Comm. Learning Committee So Many Uses! 07-November-2002 E. A. P. So Many Uses! The purpose of this presentation is to help participant’s gain a broader knowledge the Employee Assistance Program – it’s uses and how to access it.

Comm. Learning Committee 07-November-2002 Why Use E.A.P.? Family Matters Marital or family issues Death of a family member Chronic illness and elder care Domestic violence or abuse Financial or legal worries Why Use E.A.P.? Family Matters: Marital or family issues The divorce rate is very high in the emergency services field. Seeking help to alleviate stress, both at home and at work, is a very effective way to maintain or restore a healthy relationship. E.A.P. looks after the employee and his/her family members. Death of a family member Grieving over a loved can be very difficult. Sometimes issues from the past are suddenly brought to the forefront. Chronic illness and elder care Chronic illness plays both a physical role and a mental role. E.A.P. can help find ways to cope with both the physical and mental aspects, as well as support for other family members. Domestic violence and/or abuse Domestic violence affects the entire household. There are many control issues relating to domestic violence. An E.A.P. counselor can help identify these and many other issues. Financial or legal worries Money worries can elevate anyone’s anxiety level instantly. When the bills accumulate, so does the anxiety level. Having someone (E. A. P.) who is independent and objective to help solve these worries is very beneficial.

Comm. Learning Committee 07-November-2002 Why Use E.A.P.? Wellness Physical health and fitness Anxiety or depression Various addictions (alcohol, drugs, gambling, etc.) Eating disorders AIDS Self-esteem Wellness: Physical health and fitness Maintaining good physical health helps to offset stress. Getting the proper guidance will make your daily routine more successful. Anxiety or depression E.A.P. can help identify and clarify a person’s anxiety and whether or not he/she is suffering from depression. Various Addictions Drugs and alcohol are the two most common addictions (there are many). Gambling is becoming more an more common also. Addiction is a disease which needs intense specialized care. Calling E.A.P. to help establish this care and offer support to other family member is a giant step forward. AIDS AIDS is another area which needs compassionate and specific care. E.A.P. can help put you in touch with the care that is needed. Self-esteem Low self-esteem can lead to clinical depression over a long period of time. This can affect both your personal life and your work life. Reaching out to E.A.P. can help one to learn ways to increase self-esteem through positive affirmations and other positive tactics.

Comm. Learning Committee 07-November-2002 Why Use E.A.P.? Work Job stress Career counseling Pre-retirement concerns Harassment Conflicts with co-workers Work: Job Stress We have stress in our jobs on a daily basis. When this stress accumulates without a means to escape, we then suffer from cumulative stress. E.A.P. can be that means of escape. Career Counseling Career counselors can help us look at the “big picture” pertaining to our job and our career path. Pre-retirement Concerns Retirement can be an enormous change of lifestyle for someone. Advance planning pertaining financial matters, time management, and family matters can help ease the retirement transition Harassment Harassment in the work place can relate to very sensitive issues. E.A.P. can help sort out those issues and help the employee decide what course of action is best. Conflicts with co-workers Conflict in the work place can be very toxic. Facing this at work on a daily basis can affect someone’s work performance, self-esteem, and home life at the end of the day. Discussing this with E.A.P. can be a good venting ground and perhaps provide another perspective and/or method to solve the conflict.

Comm. Learning Committee 07-November-2002 Confidentiality All discussion are strictly between you and the counselor Your employer has no knowledge of your appointment(s) Your employer has no access to anything that is discussed between you and your counselor What you disclose is up to YOU Confidentiality: Confidentiality is always paramount. Our E.A.P. provider works strictly apart from your employer. Unless the E.A.P. counselor is intervening on your behalf with your permission, there is never any reference made to your employer regarding you attending to see an E.A.P. counselor. Nothing is disclosed without your permission.

Comm. Learning Committee 07-November-2002 Cost All costs are dealt independently from the employer annually. No invoices to anyone, confidentiality is reinforced Cost: An agreement between the E.A.P. provider and the employer is settled on an annual basis for the entire Service. Therefore, there are no invoices per per visit, etc. This also helps to ensure confidentiality. There is no cost to the employee.

Comm. Learning Committee 07-November-2002 How Do I Contact E.A.P.? Call the Canada-wide toll free number (1-800-XXX-XXXX) anytime day or night. How Do I Contact E.A.P.?: Call the Canada-wide toll free number (1-800-XXX-XXXX) anytime day or night.

What Happens When I Call? Comm. Learning Committee 07-November-2002 What Happens When I Call? Intake worker briefly gathers information to determine the nature of the problem. An E.A.P. counselor then contacts you within two business days to set up an appointment What Happens When I Call? Your initial call to E.A.P. will be with an intake worker who will ask a few brief questions. These questions will help the intake worker to refer you to the type of counselor you require. Within two business days, an E.A.P. counselor will contact you to set up an appointment.

What Happens During An Appointment? Comm. Learning Committee 07-November-2002 What Happens During An Appointment? The counselor assesses your situation The counselor will provide further counseling, or The counselor will refer you to someone specialized to assist you. What Happens During an Appointment? The counselor will assess your needs and determine what type of further counseling is needed. Depending on the type of counseling, the counselor will either continue to provide counseling, or refer you to someone specialized to deal with a specific concern.

After The Initial Appointment Comm. Learning Committee 07-November-2002 After The Initial Appointment If you have been referred to someone, the counselor will follow-up with you to ensure you are receiving the help you need. After The Initial Appointment: If the initial counselor referred you to someone who specializes in your area of concern, the initial counselor will still maintain contact with you to ensure that your concern is being addressed.

Comm. Learning Committee 07-November-2002 When Should I Call E.A.P.? A problem taking up too much time in your thoughts (worry, anxiety) A problem is using a lot of your emotional energy (I.e. you are trying to convince yourself that “it’s not that bad, that it will get better with time”) When Should I Call E.A.P.? A problem taking up too much time in your thoughts (worry, anxiety) A problem is using a lot of your emotional energy (I.e. you are trying to convince yourself that “it’s not that bad, that it will get better with time”

Comm. Learning Committee 07-November-2002 When Should I Call E.A.P.? A problem is causing your to be physically ill A problem is disrupting your life in any way When Should I Call E.A.P.? A problem is causing your to be physically ill A problem is disrupting your life in any way

If Any Of These Apply To You… Comm. Learning Committee 07-November-2002 If Any Of These Apply To You… EAP IS YOUR ANSWER 1-800-XXX-XXXX If Any Of These Apply To You… EAP IS YOUR ANSWER 1-800-XXX-XXXX