Announcement SUCCEED: The first step of care for all accepted TPI claims

July 14, 2023

WorkSafeNB takes the recovery of every New Brunswick worker seriously. Over the past few years, we determined a need to better enable immediate treatment for workers experiencing a traumatic psychological injury (TPI).

Last year, we started the SUCCEED program, which offers workers with a TPI immediate access to treatment – within three weeks of an application for workers' compensation! Delivered by WorkSafeNB-approved licensed social workers and counselling therapists, it provides a starting point for workers with a TPI.

The SUCCEED program lasts for six weeks (or six sessions) and is not conditional on a worker’s claim being accepted by WorkSafeNB. If the claim is accepted, further treatment is determined at the end of SUCCEED. If the claim is rejected, the worker can choose to continue SUCCEED. Treatment beyond that program, however, would not be supported.

The SUCCEED program has been in effect for just over a year, and workers have experienced significantly improved outcomes. We are hearing from workers and their treatment providers that they are more prepared for in-depth trauma work. The SUCCEED program allows them to maintain a routine. It gives them a foundation of support, and hope and tools to begin recovery.

Up until now, the SUCCEED program has been an option for workers. Starting August 14, 2023, however, all workers with a new accepted TPI claim will receive this treatment. We will continue to offer the SUCCEED program to workers in pre-adjudication; if the worker accepts, a referral will be made at that time. If the worker declines the offer in pre-adjudication and their claim is later accepted, a referral to SUCCEED will be made at the time of claim acceptance.

What this means to mental health care providers:

• Patients coming to you after the SUCCEED program will have a foundation of tools and support. We encourage you to build on those tools and further support patients with their customized needs.
• You may have patients already undergoing a course of trauma treatment. Patients could also come to you while in the SUCCEED program. SUCCEED will be a complement to other treatment. It will work side-by-side with your course of treatment.
• Patients who choose not to attend the SUCCEED program will have their claim reviewed for continued eligibility for compensation. Note: this does not mean a worker’s entitlement will be ended; it does mean that the entitlement will be reviewed.

It’s incredibly important that we work together to offer the most appropriate treatment to workers. As such, we encourage you to learn more about the SUCCEED program, its components and how it was developed. Our website offers the Traumatic Psychological Injury Resource Centre with information specific to workers, employers and health care providers.

In addition, we’ll offer online information sessions led by Dr. Tim Black, a leading expert in TPI treatment in Canada this fall. Please watch for an email in September with details. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please visit our website or call us at 1 800 999-9775.

Learn more.