Stress, Mental Health, Addiction, and Grief Services
Supporting Services for UNI Faculty and Staff
Emergency Care — ER or 911
Emergency mental health treatment and emergency substance abuse treatment should seek emergency care (Emergency Room or 911).
Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Services Covered by Our Health Insurance Plans
UNI's self-insured health plans cover mental health services for all enrolled members.
- UNI PPO (Alliance Select)
- UNI Blue Advantage (HMO)
- Doctor On Demand®/Virtual Doctor - Speak with a licensed psychiatrist or psychologist.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Through the free confidential Employee Assistance Program benefit eligible employees and their families are eligible for:
- Free short-term* counseling for up to six (6) sessions per life circumstance per year.
- Free legal advice with an attorney.
- Free financial advice with a financial advisor.
Peer Support Services
As a part of your EAP you have access to Togetherall – an online peer support community. This is available to all EAP eligible employees, their family members, and members of their household age 16 or older.
With Togetherall you can access:
- Free and immediate support – there is no cost, no referral needed and no waiting lists.
- A supportive online peer community where you can get (and give) support to others who understand how you might be feeling.
- An anonymous space, free from stigma or judgment.
- A safe place to talk at any time of the day or night – Togetherall is moderated by mental health professionals at all times.
- A library of self-help materials including self-assessments and support articles.
- Structured online courses, such as ‘problem solving’ and ‘improving sleep’.
Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Protected Time Off
A mental health condition can impact various aspects of an individual's life, including the ability to achieve maximum productivity in the workplace. Employees facing mental health challenges that impact them at work may qualify for support under the provisions of the Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and/or the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Additional Mental Health and Addiction Resources
Your Life Iowa
Iowans can chat live, text or call to get information, research treatment options, and explore nearby help directly through the Your Life Iowa webpage.
Healthiest State: Make it Ok
In an effort to reduce the stigma and raise awareness of the prevalence and impact of mental health, the Healthiest State has launched the "Make it Ok" campaign. Visit the Make it Ok webpage for additional information and stories from other Iowans and how they found help and treatment.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
- Call or text 988
- Live Chat: 988lifeline.org/chat
- For Deaf/Hard of Hearing: Dial TTY then 988
Alcoholics Anonymous®
Employees concerned about an alcohol abuse problem may contact Alcoholics Anonymous. Locate support groups on a local basis through the AA Resource Center for Iowa. Find local support for family and friends of alcoholics with Al-Anon Family Groups.
Cedar Valley Hospice
Visit the Cedar Valley Hospice webpage to learn about sharing grief and healing with others through local support groups.
NAMI (National Alliance On Mental Illness)
NAMI Black Hawk County provides advocacy, education, and mutual support for people with mental illness and their families. We work for an improved quality of life for people with mental illness and elimination to the discrimination surrounding the disease.
Free Educational Resources at UNI
LinkedIn Learning
- Supporting Mental Health While working from Home (17 mins)
- Happiness Tips (3 hours and 31 mins - broken into many short video tips covering many topics surrounding happiness)
- Building Resilience (34 mins)
- Time Management: Working from Home (1 hr 25 mins)
Principal Financial
UNI’s life insurance and long term disability (LTD) vendor provides additional support for grieving individuals through Magellan Healthcare.
Wherever conflicts occur between the contents of this site and the contracts, rules, regulations, or laws governing the administration of the various programs, the terms set forth in the various program contracts, rules, regulations, or laws shall prevail. Space does not permit listing all limitations and exclusions that apply to each plan. Before using your benefits, review the plan's coverage manual. Benefits provided can be changed at any time without the consent of participants.