Making mental health support work for those who do the work

This article was produced in partnership with Greenshield

In Alberta, the demand for comprehensive mental health care continues to rise, but there are few places where this need is felt more acutely than in the charitable sector. Indeed, social-sector workers are often on the front lines of crises, supporting vulnerable populations with limited resources, and working long hours. Yet, while their work is critical to the well-being of others, many social-sector workers don’t have the mental health resources they need to care for themselves. It's no wonder that, according to Future of Good--Canada’s leading publication for social sector insights and innovation--a staggering one in three non-profit workers in Canada say they’re ready to quit. Also striking: 36% say they “often or always” feel burned out or exhausted. 

In the fall of 2024, GreenShield and its long-time client, ATB Financial, partnered on an innovative, Alberta-wide initiative to bring free, high-quality mental health services to the province’s social-sector workers. The program leverages GreenShield’s platform to offer virtual therapy, internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy (iCBT), peer support, and other mental health services to employees of non-profits. In addition to traditional therapy, the program includes specialized services like trauma debriefing and culturally appropriate care.

These services, delivered virtually and on-demand, are designed to be flexible and accessible, acknowledging the time and resource constraints of non-profit work. It’s a model that could reset the foundation for a stronger sector; one in which sufficient investment is made in the mental health and mental well-being of non-profit workers in the province.

"We kept hearing the same thing from across the sector, that people are stretched thin, they're exhausted, and they often have no access to mental health support at all," said Lori James, executive director of a participating non-profit, Making Changes Association, which provides resources for women and girls to pursue education and careers. "This partnership has opened a door that simply wasn't there before. For many organizations, it's the first time they're able to offer their staff any mental health benefits."

This initiative is rooted in a shared understanding between GreenShield and ATB that a resilient social sector depends on the wellbeing of the people who drive it.  The hope is that it can serve as a model for other provinces. With high demand for services and non-profit teams stretched thin across Canada, this approach offers a practical, scalable way to strengthen the sector by supporting the people who hold it together.

ATB is a long-standing client of GreenShield; this union laid the groundwork for deeper collaboration between the organizations, as concerns about burnout, turnover, and overstretched non-profit staff continue to surface.

For GreenShield, the effort reflects its mission as Canada’s only national non-profit health and benefits provider—and more specifically, as a non-profit determined to support other non-profits. Reinvesting in community health, and partnering with like-minded clients and organizations, are central to its model, and this Alberta-based initiative is a clear example of that mission in action.

Shannon Johansen, Executive Director of Highbanks Society, which supports young mothers experiencing poverty or homelessness, is seeing the impact firsthand. "We work with young women who are navigating enormous challenges, and our staff are doing everything they can to support them. But it takes a toll. They're so committed that they'll put their own needs last. This program gives us a way to say, ‘Your well-being matters, too.’"

Johansen noted that Highbanks receives only a portion of its funding from government, with the rest raised privately. That often leaves little room for staff supports. The partnership with GreenShield and ATB is the first time Highbanks has been able to offer mental health services to employees.

"When you invest in the people doing this work, the impact ripples outward," James added. "Healthier staff mean better service for clients, stronger teams, and lower turnover. That stability matters."

What’s more, participating agencies have reported overwhelmingly positive feedback. Many say the support is meeting a long-unmet need—providing care for staff who, until now, have gone without.

For GreenShield and ATB, the success of the initiative lies not just in the number of sessions delivered, but in the message it sends: that care work is challenging and important work, and those who provide it deserve care in return.

As James put it, "We’ve talked a lot in this sector about burnout, about stress, about how hard this work is. But now we have something tangible to offer. We have tools. And that makes all the difference."

In a time when many public systems are stretched and trust in institutions is wavering, this kind of cross-sector collaboration offers a practical, hopeful way forward.

For more information, visit the 2024 GreenShield Impact Report to see how health equity is being advanced across Canada.