Employee assistance programs (EAPs) are one of the most
effective ways to deal with alcohol and other drug problems in the
workplace. They can enhance the work climate of an organization and
promote the health and well-being of everyone involved. EAPs are
usually multifaceted programs designed to assist employees with
personal problems that affect their job performance. Although some
EAPs focus primarily on alcohol and other drug problems, most EAPs
address a wide range of employee problems such as stress, marital
difficulties, financial trouble, and legal problems.
Most EAPs offer a range of services: employee education (on-site
or off-site), individual and organizational assessment, counseling,
and referrals to treatment. EAPs can also train supervisors for
your program. In general, the more comprehensive the services, the
more the EAP provider will charge for them.
EAPs come in a variety of shapes and sizes and the cost will
vary accordingly. Factors include the types of services provided,
the number of employees, the type of industry, regulatory
requirements, drug testing policy, location, and family
coverage.
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Internal/in-house programs
These are most often found in large companies with substantial
resources. The EAP staff is employed by the organization and works
on-site with employees.
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Fixed-fee contracts
Employers contract directly with an EAP provider for a variety
of services, e.g., counseling, employee assessment, and educational
programs. Fees are usually based on the number of employees and
remain the same regardless of how many employees use the EAP.
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Fee-for-service contracts
Employers contract directly with an EAP provider, but pay only
when employees use the services. Because this system requires
employers to make individual referrals (rather than employees
self-referring), care must be taken to protect employee
confidentiality.
- Consortia
An EAP consortium generally consists of smaller employers who join
together to contract with an EAP service provider. The consortium
approach helps to lower the cost per employee.
- Peer-based programs
Less common than conventional EAPs, peer- or coworker-based EAPs
give education and training, assistance to troubled employees, and
referrals -- all through peers and coworkers. This type of program
requires considerable education and training for employees.
Employee assistance programs offer a variety of benefits:
- They can assist with policy development, employee education,
and supervisor training.
- They can take the pressure off supervisors and managers, who
feel responsible when employees' personal problems affect job
performance.
- They offer an alternative to firing, thereby saving the costs
of recruiting, rehiring, and retraining.
- They offer access to treatment for employees with problems that
affect their job performance.
- They have been linked to decreases in accidents, Workers'
Compensation claims, absenteeism, health benefit utilization, and
turnover rates.
- They can assist employers in complying with drug-free workplace
laws.
EAP professional associations
The first step in implementing an EAP is to find a qualified
service provider. Currently there are no national licensure
programs for EAP providers, although several states are considering
such programs. Two professional associations, the Employee
Assistance Professionals Association (EAPA) and the Employee
Assistance Society of North America (EASNA), have developed
certification procedures for EAP providers. The Certified Employee
Assistance Professional (CEAP) credential indicates satisfactory
knowledge about addictions, intervention, and related skills. For a
fee, EAPA and EASNA can also provide directories of EAP providers
by area or region.
A variety of options are available for identifying EAP services.
These options include contacting organizations that describe
themselves as EAPs and contacting other sources of health care.
Consider the following possibilities:
- Join with other employers and contract with an EAP
provider.
- Consult the Yellow Pages (look under "employee assistance
programs" or "drug abuse information and treatment centers"),
contact your chamber of commerce or trade association, or call
CSAP's Workplace Helpline at 1-800-WORKPLACE.
- Call local hospitals and ask about available EAP services.
- Contact a health maintenance organization (HMO) that provides
alcohol and other drug abuse treatment services and ask about EAP
possibilities.
- Contact a local mental health or substance abuse professional
in private practice and negotiate a contract for EAP services.
- Inquire if insurance carriers cover EAP services or can help to
identify local or regional EAP providers.
- Talk with other employers who have successful EAPs.
Questions to Ask
Not every EAP will be right for every organization. To determine
whether or not a particular EAP will be able to meet your specific
needs, ask the EAP provider the following questions:
- Do the staff members who will be assigned to my organization
hold the CEAP credential?
- Do members of your staff belong to a professional EAP
association?
- What is the education level of each member of your staff?
- Do you have references that we can contact?
- Do you provide on-site employee education and supervisor
training services?
- What cost/fee programs do you offer?
- Will you do on-site visits?
- Are you able to conduct a needs assessment of our
organization?
- What types of counseling services are available to
employees?
- How many sessions?
- How easy will it be for employees to use the EAP?
- Where and how often is the EAP available to employees?
- To which programs and services do you make referrals-and
why?
- Does the EAP have a system for evaluating the effectiveness of
the program?
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care
provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a
substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER
IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the
advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to
starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a
medical condition.
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2007
EBSCO Publishing All rights reserved.