What is the Employee Assistance Program (EAP)?
EAP’s are employer-sponsored programs designed to alleviate and assist in eliminating a variety of workplace problems. EAP’s typically provide screening, assessments, brief interventions, referrals to other services and case management. The source of these employee problems can be either personal or work-related.
Are EAP services kept confidential from the client's employer?
Confidentiality is an important part in providing employee assistance services. Unless the client provides written authorization, the client's confidentiality will be protected to the fullest extent allowed by law.
What types of problems can the program handle?
No one is immune to personal problems. Life’s troubles can affect anyone at any time, in any job. Your EAP is committed to working with employees and their families in resolving a wide range of personal problems. Areas covered include:
Are the EAP counselors qualified?
All counselors are experienced professionals qualified at the appropriate level or higher in their country of practice and in the fields of counseling, clinical psychology, marriage and family therapy, and clinical social work. Many counselors have areas of specialization, such as treating children or adolescents, couples therapy, addictive disorders, and anxiety or depression.
Isn’t an EAP only for those with serious concerns?
The EAP is valuable to everyone. No issue or query is too small or large. The EAP is there to provide support through life’s more difficult times, such as bereavement or relationship issues. Personal advisors are also there to assist with everyday aspects of our lives. The service offers information, advice and counseling.
Do you provide services to employees who don't speak English?
We have telephonic translation services available to assist anyone who doesn't speak English. When we begin work with a new client organization, we identify and plan for any specific language issues within the workforce.
What role do supervisors and managers play in the service?
Managers should be able to answer questions of a general nature about the EAP and will advise employees to take advantage of the service if they think it would be beneficial. Managers are encouraged to see the service as an important asset helping employees deal with issues and answering questions that lie beyond the scope of the manager's role.
Does CGP provide training to managers and supervisors?
At all locations we provide formal “introduction to EAP” training (in person or by webinar) prior to implementing EA programming. This serves as an EAP orientation. Supervisors are also trained on how to make EAP referrals based on poor work performance, positive tests, etc.
If managers are concerned about an employee despite the support the EAP is providing, can they help by also calling CGP to discuss the employee's problems?
No. CGP will not discuss individual cases with managers, and will not even confirm whether the individual has called. Information cannot be released without the written consent of the employee.
If employees are not happy with the service provided by CGP's counselors, what should I do?
CGP hopes employees will never have to make a complaint about the service, but if they do the process is very straightforward. If an employee is not happy with the service they receive, advise them to call the EAP number. The case manager who receives a call from a client with a complaint completes a specific complaint form in order to document the complaint, note date and time of occurrence, and identify its type. When complaints are upheld, provider records become inactive and are removed as referral options.
Does CGP provide services to assist organizations to respond to traumatic events?
CGP designed and set the standard for organizations seeking quick responses to personal crises or organizational issues. Our crisis counseling services include: 24-hour access to one of our professional staff via telephone; phone consultation within three hours of the initial call; assessment and action plan; face-to-face counseling services; individual crisis counseling; group critical incident services; post-trauma counseling, follow-up services, and other services as needed or requested by our customers.
Who should I contact with any questions?
Please contact us by sending an e-mail message to globalinfo@chestnut.org or by calling 1.800.433.7916 (toll free in the U.S.A.) or 1.309.820.3604.