Ontario workplace recovery
YOUR CLAIM
HAS A NUMBER.
YOUR RECOVERY
NEEDS A PLAN.
On April 27, 2026, WSIB launched the Mental Health Program of Care, replacing the former Community Mental Health Program for new community-based mental-health services.
Workers already receiving care through the former program were not to have their services disrupted. New access, provider directories, program rules, and reporting should be checked against the current WSIB pathway.
01 / Who the program may serve
Psychological injury
has more than one route.
WSIB describes the current program as serving people with a registered claim or recurrence who experience psychological effects connected with work.
Secondary psychological reaction
Depression, anxiety, trauma symptoms, pain-related distress, sleep disruption, or reduced confidence may develop during recovery from a physical workplace injury.
Traumatic mental stress
A diagnosed mental stress injury may follow one or more work-related traumatic events, subject to WSIB policy and claim adjudication.
Chronic mental stress
A diagnosed injury may be connected with a substantial work-related stressor or series of stressors, subject to applicable WSIB criteria.
First responder PTSD
Specific statutory and policy provisions may apply to designated first responders and other eligible workers with diagnosed PTSD.
Clinical diagnosis and WSIB entitlement are different decisions. A provider assesses health; WSIB determines claim entitlement, program eligibility, authorization, and payment.
Claim first.
Authorization next.
Care after.
Register the claim
Report the work-related injury or illness and obtain a WSIB claim number. Provide requested information and medical documentation.
Speak with WSIB
The assigned case manager or nurse consultant considers eligibility for assessment through the Mental Health Program of Care or a specialized program.
Receive approval
WSIB states that case-manager or nurse-consultant approval is needed to participate in the current program.
Find a provider
Use the current WSIB provider directory or discuss available contracted providers, location, language, virtual care, and clinical fit.
Begin assessment
The provider clarifies symptoms, diagnosis or formulation, functional impact, treatment needs, and occupational considerations.
03 / The assessment
More than a
symptom checklist.
Assessment connects the work event or injury, mental-health presentation, daily impairment, recovery barriers, strengths, and job demands.
Clinical historyWork event or exposure, physical injuries, symptom onset, treatment, prior health, medication, substance use, and current stressors.
Mental status and riskMood, thinking, behaviour, attention, insight, safety, suicidal ideation, and other urgent clinical concerns.
Standardized measuresRelevant symptom, function, pain, sleep, trauma, mood, anxiety, or validity measures when clinically appropriate.
Daily functionSelf-care, routines, relationships, community activity, sleep, concentration, physical rehabilitation, and independence.
Occupational functionAttendance, pace, persistence, cognition, social interaction, stress tolerance, triggers, safety, and ability to recover after work demands.
RecommendationsDiagnosis or formulation, treatment targets, service type, anticipated barriers, coordination needs, and return-to-work considerations.
Reduce symptoms.
Rebuild capacity.
Intrusions, avoidance, panic, hypervigilance, fear of recurrence, workplace reminders, and loss of trust in one’s reactions.
Depression, guilt, grief, anger, reduced motivation, loss of professional identity, shame, and social withdrawal.
Pain-related distress, insomnia, fatigue, pacing, fear of activity, and cycles linking poor sleep with reduced coping.
Attention, memory, task switching, planning, decision-making, error monitoring, and coping under time pressure.
Communication, feedback, conflict, public contact, supervision, team demands, and triggers connected with people or places.
Routine, activity, confidence, graded work-like tasks, return-to-work preparation, and strategies for sustaining gains.
One program.
Different disciplines.
The 2026 Mental Health Program of Care uses a range of contracted providers. Depending on the assessed needs and authorized service, care may involve psychologists, psychotherapists, social workers, occupational therapists, or nurses.
Roles should be clear. Ask who assesses, who treats, who supervises if applicable, who sends reports, and who is responsible for coordinating clinical and occupational recommendations.
06 / Reports and privacy
Care is confidential.
The claim still requires information.
WSIB-funded treatment includes reporting obligations. Informed consent should explain what information may be collected, used, and disclosed for care and claim administration.
Assessment informationClinical findings, diagnosis or formulation, symptoms, function, treatment needs, occupational abilities, and recommendations.
Progress informationAttendance, goals addressed, response to treatment, functional change, barriers, prognosis, and recommendations for next steps.
Work informationAbilities, restrictions, limitations, accommodations, triggers, readiness, and suitable return-to-work conditions where clinically supported.
Clinical notesDetailed therapy notes are distinct from routine program reports. Ask what may be requested or disclosed under consent or other legal authority.
Diagnosis does not
describe capacity.
Return-to-work planning asks what the worker can do safely, productively, reliably, and repeatedly in relation to actual job demands. A person can have symptoms and still have some work capacity—or appear improved while remaining unable to tolerate essential duties.
FoundationalRoutine, attendance, pace, stamina, persistence, and recovery between shifts
CognitiveAttention, memory, planning, judgment, multitasking, and decision-making
SocialCommunication, teamwork, feedback, conflict, supervision, and public contact
Stress toleranceWorkload, uncertainty, reminders, confrontation, emergencies, and emotional demands
Clarify the decision
before choosing the response.
Ask the case manager or nurse consultant whether more information is required, another service applies, or the claim decision is still pending.
Discuss clinical fit, language, accessibility, scheduling, location, virtual care, and whether another contracted provider is available.
Review diagnosis, goals, attendance, methods, co-occurring conditions, workplace barriers, and whether the plan needs adjustment.
Request the written decision and reasons. A clinician explains health recommendations; a qualified representative provides advice about objections or appeals.
Before treatment begins.
What is the Mental Health Program of Care?+
It is WSIB’s contracted, community-based pathway for timely assessment and different treatment options. It replaced the former Community Mental Health Program on April 27, 2026.
Do I need approval before starting?+
Yes. WSIB states that approval from the assigned case manager or nurse consultant is required to participate. Confirm authorization before services begin.
Can care be covered after a physical injury?+
Potentially. The program includes psychological reactions secondary to work-related physical injury, as well as significant responses to workplace incidents or cumulative incidents. Eligibility depends on the claim.
Will WSIB receive reports?+
Yes. Program care includes clinical and outcome reporting. Your provider should explain what will be shared, why it is needed, and the relevant limits of confidentiality.
Must I return to work immediately?+
No. Timing should reflect current functional abilities and actual demands. Return may involve modified or graded work when safe, productive, and clinically appropriate.
Know what is approved
before care begins.
Have your claim number, case-manager or nurse-consultant contact information, authorization details, and relevant clinical records available when contacting a provider.