Help & Support Lines
DialHelp:
Call 906-482-4357 or 800-562-7622.
Text 35NEEDS or 906-356-3337.
Chat online at dialhelp.org
National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline:
Call or text 988
Pathways Community Mental Health:
Call 888-728-4929
Marquette County Crisis Line:
Call 888-728-4929
Veteran’s Crisis Line:
Call 800-273-8255 and press 1.
Text 838 255
Chat online at veteranscrisisline.net
Michigan Crisis & Access Line (MiCAL):
Call 844-44-MiCAL (64225)
NAMI Alger Marquette Support Groups and Education Programs:
Visit namimqt.com for information on local mental health support groups and education programs
Northstar EAP
Northern Michigan University has partnered with NorthStar Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to provide mental health and wellness tools to its benefits eligible employees, including contingent faculty, and their families (spouse/partner and legal dependents) . Eligible members may use NorthStar to help manage issues that could adversely impact their personal and work lives. There are various tools and ways to engage with Northstar EAP, with the goal of finding tools and resources to improve your mental health and overall wellbeing.
Confidentiality is maintained in accordance with privacy laws and professional ethical standards, and the university is not notified when EAP services are used.
EAP Counseling
A highly personalized approach tailored to each clients individual needs to help attain the personal and professional growth for which they are striving. This short-term, solution-based virtual or in-person mental health counseling supports a wide range of emotional and behavioral issues for:
- Depression and Grief
- Relationship/Family Counseling
- Substance Abuse Issues
- Stress and Anxiety
- And more
Sessions are typically one hour and each eligible member has access to eight (8) counseling or coaching sessions annually. Available sessions renew annually as of Jan 1st . Request services by visiting the intake and scheduling link below.
Text with TESS
Meet TESS, the text-for-care mental health tool. This confidential service is available 24/7 to support your mental health needs. This chat enabled service offers coaching, strategies and techniques to help you manage stress. This on demand tool is a great supplement for mental health counseling or when you just need someone to connect with in real-time.
Text with Tess today! Simply text "Hi" to 906-208-4204 to get instant support, skills, tips, and coping tools to help you deal with issues in the moment. Tess can be used between EAP sessions or as a standalone service. You can opt in or out at any time. To opt out of this feature text "unsubscribe" at any time.
MyLife Expert Self Service Portal
A secure work-life portal that can be accessed anytime from your computer or mobile device The portal gives access to thousands of up-to-date topic related articles, videos, calculators, podcasts, interactive checklists, and more related to:
- Financial and Legal
- Child Care and Education
- Eldercare
- Career and Military
- Everyday Living and more....
You simply need to create a unique log in by using the company code NMUNIV as noted below.
Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) of Michigan Services
BCBS Virtual Care
With Virtual Care by Teladoc Health (formerly BCBS Online Visits) you and everyone on your health plan can have virtual visits with licensed therapists and U.S. board-certified psychiatrists. The Therapy and Psychiatry options provide ongoing support for stressful situations or issues such as grief, anxiety, or depression.
Through the Mental Health option, you can connect with a licensed therapist or U.S. board-certified psychiatrist when you're dealing with stressful situation or issues such as grief, anxiety, and depression.
To get started, you will need to first visit bcbsm.com/virtualcare to download the Teledoc Health app. Family members ages 18 and older will need to create their own Virtual Care accounts. When updating or creating your account, choose your plan name and enter your member ID (enrollee ID # on your BCBS card) so your coverage is applied correctly.
*Virtual Care is effective 01/01/2024. BCBS Online Visits will continue to be available until the transition occurs on 1/1
Behavioral Health Options
Blue Cross/Blue Shield gives you access to a variety of care options and resources to treat mental health and substance use disorder conditions. These options include in-person treatment, virtual care options, and many free resources. This summary sheet will help you navigate these options by providing a description, examples of what the options may be used for and how to access them.
AbleTo
AbleTo is a virtual behavioral health provider contracted with your health plan that offers convenient and confidential care for mild to moderate depression and anxiety. AbleTo includes access to over 2,000 licensed therapists nationwide.
Virtual appointments with a licensed therapist who will guide you through a personalized 8-week program over phone or video to teach you skills and tools you can use to enjoy more of life.
Blue Cross Virtual Well-Being Webinars and Meditations
Blue Cross Virtual Well-Being program offers:
- Live, interactive, science based, well-being webinars every Thursday at noon.
- Guided meditation every Wednesday at noon
- Popular topics like personalizing your sleep hygiene, functional training, foods that boost brain health and planting for garden to table.
- Drop 5 Virtual Weight-loss Community offering weight loss tips and healthy recipes for people who are losing weight five pounds at a time.
Watch live or on-demand!
Behavioral Health Resources
Educate yourself in every arena of mental health and substance abuse through BCBSM's behavioral health resource site. Resource highlights include:
-
Parents' guide to mental health in children and adolescents
-
Mental health during COVID
-
Mindfulness-based techniqies to calm kids' anxiety
-
Stigma education
-
Substance use and crisis support
-
ADHD
AND SO MUCH MORE!
Preventive Care
Annual check-ups and tests can help find health problems early, and sometimes, before they even start. By having your annual health exam, you will be taking important steps toward a longer, healthier life.
A routine health exam is a chance for your health provider to:
- Screen for diseases
- Assess risk for future medical problems
- Encourage a healthy lifestyle
- Update vaccinations
- Maintain a relationship with you in case of illness
BCBS Well-being
Powered by Personify Heath, Blue Cross Health & Wellbeing online resources provide you with access to a broad range of health and well-being information and tools. They are available 24-hours a day, everyday, when you log in as a member at bcbsm.com
- Easy integration with more than 100 fitness apps and devices
- Programs and resources that address your interests and health goals
- A health assessment to help identify risk factors
- A tobacco cessation coaching program to help you stop using nicotine
- A checklist to help you keep track of your care needs
- Well-being courses to help you learn health habits that stick
Blue365 Deals
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan members can score big savings on a variety of healthy products and services in Michigan and across the United States. Member discount with Blue 365 offer exclusive deals on things like:
Fitness and wellness
Healthy Eating
Lifestyle
Personal Care
Physical Wellbeing Point Solutions
Hinge Health Exercise Therapy
You can join Hinge Health, a benefit provided by Northern Michigan University at no additional cost to you. Hinge Health offers back, knee, shoulder, hip and other joint pain relief programs. This online plan is simple to sign up for, easy to do from home, and won’t cost you a thing!
Get your personalized exercise therapy plan now >>
Here’s how it works:
- Simply answer a few questions and you will receive exercises that are right for you based on your pain and fitness level.
- Get exercise therapy, a personal care team, and education designed to improve your specific situation.
- You can do your exercises anytime, anywhere with the Hinge Health app, no need for appointments or travel!
Sign up now to join over 400,000+ members who have already tried the Hinge Health program. On average, Hinge Health members reduced their pain by 68%¹ after 12 weeks.
Hinge Health also offers a Women’s Pelvic Health Program — for pregnancy and postpartum care, to improve bladder control, and much more.
Hinge Health offers a monthly webinar series with targeted topics. View the webinar calendar to register today.
Hello Heart
Have high blood pressure? Track it for FREE
The Hello Heart program is free to Northern Michigan University employees who are enrolled in the NMU group health plan.
Hello Heart is NMU's blood pressure tracking program. If you are enrolled in the NMU group health plan and have blood pressure readings of 130/80 mmHG or above and/or take blood pressure medication, you are eligible to enroll. Once enrolled, you will received a free blood pressure monitor that connects to an app on your smartphone. The Hello Heart blood pressure monitor and smartphone app will help you track, understand and improve your heart health from the privacy of your home.
Mental Health First Aid
NMU will be offering opportunities to complete 8 hour, in-person courses in Mental Health First Aid, free to NMU employees. Mental Health First Aid is an international education program proven to be effective in teaching adults how to recognize and respond to signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges. One or two certified instructors lead each course and follow a national curriculum and teaching standards, while emphasizing hope for recovery. Classes usually consist of 30 people or less and are offered in a respectful, comfortable environment. If you are interested in completing this training, please sign up here
You will be notified of upcoming training dates and details, and given the opportunity to reserve your spot.
Additional Resources
Hope Health
A quarterly newsletter offering motivating lifestyle choices and promoting good health and safety!
Connected Communities for Health
The Upper Peninsula Health Plan (UPHP) offers a complete resource guide called Connected Communities for Health which offers resources for food assistance, childcare, clothing, transportation, housing, utilities assistance, employment, educational opportunities, and more
Wildcat Wellbeing
A collection of resources for students and employees related to:
Mental Health
Wellbeing
Training
Workshops
Nonopiod Directive Information
A nonopioid directive helps fight the opioid epidemic by allowing patients to notify health professionals they do not want opioids. A patient, a person’s legal guardian, or patient advocate can now fill out a State of Michigan Form that directs health professionals and emergency medical services personnel to not administer opioids. The form should be submitted to the patient's primary care physician and included in the patient’s medical records.
A link to the directive form can be found by visiting www.michigan.gov/opioids. Click on the “Find Help” section and then scroll down to the bottom to "Additional Resources."