply, this means that the
benefit you will receive from the Plan is pre-defined or set, and it
is payable for life. Your pension is calculated based on a pre-set
formula, which takes into account your average annual salary and
pension credit. Since it is based on a formula, you can predict how
much pension you’ll receive, so it’s easier to plan for your retire-
8
www.oppa.ca
ment. Your pension is also integrated with the Canada Pension Plan
(CPP). You can find out more about CPP integration on OPB’s
website at www.opb.ca.
The PSPP is administered by the Ontario Pension Board (OPB).
OPB is responsible for administering your pension and communicating with you about your pension. They are also your go-to
resource for any questions about your pension or the PSPP.
What you can expect as a new member
You may have already received your welcome package for new
OPP members, if not, you should receive your package within a
month of joining the PSPP, followed by a welcome call from one of
our Client Care Associates. Your enrolment package will highlight
key information about the PSPP, important timelines to keep in
mind, and provide an overview of our online services for members.
During your welcome call, your Client Care Associate will walk
you through the key plan provisions and timelines that are most
relevant for your personal situation, and answer any questions you
may have.
You’ve joined, now what?
Now that we’ve highlighted some of the basic information you
need to know, let’s take a look at the time-sensitive opportunities
you should be aware of as a new member.
You may be able to boost your pension credit if you have eligible
service that you can purchase or transfer in through a reciprocal
transfer agreement if you meet the timelines. Why is that so
important? Simple... more pension credit can help you earn a
bigger pension. And, it may help you qualify for retirement earlier.
Within 12 months of joining the PSPP — If you belonged to
a pension plan that has a reciprocal transfer agreement with the
PSPP, you may be able to transfer any pension credit you have
in that plan into the PSPP – but you must apply for the transfer
within 12 months of joining the PSPP.
Now is the time to…
To see which plans the PSPP has a transfer agreement with, visit
their website at www.opb.ca. If the timelines for a transfer lapse,
you may still be able to purchase the service, however it may cost
you more.
• explore whether you can transfer credit from a pension plan
that has a reciprocal transfer agreement with the PSPP. For
example, if you have service with the Toronto Police Force and
contributed to OMERS, you may be able to transfer the credit
into the PSPP if you left your pension with OMERS and meet
the timelines.
• explore whether you can buy additional pension credit for an
eligible period of past service. For example, you may be eligible
to buyback service if you:
n
n
n
n
n
n
orked for an Ontario Public Service (OPS) employer and did
w
not contribute to the PSPP or the OPSEU Pension Plan;
worked for a non-OPS employer and belonged to another registered pension plan in Canada;
took an unpaid leave of absence with a PSPP or OPSEU
employer for more than 30 days where you did not contribute
while on leave;
orked for an OPS employer and contributed to the PSPP or the
w
OPSEU Pension Plan and received a lump sum payment of your
benefit when you terminated employment;
ave a shortfall (top up) not purchased within original timelines
h
when you transferred pension credit into the PSPP from another
registered pension plan through a reciprocal transfer agreement;
a re missing credit for a period lost due to a legal strike or lockout, and/or a period of temporary layoff due to a legal strike or
lock-out.
• register for e-services and sign up for e-alerts. This ensures
you have access to all of OPB’s pension planning tools (buyback
estimator, pension estimator, retirement planning tools) and are
kept in the loop about any plan changes or changes to e-services.
• designate beneficiaries for your PSPP pension. If you haven’t
done this already, you can sign up for e-services and do it online.
Not sure if you have eligible service?
If you’re not sure whether you have any eligible service to purchase
or transfer in contact OPB. You can reach OPB’s Client Care
Centre at 416-364-5035 or 1‑800‑668‑6203 (toll-free in Canada
and USA).
How much time do I have to buyback or transfer credit?
For Transfers
Within six months of joining the PSPP — If you belonged to
a pension plan that’s covered under the Major Ontario Pension
Plans (MOPPs) reciprocal transfer agreement, you may be able
to transfer pension credit you have in that plan into the PSPP –
but you must apply for the transfer within six months of joining
the PSPP.
For Buybacks
It’s important to understand that while you can apply to buyback
eligible service at any time during your PSPP membership, it
typically costs less to buy it back within 24 months of joining
the PSPP, and the cost of buying back service typically increases
over time.
Calculating buyback costs and seeing how it may impact your
pension online
If you’re a new member, and you have non-OPS service you’d
like to purchase (i.e. service that was outside the Ontario Public
Service during which you were a member of a registered pension
plan), you can also log into e-services to get an estimate on how
much your buyback will cost. You’ll also be able to see how the
buyback will impact your pension, eligibility for insured benefits,
and retirement dates.
Cautionary note: Don’t use the buyback estimator if you have
joined the PSPP within the last 24 months and the service you
want to purchase is prior non-contributory/contributory service
within the Ontario Public Service. This service is costed differently. Contact OPB directly for a cost quote on prior-OPS service
within 24 months of joining the PSPP.
How to apply to buyback or transfer credit
To apply, you’ll need to complete and send OPB one of these
application forms, which are available on OPB’s website:
• Application to purchase Pension Credit - OPB 1043
• Application to Transfer Pension Credit from another Registered
Pension Plan - OPB 1058
For more information on transferring in pension credit or buying
back pension credit, look for these booklets online at www.opb.ca
Make sure you keep us informed…life events can impact
your pension
We know that life gets busy and that when significant events
happen, notifying your pension plan isn’t necessarily top-ofmind. But, life events can have an impact on your pension. So,
it’s important to keep us informed when you experience any of
the following life events:
• get married (notify OPB and submit your marriage certificate)
• have a baby (update your beneficiaries online)
• separate, divorce, or end your common-law spousal relationship
(notify OPB)
www.oppa.ca
9
•
change jobs (if you’re considering leaving your job, or
changing your hours, OPB can help you understand any
pension impact)
• plan to retire
The easiest way to update your personal information (such as
beneficiaries, contact information and marital status) is online.
To do this, you’ll need to register for e-services. Keeping your
information up to date helps ensure the accuracy of your
pension estimates and information. Details on how to register
are provided at the end of this article.
PSPP 101: Key facts about your new pension plan
Your PSPP pension has a number of valuable features that
many other retirement vehicles don’t offer, such as:
•
unreduced early retirement pension options (OPP 50/30,
60/20, Factor 90)
• cost-of-living adjustments
• survivor benefits
• disability benefits
• an early retirement bridge benefit (if you retire before age 65)
• a guarantee (backed by the Government of Ontario) that your
benefit will be there when you retire, and
• access to medical, dental and basic life insurance coverage if
you meet eligibility requirements
Add it all up and your PSPP pension is a very valuable benefit.
That’s particularly true if you’re a long-service member. In
fact, by the time you retire, the total cash value of your pension
could be worth more than the home you live in. And when you
do retire, your monthly pension may well be your single biggest
source of retirement income. Together with your personal
savings and Canada Pension Plan benefits, your PSPP pension
can help make your retirement dreams come true.
Understanding your contributions
As a contributory defined benefit plan, you are required to make
contributions to the PSPP. Your employer matches your regular
contributions. Annually, you contribute:
If you’re an OPP Officer:
•
9.2% of your annual salary below the Year’s Maximum
Pensionable Earnings (YMPE), plus
• 12.3% of your salary above the YMPE
These rates include the additional 2% of annual salary OPP
Officers contribute to cover the cost of the 50/30 early retirement benefit.
If you’re an OPP Civilian
• 6.775% of your annual salary below the YMPE, plus
• 9.875% of your salary above the YMPE
10
www.oppa.ca
The YMPE is set by the federal government to determine how
much we contribute to the Canada Pension Plan (CPP), and is
adjusted each year based on the average wage in Canada. For
2014, the YMPE is $52,500.
Your annual salary is your base salary (for OPP Officers this
includes your Provincial Responsibility Incentive and for OPP
Civilians this includes your Special Pay Allowance). Annual
salary does not include overtime pay, payments in lieu of benefits or any other payments that are not part of your regular pay.
A look at the tax impact
As a member of a registered pension plan like the PSPP, your
pension contributions are tax deductible up to the maximum
set out in the Income Tax Act for that year. Your T4 will list the
tax deductible contributions you made to the Plan each year.
It’s also important to understand that as a member of a registered pension plan, the deemed pension benefit you earn in the
PSPP each year will reduce the amount of RRSP contribution
room you have in the following tax year.
Your RRSP room is calculated using your earned income in
the prior year, and is offset by your Pension Adjustment (PA),
which represents the “deemed value” of the PSPP pension you
earned in the prior year. Your PA is also reported on your T4.
To see how much RRSP contribution room you have, check
your latest Notice of Assessment from CRA.
We keep you informed
Your pension is an important part of your future. That’s why
OPB is committed to keeping you informed.
Each year, we’ll send you a personalized Annual Pension Statement (APS) estimating the pension you’ve earned so far and
your projected pension. We’ll also send you an Annual Report
detailing the Plan’s financial position.
We encourage you to read the information we send thoroughly.
After all, learning about your pension today will help you plan
for your retirement.
Register for e-services and e-alerts right away!
Go to OPB’s website at www.opb.ca and click Login at the top
right corner of the page. Then, follow the steps online (you’ll
need your OPB client number) or call the OPB Client Care
Centre to register immediately over the phone.
To sign up for e-alerts, go to www.opb.ca and click sign up for
e-alerts on the right sidebar.
Still have questions?
For more detailed information about the Plan, you can visit
www.opb.ca. If you have questions about this article or want
to discuss your personal situation, please contact OPB’s Care
Centre at 416-364-5035 or 1‑800‑668‑6203 (toll-free in Canada
& USA).
ARE YOU NEW TO THE OPP?
INFORMATION ON ONTARIO SHARED SERVICES
Article provided by Ontario Shared Services (OSS)
H
ello and welcome to the Ontario Public Service, Ontario
Provincial Police.
The Ontario Shared Services (OSS) provides Financial,
General Administration, Human Resources Service Delivery and
Strategic Procurement services for the Ontario Public Service
(OPS). The Payroll Operations Branch within the OSS administers employees pay, pension and benefit entitlements for OPS
employees, excluding benefits for Ontario Provincial Police (OPP)
Association and OPP Commissioned Officer members. Target
Benefit Administrators administers benefits for Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Association and OPP Commissioned Officer
members on behalf of the OPP Association. The following is a
brief overview of the services our office provides to OPP members.
The Ontario Pension Board (OPB) administers the PSPP.
Protecting the privacy of your personal information is important
to the OPB. To help protect your personal information, the OPB
assigns each member with a Client Number, which is used as your
ID Number with the OPB. The OPB provides new members with
their Client Number with their information package, which is sent
approximately 1-2 months after becoming a member. The OPB
will also send required forms for your completion.
An employee cannot be placed on the payroll without all the
required documents.
• Application for Direct Deposit and voided cheque
• 2014 Ontario Personal Tax Credits Return
The Ontario Public Service uses a common Human Resources
Management Information System called Workforce Information
Network (WIN). If you have been granted access, WIN enables
employees to update their address, emergency contact and phone
information as well as view their job information.
• 2014 Personal Tax Credits Return
Participation in the Public Service Pension Plan (administered by
the Ontario Pension Board) is mandatory for classified employees
and optional for fixed term employees.
•O
PB Membership Enrolment (mandatory for
• Identification for proof of birth date
• Verification of Social Insurance Number
classified members)
• OPB Beneficiary Designation Form
• WIN Employee Contact Data
• New Hire Induction package
Payments are issued on a bi-weekly basis. Payments are issued by
direct deposit only for all employees. Mandatory statutory deductions of CPP, EI and Income Tax and dues will be deducted from
your pay.
It is compulsory to pay union dues to the OPP Association.
The 2014 current deduction is:
Uniform Members: $52.45 per pay
Civilian Members: 1.375% of employee’s regular earnings for a
max of $43.45 per pay, plus a flat amount of $2.00 to cover Legal
Assistance Program fee.
OSS provides the OPP with special information sessions for Regular Recruits,
Experienced Officers and Amalgamations regarding pay and pension entitlements and administration.
Need Help? Call the Ontario Shared Service’s Contact Centre
(Toronto @ 416-326-9300 or outside GTA @ 1-866-979-9300 or
TTY (teletype) 416-327-3851 or 1-866-310-7259.
www.oppa.ca
11
THE LETHAL TRIAD
AVOIDING THE EMOTIONAL DANGERS
By Dr. Kevin Gilmartin, PhD
T
eaching law enforcement professionals to survive and live
through a police career cannot be limited to just teaching
operational tactical survival skills. Teaching Officers the
skills of emotional survival are just as important. Tactical skill
development is obviously of paramount importance, however, the
resilient personnel, but there clearly are a few danger areas that the
Officer must avoid. I call these the Lethal Triad, which is comprised
of the three areas of Isolation, Anger, and Projection of Blame.
Isolation is probably one of the first psychological injuries
law enforcement profession loses more Officers to self-destruction
individuals experience when they begin a law enforcement career.
than it does to felony death. That said, most training academies
The emotionally exhausted state that many law enforcement
invest far more time and resources on the development skills
professionals experience after a work day ends can begin seeing
to survive the more tangible and immediate threats in the field.
the person pulling back from social engagements and activities.
Tactical skill development is an absolute necessity, but so are
Hobbies are engaged in less frequently and sedentary electronic
emotional survival skills. Developing emotional survival skills
media entertainment replaces physical activity. Since many law
requires a multi-faced approach. There is no one size fits all solution
enforcement encounters with the public can have a potentially
to maintaining a law enforcement agency comprised of emotionally
negative dimension (people don’t call cops because something is
12
www.oppa.ca
working right) the Officer can begin removing themselves from
social interaction during their off-duty life. This inactivity can be
exacerbated by the feeling of physical exhaustion that biologically
occurs after being in a vigilant state for the duration of a work shift.
Emotionally resilient personnel have been trained to understand
and overcome this temporary exhaustive state and to increase
activity levels off-duty. Officers that do not address this inactivity
find themselves progressively withdrawing from social encounters.
After a few years, some Officers find the vast majority of social
engagement is during their on-duty life. The sedentary off-duty life
potentially leaves the person without the available support systems
provided by engaged relationships or membership in various
communities. Many Officers find themselves with no one to turn
to in a time of crisis. As a person becomes increasingly isolated,
whatever crisis or emotional challenge that is occurring is handled
without support. Social participation in groups, sports teams,
church membership, or avocational clubs is absolutely necessary
for the law enforcement professional to break the isolation cycle
and to see beyond the immediate horizon of whatever emotional
event is taking place in their life. Loneliness can be deadly for law
enforcement professionals.
Anger: If there is one emotion that law enforcement professionals
readily admit to experiencing, it is anger. In the law enforcement
culture, Officers give themselves permission to become angry.
It’s OK to get “pissed off,” however, they don’t give themselves
permission for other emotions. It’s not OK to be sad, afraid,
depressed or anxious. Anger is the emotional and biological reaction
that comes about when an event violates our expectations. Our
expectations of events are hidden behind the words: should, fair,
right, and ought to be. If things took place according to the cops’
expectations and values, things would be basically normal, because
most cops are basically normal. People don’t call cops for “normal”
stuff. Law enforcement professionals are constantly exposed to a
lifetime of events and people that violate their expectations of how
things “should be.” The main anger in law enforcement is reserved,
however, for management. This is because Officers project onto
management their own ideas or expectations of what is fair, right,
or ought to be. Ironically, the Officers put their expectations onto
people over whom they have no control. Working in an authority
based culture requires significant anger management skills. This is
often expressed by Officers with the statement “I can handle the
idiots on the street better than the idiots I work for.” It sounds
good at first, but what the Officer is really saying is, “I have no
control over this event or situation that management controls
and it holds huge emotional importance to me.” People don’t get
angry over things that are not emotionally important to them.
Anger reduction skills have many different components. Physical
exercise, for example is just one extremely important factor to
anger reduction. Officer has two problems, first, they work for an
idiot and secondly, they’re angry. After the Officer spends time
in the gym exercising, they soon discover that the boss is still an
idiot, but it doesn’t bother them physically quite as much. They’re
not quite as “pissed off.” So they have solved 50 per cent of the
problem. The real issue however, is that the Officer wants things
to follow their expectations of how things should be handled
and that flies in the face of reality. Also, issues such as sleep
deprivation significantly increase mood deterioration. Seven-8
hours of sleep are fundamental to physical health and emotional
wellbeing, yet in North America 83 per cent of Officers experience
inadequate sleep. Unfortunately, 4-6 hours becomes the norm.
Sleep hygiene, physical exercise, substance abuse awareness and
generalized anger reduction training are essential building blocks
to psychological resiliency.
Projection of Blame: Emotional resiliency requires the person
to see themselves as the source of responsibility for their own
emotional reactions. The emotionally resilient person doesn’t take
responsibility for things outside of their control, they do, however,
take responsibility for how they react to those things. When
law enforcement professionals reduce their world to just their
professional role, they are isolating emotionally to a world other
individuals of higher rank in the organization control. Emotional
“survivors” point the finger of responsibility for their emotional
reactions at themselves. They make statements like “I have to get
through this situation.” Emotional “victims” point the finger of
responsibility at others and project blame, “they did this to me.”
This is not denying the plight of genuine victims, it is, however,
putting the emphasis on surviving and thriving through traumatic
events, not fault finding that only externalizes and targets others
with our anger. The problem with always projecting blame
onto others that we do not control is that the Officer potentially
reaches a point where they feel totally overwhelmed and incapable
of addressing the issues. They have no skill development in
emotional problem solving. They try to just tough it out and
eventually become overwhelmed and breakdown and the risk of
self-destructive action significantly increases.
Breaking the cycle of the Lethal Triad is just one of the first steps
in developing a resilient orientation and emotionally surviving a
law enforcement career. Having a cadre of professionals that do
not become angry, socially isolated individuals that blame others
for their plight is one of the first steps to developing emotional
survivors of one of the most emotionally demanding professions.
www.oppa.ca
13
By Erin Alvarez, Media & Public Relations
A
t The Tema Conter Memorial Trust, we know that the men
and women of Canada’s emergency services, military, and
correctional organizations see tragic events every day. They
witness human suffering up close and it sometimes becomes very
difficult to cope with the aftermath. Smells, sounds and reliving
witnessed events create lasting painful memories that can haunt
these men and women for life.
As police officers, you know that not every call will bother you.
But sometimes it can be the cumulative effect of bad call after bad
call that will eventually sneak up on you. In many cases, it will be
one “signature call” that will stop you in your tracks. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other operational stress injuries
are often the result. And as important as it is to keep our communities safe, it is just as important to take care of YOU. Sometimes
the life in need of saving is your own.
In 1988, paramedic Vince Savoia attended to the homicide of Ms.
Tema Conter. This event not only changed his life, but it also
changed the lives of the Conter family. Dealing with the feelings
of guilt, anger, and frustration, Savoia began his long battle with
PTSD. Flashbacks, nightmares, isolation, and hyper-vigilance
were some of the symptoms that Vince needed to deal with.
In 2000, Vince approached the Conter family requesting permission to establish a memorial trust that would end the silence
and ease the suffering of those colleagues dealing with post-traumatic stress. The trust would also serve to honour the memory
of Tema.
The Tema Conter Memorial Trust (now widely known as
Heroes Are Human) began as a modest charity offering scholarships to paramedic students. Today, the charity has grown to
become a hub for research, education and training, as well as a peer
and psychological support resource.
In 2011, the trust welcomed Canadian actor, Enrico Colantoni
as its national spokesperson. With Enrico’s help, and the simple
yet powerful slogan, “Heroes Are Human”, this charity has been
able to spread awareness across the country and beyond. This
past summer, volunteers of the Trust and various speakers and
celebrities embarked on a cross-Canada PTSD-awareness tour
that reached thousands of people in 47 towns and cities from
Newfoundland to British Columbia.
Early in October of this year, in partnership with the Ontario Psychological Association (OPA) and the Public Services Health & Safety
Association (PSHSA), Heroes Are Human launched the “You Are
Not Alone” suicide awareness campaign after more than twenty first
responders – including police officers, paramedics, fire fighters and
correctional officers – died by suicide since April 29th.
14
www.oppa.ca
“One suicide is too many, and this number saddens me,” said
Vince Savoia, founder and executive director of the Trust. “Something needs to change. People are too afraid to reach out for and
ask for help.”
That’s the biggest part of the problem. The stigma attached to
asking for help. Ask yourself if you would feel comfortable going
to your superiors, your peers. If the answer is yes, great! If the
answer is no – we are here to help. YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
Please visit tema.ca or call our toll-free peer and family support
hotline at 1-888-288-8036. Please also “like” us on Facebook and
follow us on Twitter @TEMATrust.
If you are in the Toronto area, please plan to attend our Common
Threads Education Week, February 23-27, 2015 followed by our
annual Tribute Gala on February 28th. More information can be
found at tema.ca.
X-rays, test results and pathology (which is retested). You’ll receive a
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the best treatment options.
The CISR/PS Regional Team Leads are responsible for engaging
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Information on this service is available on MyOPS Employee
informal, confidential assistance from someone trained in indiPortal; at the Shepell/FGI Website www.workhealthlife.com or by
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H
ave you ever had only 15 minutes with your physician but
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also don’t really want to book multiple appointments every time
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11/29/2013
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www.oppa.ca
15
Great-West Life
health case management
Great-West Life is pioneering a program to enhance support for plan members who require
specialty medications for complex, chronic conditions. Health Case Management addresses
one of the chief dilemmas facing many group benefit plan sponsors: Helping plan members
access vital drug therapies while maintaining affordable group benefit plans.
Initially, Health Case Management will apply to 14 drugs that are used to treat the following conditions:
Ankylosing Spondylitis, Asthma, Crohn’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Psoriasis, Psoriatic Arthritis and
Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Plan members with one of these conditions will be connected with a health case manager, who is a qualified
health care professional. Health case managers will work with plan members and their physicians to help
identify the most effective and appropriate treatment, and provide ongoing support and monitoring.
Some of the key areaS we’re addreSSing include:
• multiple treatment options: Many conditions have different treatment options available
and our goal is to support the right drug for the right patient at the right time. Health Case
Management will help ensure that several treatment options, particularly where a lower cost
alternative treatment exists, are considered along with desired health outcomes in determining
the initial course of treatment.
• Simplifying the process: We are introducing new support into an existing framework. By
coordinating with patient assistance programs and other treatment support programs, we can
help reduce the paperwork for plan members and their physicians and work with them directly.
• monitoring and follow-up: Effective monitoring and timely follow-up can ensure treatment
results are on track and helping prevent further disease progression.
working with an induStry leader
Great-West has engaged healthForward Inc. to provide a high level of expertise in patient-centred specialty
drug management and distribution to help us achieve our dual bottom line: balancing the health needs of
plan members and the cost management needs of plan sponsors.
healthForward is a subsidiary of AmerisourceBergen Canada Corporation, an industry leader with extensive
specialty medication experience and a broad specialty pharmacy and treatment clinic network with over 250
registered nurses offering patient education, injections and infusions. healthForward will provide support for
Great-West’s Health Case Management program and access to specialty pharmacy services.
Through innovative approaches such as Health Case Management, Great-West continues to deliver new
ways for group plan sponsors to maintain the sustainability of their group benefit plans. It’s all part of our
DrugSolutions commitment. To find out more, please contact your Great-West group representative.
Great-West Life and the key design are trademarks of The Great-West Life Assurance Company.
©The Great-West Life Assurance Company, all rights reserved. Any modification of this document without the express written consent of Great-West Life is strictly prohibited.
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