The Expert Advisory Committee (EAC) acts as an advisory and consultative committee to the SuperFriend board and management, overseeing the development and evaluation of SuperFriend’s innovative solutions.

SuperFriend CEO, Margo Lydon commented on the new appointments: “We are thrilled to welcome Katherine and Maria to the team, who both have a wealth of valuable experiences and knowledge in not just the finance space, but with mental health and wellbeing support too.

Offering nearly 25 years’ experience in the superannuation industry in a variety of management and customer-facing roles, Katherine will bring a Trustee lens to the Committee, as well as a unique insight into the meat worker sector, enabling her to speak directly on the high-risk cohort of members”, Margo said.

As a strong advocate for mental health, Katherine is delighted by the appointment. She said: “Over the years, experience has enhanced my understanding of the importance of good mental health; especially for vulnerable members of our community. Having partnered with SuperFriend for many years, used their services and engaged in their wellbeing programs with my teams, I truly understand the enormous value SuperFriend brings to the pursuit of a mentally healthy workforce.

I’m honored to be part of an organisation that makes such a difference”, Katherine concluded.

Following several years as a practicing lawyer with Ebsworth & Ebsworth, then Ashurst, Maria Falas has more than 20 years’ experience in the financial services industry, including three years as Head of Mental Health & Wellness at ANZ Wealth and Zurich.

Winner of last year’s Women in Finance Wellness Program, Maria rejoins the Expert Advisory Committee in her new position as a Non-Partner Industry Representative.

CEO, Margo Lydon said: “We’re so pleased to welcome Maria back to the team – having been a tireless advocate in the financial services sector for mental health awareness and support services over several years working closely with SuperFriend, Maria has led many industry-first initiatives with great success.”

Maria concluded: “I’m excited to once again join the committee and use my industry insight to help contribute to strategic foresight and future-focused thinking, while continuing to advocate for mental health and wellbeing support.”

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In her role, Falas will be integral in the ongoing development and implementation of ClearView’s life insurance strategy; facilitate greater collaboration across business functions; and spearhead business improvement initiatives. Falas, who also previously held senior positions at ANZ/OnePath, will report to Gerard Kerr, ClearView General Manager, Life Insurance.

Mr Kerr said Falas’ appointment reflected the need for a dedicated role to lead strategy and change, during a period of significant growth and transformation at ClearView and disruption for the broader life insurance industry.

“The life insurance industry is undergoing enormous structural and regulatory change making it critically important for life insurers to have experienced people with fresh ideas in key roles,” he said.

“Maria is a respected professional who has successfully led strategic change across the life insurance value chain and has driven operational innovation. She is a high performer with a proven track record for delivering results and achieving strategic goals.”

Falas added: “ClearView is a purpose-led organisation with a clear vision and goals, and it is an exciting time to come onboard to support the ClearView business to capture opportunities to grow, create streamlined processes and enhance the customer experience.”

ClearView is currently on a multi-year transformation journey to ensure it has the right strategy, systems and processes to drive efficiencies and scale.

The cornerstone of the transformation program is the delivery of an integrated life insurance policy administration system, underwriting rules engine and adviser portal to coincide with the launch of a new life insurance offer in the second half of the year.

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The Holistic Adviser Wellbeing Toolkit is comprised of two parts:

• 1. My Wellbeing Hub
  2. CPD-accredited training modules hosted on _Zone, the new on-demand financial adviser learning platform. These are the first modules focussed on mental health within _Zone.

My Wellbeing Hub is a brand-new, purpose-built website with tools and resources that can be accessed by anyone at any time, although it has particularly been designed for Zurich and OnePath Life customers, distribution partners and communities.  Its curated and regularly updated resources consider:

• Mental wellbeing: ways to manage mental health, stress, and sleep.
• Nutrition and fitness: tips for healthy living.
• Community: health and wellness organisations.
• Tools and support: links to financial adviser support resources from AFA Care and FPA Wellbeing, as well as national support services such as R U OK?, Lifeline and Beyond Blue.

The Holistic Adviser Toolkit was developed in collaboration with a cross-industry working group borne out of the Zurich Leaders Forums in late 2019. The working group was established to help fight the rising levels of mental ill-health amongst financial advisers, setting out to provide greater guidance and better coordination of resources to help advisers take care of their wellbeing. Feedback from the industry also showed that advisers wanted tools and support to provide industry-leading care, understanding and coaching for their clients and teams.

The working group included: Philip Kewin, CEO Association of Financial Advisers (AFA); Dante De Gori, CEO Financial Planning Association; Nettie Handley, Consultant at Bombora Advice; and Aaron Williams, CEO and co-founder of Mindstar – alongside Zurich Life & Investments’ Kristine Brooks, Chief Distribution Officer, Tim Atley, Head of Strategic Account Management, and Maria Falas, Head of Mental Health & Wellness.

Maria Falas, Zurich and OnePath Life’s Head of Mental Health & Wellness, said, “We’re very proud to be working in collaboration with the industry and our community partners to provide tools, resources and training to help advisers understand and manage their mental wellbeing, and to support customers in the same pursuit. Our ability to support each other as a community is needed like never before, and Zurich and OnePath Life will continue to take an active role in helping to address this pressing issue in all of our communities of influence.”

Philip Kewin, CEO, Association of Financial Advisers (AFA), said, “At a time when financial advisers are providing such valuable service and support to their clients to ease their emotional and financial burden, it is so important for they themselves to have access to tools and support to look after their own wellbeing.”

The Holistic Adviser Wellbeing Toolkit is another initiative within Zurich’s multi-faceted MindFIT program, which was established four years ago to support greater understanding and positive mental wellbeing for its employees, customers, distribution partners, and communities.

Its content enclosed draws upon the resources and expertise from Zurich and OnePath Life’s network of mental health community programs, partners and key industry bodies. This includes SuperFriend; Tackle Your Feelings, a community program for AFL clubs and coaches; and Mr Perfect, which encourages conversations and connections through informal BBQs across Australia.

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Terry Cornick

OnePath has renewed its 12-month partnership with Mr Perfect, the grassroots men’s mental health network encouraging conversation and connections through informal BBQs across Australia.

Commencing this month, this second 12-month partnership has OnePath and Zurich Financial Services Australia adding their weight behind Mr Perfect to expand the BBQ program to more than 300 BBQs.

Over the past 12 months, the number of BBQs grew from 120 per year to over 200 per year across QLD, NSW, Victoria, Canberra and more recently Hobart in Tasmania.

OnePath Life was acquired by Zurich Financial Services Australia in June 2019, and the Mr Perfect initiative is one of many in the mental health arena that Zurich and OnePath are promoting as part of its MindFIT program, to de-stigmatise mental health issues and to play its part in bringing insurance practices in line with contemporary thinking around mental health.

According to Zurich’s Head of Mental Health and Wellness, Maria Falas, the large customer footprint of both OnePath Life and Zurich presents a significant opportunity to give Mr Perfect an even bigger boost.

“We want to spread greater awareness within our people as well as our broad customer networks including group insurance, retail and direct customers,” said Falas. “OnePath’s approach to mental health and wellness aligns with Zurich’s strategy to be market leading in delivering mental health solutions to customers with a focus on service, customer wellness and prevention.”

Mr. Perfect Founder Terry Cornick said the renewed partnership is both welcome and significant, allowing the network to spread to specific areas such as the Gold Coast and Central Coast where the positive impact of such a simple Australian BBQ has been significant, but also regional towns across NSW, QLD and VIC.

“Rural and regional areas have been on our radar for some time that are clearly in need of support. We are finding people are slowly turning their lives around because they know they can count on a group of guys who will turn up each week to listen, have a BBQ and connect with.”

Both insurers have focussed on external and internally-facing mental health and wellness initiatives since 2017.  This includes other grassroots initiatives such as the Tackle Your Feelings mental health training program for community AFL clubs and coaches, which Zurich runs in partnership with the AFL Coaches Association and AFL Players Association.

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OnePath is providing specialised mental health and wellness training to its claims team.

OnePath has announced it is providing specialised mental health and wellness training to its claims team, developing the skills needed to meet the increasing number of insurance claims based on mental health and wellness issues.

By the end of the month, about 200 staff members will have completed 20 different mental health and wellness training sessions, including the OnePath claims team, managers in underwriting and customer-service teams.

National mental health organisation SuperFriend is providing evidence-based practical training to improve participants’ understanding and awareness of mental illness and health.

OnePath head of mental health and wellness Maria Falas said the training aligns OnePath’s goal of becoming the leading insurer for mental health and wellness solutions.

“SuperFriend’s mental health and wellness training offers the opportunity to build on our strong skills base, allowing our team to process mental health claims fairly and efficiently while also taking an empathetic and individualised approach.”

Demand for OnePath’s mental health programs is expected to continue increasing during 2019 as advisers and clients become more aware of the support available.

On average, OnePath services 20 mental health claims a month, with expectations this could double once the new initiatives are implemented. To date, claimants use the CaseWorks and doctor-to-doctor programs the most.

Falas said OnePath’s specialised mental health claims team was critical to delivering on OnePath’s commitment to meet customer’s needs and expectations.

“Mental health claims come with added sensitivities. We want to give our customers full confidence that OnePath staff understand this and have the capabilities to deliver exceptional service.”

Adding to its mental health initiatives, OnePath recently announced its partnership with SuperCharged Food author Lee Holmes. OnePath will work with Lee Holmes over the next 12 months to spread awareness and education about the important connection between gut health and mental health.

OnePath’s mental health and general wellness programs include:

• General health coaching – OneCare customers with a high body-mass index or cholesterol/blood-pressure problem may reduce their loading with the help of a health coach,
• CaseWorks early engagement program – mental health claimants can get help from a nurse to fill in their claim application, providing them with a more personal service in the comfort of their own homes,
• Doctor-to-doctor interactions – OnePath facilitates doctor-to-doctor case management, providing a centralised service with a customer’s treating doctor to help the customer regain their health sooner,
• Mental-health coaching – Customers lodging income-protection claims relating to depression or anxiety are offered a Remedy Healthcare MindStep program, which is a complimentary phone-based support program tailored to the individual.

OnePath continues to build on its strong track record in claims, winning the Claims Award at the Association of Financial Advisers Life Company of the year awards

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ANZ’s OnePath is sponsoring free BBQs across Australia for men and their families.

ANZ has announced a new a partnership with Mr. Perfect, a grassroots men’s mental health network that encourages conversation and connection through informal BBQs.

Over the next 12 months, ANZ’s OnePath will sponsor more than 120 free BBQs across Australia for men and their families, with the first BBQ taking place this Sunday 21st October at Redfern. These casual BBQs will provide food and plenty of conversations to make sure all members of our community feel safe, supported and acknowledged.

Commenting on the partnership, ANZ’s Head of Mental Health and Wellness, Life Insurance, Maria Falas said: “Our OnePath mental health claims portfolio shows us the need for organisations like Mr. Perfect.

“Male customers have lodged about three quarters of our mental health-related income protection claims, which just highlights how over-represented men are in this space.

“This partnership is an opportunity for OnePath to continue its advocacy of preventative mental health measures for customers, while giving back to the community in a meaningful way.

“We are really proud of this partnership and look forward to 12-months of great conversations, great connections, and helping support communities to discuss the importance of mental wellbeing,” Ms Falas said.

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The support reduces barriers to making claims, stress for the claimant and time to decision.

ANZ’s OnePath has extended support for retail clients making a mental health claim through their total and permanent disability (TPD) insurance.

The service, provided by CaseWorks Australia, makes the claims process simpler and more personalised, with a qualified nurse helping claimants fill in their form at home. This support reduces barriers to making claims, stress for the claimant and time to decision.

Mental health issues currently account for about 20 per cent of OnePath’s TPD claims – the second-highest reason for making a claim.

ANZ’s Head of Mental Health and Wellness, Life Insurance Maria Falas said customer satisfaction had grown since the introduction of the CaseWorks support for OnePath’s income protection clients in June 2017.

“Customer feedback demonstrates the value and benefits of giving our clients access to additional expert support to help them fill in their mental health claim forms.

“Our clients have told us this service has led to improved peace of mind, reduced anxiety, greater transparency and a feeling of confidence that it is being done correctly,” she said.

According to Mindframe*, mental illness is the third leading cause of disability in Australia.

Ms Falas said extending mental health support to OnePath’s TPD clients was important given the predicted growth in mental illness cases across Australia.

“Statistics show that mental illness is a significant cause of claims under disability insurance,” she said.
“It is important that those in the position of protecting people’s lives and financial wellbeing make changes now to ensure customers can receive the protection they need, when they need it.”

*Mindframe is a national media initiative funded by the Australian government under the National Suicide Prevention Program.

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