Free mental wellbeing service for apprentices
The Mental Health Support Service (MHSS) is a free, confidential and non-clinical service delivered by Maximus, and funded by the Department for Work and Pensions.
The aim of the service is to:
1. Help you become better equipped at managing your mental wellbeing (understand what your triggers are, and what coping strategies you need to manage your mental health)
2. Support apprentices in work (help identify practical work based coping strategies, or reasonable workplace adjustments).
In order to be eligible for support, you must:
1. Be in paid employment or an apprenticeship:
- Employment must be within the UK
- Any hours (including 0 hour contracts or Bank staff)
- Self-employed
- Attending work or signed off sick.
2. Have a mental health condition or concern:
- Your mental health must be impacting you in work
- Your mental health concern can be diagnosed or un-diagnosed.
The service provides 9 months of support. You will be assigned a dedicated Vocational Rehabilitation Consultant (VRC) who will work with you to provide:
- Practical advice to help you cope better
- Practical advice to help you manage your mental wellbeing better
- Guidance on coping strategies
- Access to self-help resources and tools (dedicated Wellbeing Zone)
- Mental health awareness for employers (with your consent)
- Workplace adjustments (with you and your employer, with your consent)
Please Note: The MHSS service is a non-clinical, non-crisis service. It does not offer clinical support, such as counselling or therapy. In instances where clinical support is required, your VRC will signpost accordingly.
The remit of the service does not cover legal advice, or claim to resolve workplace disputes. VRCs are impartial, and unable to become involved in workplace matters such as disciplinary or grievances, and will again signpost accordingly.
What can apprentices expect?
Your 9 month support period will include:
- An Initial Telephone Assessment: a short call from your VRC to say hello, discuss your support needs, and what you want to achieve.
- Support Plan Meeting: a meeting for about an hour with your VRC to plan your support, identify actions, and provide the self-help resources, advice and guidance you may need.
Please note, due to Covid-19 all meetings are currently completed remotely for your safety.
- Regular Catch-Ups: your VRC will contact you on a fortnightly basis for six months, by telephone or email, to check-in and provide the agreed advice, guidance and support.
- Six Month Review: a meeting for about an hour with your VRC to complete a 6 month review. This is to identify the progress you have made in the last 6 months against the agreed support actions, and identify needs of support for the final 3 months of your support journey.
- 7 – 9 Month Monitoring: Following your 6 month review with your VRC, your case will be transferred to your new advisor. You will receive monthly contact to support your mental wellbeing, and your advisor will offer any additional support you may require.
- During this period you will continue to have full access to the Wellbeing Zone with self-help resources.
- Exit Call: a final call with your advisor to bring the support period to a close. This will identify the progress you have made throughout the 9 month journey, and ensure you have the skills, tools and resources required to help you continue to manage your mental wellbeing moving forward.
Next Steps
If you are interested in receiving MHSS support, as this is a government funded scheme, the first step would be for the support team to complete an initial eligibility assessment with you.
The details required are:
- Your contact details
- NI number
- Employer details (start date, job title/duties, employer name/address)
- Details about your mental health and how it affects you in work on a daily basis: what tasks/responsibilities you struggle with; what support you have in work if any.
It generally takes about 20 minutes to complete by phone. You can complete a referral by calling the support team between 8am and 6pm on 0300 456 8114.
If you wish to make a direct referral online, please fill out the form using this link: https://atw.maximusuk.co.uk/gethelptoday
Once approval has been received from the Department of Work and Pensions you will then be assigned a VRC and the initial assessment will be completed. Following this, you will be given an appointment date and time within 48 hours.
If you require any further details please call the Maximus team on 0300 456 8114 or visit https://atw.maximusuk.co.uk/ or email atw@maximusuk.co.uk
Watch the video:
Information is provided by Maximus – Access to Work Mental Health Team and is correct at time of publishing.
