We would like to thank all those who have subscribed to ORGOC's newsletter via our website. You have not received any to this point as we have not utilized this feature of our website. We have made the necessary decisions to begin a weekly newsletter commencing with this issue. ORGOC provides a variety of services and have introduced a variety of new projects in the last few months that will be featured in this Newsletter in coming weeks that we trust will be of interest to our subscribers. As we begin this interactive relationship with our customers, present and future, as well as those who have an interest in the happenings of the field of Disability Management and Neuro-Recovery we want to introduce you to some of the projects we've been working on in the past few months.

Vitality

Vitality is an initiative created by our BC managers, Jack MacNeill and Lynn Hiscoe which has brought together our mental health programs and services. Lynn has developed a short term group program for BC teachers which was piloted and well received this fall. She has also developed training material for employers which will be critical in our endeavor to assist them in creating a Culture of Knowledge and Understanding related to Mental Health in the Workplace. Mental Health disabilities have fast become the number one disability claim in Canada. With our training and support programs we believe we are poised to enhance return to work potential and a company's productivity.

Lynn has also developed Vital Connections, a support and intervention program for individuals residing in remote communities who are unable to access traditional community based mental health information and resources.

Mental Health seminars have been delivered throughout Western Canada to extremely positive audiences. The Vital Connections service is available anywhere as it is electronically and telephonically delivered.

In Manitoba we are set to deliver an addictions program. Our expert staff of Ian Gagnon and Herb Kelly has developed a stage one day program that provides assessment, intervention and compliance testing to individuals, and can be accessed by employers and insurers.

We have also retained the services of Dr. David Kolton, psychologist, to provide direction, support and delivery of all our Vitality programming.

For more information, questions or referral please contact Don Smith at 1-866-1887 ext 228 or Winnipeg local 779-1887. You can also email him at dsmith@orgoc.ca.

ACTIVATION THERAPY

ORGOC has been fortunate to have recruited Occupational Therapist Thomas Steur. He comes to us with great knowledge and experience in Activation Therapy. Activation is a new program aimed at helping individuals with complex psychosocial issues who have been off work for an extended period to recover function and make a successful return to work. Activation consists of a limited number of sessions, usually 8 to 10, of sixty to ninety minutes each in duration. The therapist meets with the person in the home and in community settings, permitting use of techniques such as beginning community integration and graded exposure to the work environment.

For more information regarding Activation please contact Thomas directly at tsteur@orgoc.ca or via telephone at extension 241.

DISABILITY MANAGEMENT

ORGOC was a silver sponsor at the recent Human Resource Management Association of Manitoba's Conference. We had our booth set up and were able to speak with a number of interesting HR professionals about their challenges related to Disability Management. It seems that many HR departments are taxed with a variety of functions and are not always able to devote the time and energy to comprehensive return to work programs, WCB claims management and scrutiny or employee wellness. While many have implemented excellent programs many believe that they could do more. In the current difficult economic times it is also difficult to consider further expenditures on such programs. Employers need to consider the long term gain from short term investment. ORGOC has a number of products or programs that can assist and enhance HR functions while providing rehab assistance to employees and ultimately creating significant cost savings related to WCB costs, absenteeism and disability claims.

For more information regarding our disability management services please contact Don at ext 228 or dsmith@orgoc.ca.

Look for more information on these and other programs in future Newsletters as well as other topics such as current issues in workplace health, mental health, and addictions.