An assistance program (also referred to as an employee assistance program or EAP) is a service provided as a benefit to you by your employer (or by a group or organization to its members). They are comprised of professionally trained staff that are available to help with a multitude of concerns that may be affecting your personal or work life. An assistance program is a confidential benefit that comes at no additional expense to you, and is typically available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Below is information on how assistance programs can help and how they work.
Assistance programs provide resources and support regarding many issues that may include:
Health and safety concerns
Financial and legal topics
Relationship and family matters
Work issues
You are encouraged to seek help early, before a minor problem becomes more serious. An assistance program is designed to address short-term issues as well as identify resources and referrals for emergency and long-term issues.
Assistance program services are confidential. This means that your employer, organization, or any other third party won’t know that you accessed services unless you’ve given your consent. The only exception to this rule of confidentiality is if, by law, the professional you are consulting may be required to report a situation to the appropriate authorities (such as in the case of learning you or someone else is at risk of self-harm or of harming others).
Contacting an assistance program is easy:
Simply call the telephone number. If you do not have the number, ask your manager or human resources (HR) representative for it, or look for it on your organization’s internal website.
When you call the assistance program, be prepared to give your name, address, and the name of your organization. Your name and any other identifying information will be kept confidential. Your organization’s name is important because it allows the assistance program consultant to identify the specific types of services your organization is providing along with other important benefit-related information. Return calls can be arranged at your discretion.
The assistance program consultant will discuss your needs and concerns with you, listen, and assess the situation. Depending on your situation, the consultant may:
The assistance program service is provided by your organization as a benefit to you. However, if you accept a referral to services outside the assistance program, you may be responsible for any associated costs. The assistance program consultant will work with you to find the most appropriate and cost-effective help to address your needs.
If you or someone close to you is going through a difficult time, remember that help is only a phone call away. When in doubt, contact your organization’s assistance program for help or support.