By Eric Stock
BLOOMINGTON – A Canadian company is taking over part of Bloomington-based Chestnut Health Systems.
Chestnut, which offers substance abuse treatment, mental health care, credit counseling and other services is selling its employee assistance program to Morneau Shepell, a global company based in Toronto.
“Our clients and client companies will be able to access information and services with their handheld devices and online in ways we don’t do now and we would have a very difficult time garnering the resources to developer,” Chestnut CEO Russell Hagen said.
Hagen said no staffing changes are planned in the coming months, but added it’s possible Morneau Shepell will be able to add jobs in the coming years.
“I think it really means nothing but good things for the community for our customers that are throughout Illinois and the Midwest and across the nation from a domestic point of view.” Hagen said.
Morneau Shepell was established in 1996 and employs more than 4,000 staff in North America and serves approximately 20,000 clients, offering employee assistance and retirement and benefit plans.
“Chestnut Global Partners offers particular expertise in addiction treatment, mental health services and credit counseling and is recognized in the employee assistance industry as a leader in research,” said Rita Fridella, Morneau Shepell executive vice president and general manager of employee support solutions. “Over time, the clients of Chestnut Global Partners will benefit from Morneau Shepell’s award-winning EAP innovation and technology, technology and the breadth of our global provider network. Our combined global reach will be unparalleled in the industry.”
Hagen was planning to retire on Jan. 7, but will stay on part-time to assist with the transition.
Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed.
Eric Stock can be reached at eric.stock@cumulus.com
