Beyond the EAP: Rethinking Mental Health Disability Support in the Workplace

Mental health disability remains one of the most pressing and complex challenges facing employers today. Despite progress in reducing stigma and increasing access to care, the data consistently show that mental health claims are longer in duration, more costly, and more prone to relapse than other types of disability.

In Canada, mental illness is responsible for nearly one-third of disability claims and up to 70 % of related costs, making mental health the most expensive category of workplace disability. These claims often require more sustained intervention and coordination than traditional short-term support structures, such as Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), were designed to provide.

This gap between standard offerings and the needs of acutely affected employees calls for a new approach: one that is more structured, clinically aligned, and responsive to individual acuity.

The Case for a Second Layer of Support

EAPs have an important role in the mental health ecosystem. They offer accessible entry points to care and can be effective for individuals dealing with situational stress, anxiety, or early signs of burnout. But they are, by design, short‑term and generalized.

Employees placed on leave for mental health reasons, or those who have returned to work after a mental health-related absence, often require a different level of care. These are individuals whose conditions may be complex, recurrent, or resistant to brief interventions. The standard EAP model, while valuable, may not be sufficient in these circumstances.

We propose a second layer of support: a dedicated “Mental Health Disability Program” that sits on top of existing EAP and benefits infrastructure, designed specifically for employees navigating a mental health disability leave or re-entry.

A Flexible, Multimodal Care Model

The program is structured around the principle that effective treatment, particularly for moderate to severe mental health disorders, often requires a combination of therapeutic, digital and pharmacological interventions.

The model includes:

• Talk therapy, delivered virtually through Maple’s platform, to provide structured psychological support tailored to the individual’s condition. 
• Digital therapeutics and daily mindfulness tools, including access to Headspace. Digital mindfulness interventions have been shown to reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and burnout while boosting workplace engagement. 
• Mental health physician care, provided by clinicians trained in the diagnosis and management of: Major Depressive Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Acute Adjustment Disorders.

Why It’s Worth Considering

There is a growing body of evidence that more intensive, integrated care models can lead to better health outcomes and savings, especially in populations with higher clinical acuity.

1. Reduced disability duration and relapse
   There is a correlation between the use of psychotherapy to treat depression and the length of time that patients received long-term and short-term disability insurance.  
2. Improved outcomes from combined therapy and medication
   Clinical studies consistently find greater functional recovery when psychotherapy is paired with pharmacological treatment for moderate to severe depression or anxiety. 
3. Digital mindfulness enhances engagement and wellness
   Mindfulness-based apps like Headspace have been associated with improved adherence to care plans, reduced presenteeism, better emotional regulation, and lower stress, anxiety, and burnout.

Employers who implement layered, clinically grounded programs have seen measurable results with Maple data reporting a 20% reduction in short-term disability claims and a $2.18 return for every dollar invested in mental health support.

While no single intervention is universally effective, these findings suggest that a more targeted and layered approach can support recovery and resilience more effectively than general-purpose programs alone.

A Thoughtful Addition to the Care Continuum

The proposed Mental Health Disability Program is not a replacement for EAPs, benefit plans, or workplace wellness initiatives. Instead, it is intended to fill a critical gap: the space where employees are managing a diagnosed mental health condition with real functional impact.

To launch this targeted program, employers simply provide a list of eligible employees, those on current disability leave or who’ve returned to work within the last two years. They pay a licensing fee to host the program on the Maple platform and access reporting, with clinical visits billed per use.

Mental illness is not a static condition, and care needs can vary significantly over time. Supporting employees through disability and reintegration requires deeper coverage and investment. By offering a model that is modular, clinically grounded, and population-specific, employers can better support those who are most vulnerable, and in doing so, potentially reduce the duration and recurrence of mental health–related disability.