Green Shield expands national mental health offering with acquisition of Quebec-based BCH Consultants

Quebec expansion sees 700 clinicians added to Green Shield’s existing network, strengthening Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) and mental health services nationwide, in French and English

MONTREAL, Québec – February 13^th, 2023 – Today, Green Shield, a leading integrated health services organization and Canada’s only payer-provider, proudly announces the acquisition of BCH Consultants, the second largest independent Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provider in Quebec. This will add 700 Quebec-based clinicians to Green Shield’s existing network, expanding the national, bilingual scope of Green Shield’s mental health services to nearly 5,000 clinicians and strengthening its offering in Quebec.

“With the addition of BCH Consultants, Green Shield is proudly expanding our critical mental health services and EAP capabilities, further solidifying our position as the fastest growing provider of mental health services in Canada," said Joe Blomeley, Executive Vice President, Head of Health Services and Enterprise Growth, Green Shield. “As part of our integrated health services offering, we are building a healthcare experience around the patient, grounded in our mission of championing better health outcomes for all Canadians.” 

Green Shield’s fully integrated model removes administrative barriers by bringing together insurance benefits with health providers, creating care that is simple and convenient. This announcement marks the eighth acquisition by Green Shield Holdings Inc. in two years and the third mental health expansion, following Inkblot Therapy and Tranquility. This acquisition further establishes Green Shield as a leading nationwide mental health provider, delivering holistic care including EAP, virtual talk therapy, internet-cognitive behavioural therapy, system navigation, case management and work-life services.

“This acquisition reaffirms Green Shield’s commitment to the Quebec market,” said Steve Laberge, Senior Vice President, Enterprise Growth and Quebec Region Leader, Green Shield. “We are building a new standard of care focused on the unique needs of individual patients. Acquiring BCH Consultants provides Green Shield with the valuable knowledge and insights of local clinicians to further enhance our ability to offer patient-centric care to the residents of Quebec.”

BCH Consultants has an impressive and well-distributed clinical network that supports French-speaking members across the country. It also provides local trauma support and other unique clinical services required by Quebec-based organizations.

“At BCH Consultants, our mission is to make a difference in the lives of our patients through our humanistic approach focused on hospitality, respect, confidentiality, anonymity and integrity,” said Joannie Gauthier, President and Executive Director, BCH Consultants. “We’re looking forward to strengthening this mission as part of Green Shield’s new innovative model.”

BCH Consultants’ current leadership team will continue to operate the business under the BCH Consultants brand, with Gauthier remaining President. The BCH head office will remain located in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec.

“As a not-for-profit social enterprise, Green Shield reinvests its earnings and redeploys its services to improve access to care for underserved communities and Canadians who need it the most,” added Blomeley. “Our primary measure of success is the number of lives we can positively impact. By increasing our footprint in Quebec and across Canada, we expand our ability to reinvest our earnings and directly provide services to support underserved Canadians, deepening our social mission of better health for all.”

For more information:

Quebec:
Mélina Tréhin – Senior Consultant, Veritas Communications
trehin@veritasinc.com
438-228-7942

National:
Helena Wade – Senior Account Manager, Veritas Communications
wade@veritasinc.com
613-483-7853

About Green Shield

With an unwavering focus on better health outcomes, Green Shield is bringing all its offerings together into one integrated health services organization, to optimize care and deepen its social mission. As Canada's first and only payer-provider, Green Shield is pairing its 65 years of health and dental insurance expertise as a benefits 'payer', with ever-growing capabilities as a mental health, pharmacy and medical services 'provider.' This integrated approach makes it easier for clients to support their employees and Canadians to access the personalized health care they need. Green Shield's new model is a pathway to better health for all – the centrepiece of the organization's social mission. As a not-for-profit social enterprise, Green Shield gives back to local communities and underserved populations by reinvesting in key areas of need, including oral health and dental care. The synergies of this model will continue to deepen Green Shield’s overall social impact and accelerate its plan to give back $75 million and positively impact one million lives by 2025.

Green Shield means, collectively, Green Shield Canada (GSC), Green Shield Association, and Green Shield Holdings Inc., which is the primary company that houses health services and benefits administration subsidiaries, including Inkblot Therapy, Tranquility, NKS Health Canada, The Health Depot Pharmacy, Benecaid and Computer Workware Inc. Green Shield Holdings Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of the not-for-profit Green Shield Association.

About BCH Consultants

BCH Consultants has been offering high quality intervention plans for more than 25 years and is known for its reliable assistance and psychological support programs for organizations and employees. Business partners have chosen and recommend BCH Consultants for its humanistic approach and high-quality services,, its expertise in organizational support to management,  and its commitment to professionalism, confidentiality, and wellbeing. BCH Consultants’ clientele includes over 100,000 individuals from organizations across Quebec, Ontario, Northern Québec (Nunavik) and Northern Canada (Nunavut).