Life can be tough. It can throw challenges at your employees that you’re not prepared to address. These challenges can hurt even the best employee’s performance.
That’s why Process Strategies offers the Employee Assistance Program. The EAP offers counseling and therapy services on a short-term basis to help people get back on track.
How does the Employee Assistance Program work?
Employers contract with Process Strategies to provide counseling services to their employees in need. Process Strategies’ well-trained and experienced therapists meet face to face with each person who is referred to the program by their employer for up to three sessions to help them manage issues that affect their emotional, cognitive, behavioral or interpersonal well-being. Such issues include:
- Depression and anxiety
- Unstable moods
- Crisis and stress management
- Workplace conflicts or challenges
- Anger management
- Interpersonal or relationship conflicts
- Alcohol, drug or other addictions
- Post-traumatic stress
- Occupational problems
- Domestic abuse
- Family issues
Both employees and their immediate family members* may participate. The program provides individual, couple and family therapy.
The program offers three different packages of services: Silver, Gold and Platinum. Employers can call Rick Rucker at 304-926-1608 to find out more information on the packages and pricing we offer.
How is the Employee Assistance Program from Process Strategies different from similar programs?
A big difference is that Process Strategies’ Employee Assistance Program offers face-to-face counseling. Many employers have become disenchanted with programs that provide employees with toll-free numbers to talk with counselors over the phone. Face-to-face, local counseling is much more effective therapeutically than long-distance services.
Why does the Employee Assistance Program provide each person with three counseling sessions?
Most people with short-term problems need only three sessions or fewer. Those with more serious problems can seek longer-term counseling through Process Strategies and have those services billed through their insurance.
How quickly can people receive help?
Unlike similar services that have long wait times, Process Strategies’ Employee Assistance Program provides participants with a designated day.
What help is provided if a person has an acute need for immediate help?
Someone in the Employee Assistance Program who has an immediate need for help can call Highland Hospital anytime, 24 hours a day and seven days a week, for acute care.
What information does the program provide to employers about participation?
Process Strategies does not report to employers about who accesses the program.
What are the potential benefits of using the Employee Assistance Program?
By helping employees and their family members work through their problems, the program could:
- Help improve employees’ job performance
- Help employees with family issues that could affect their job performance
- Help employees deal with such issues as anger management that affect not only them but also others around them
- Help people work through such issues as grief, depression or divorce
- Decrease absenteeism
- Contribute to having a healthier workforce
What else is available through the Employee Assistance Program?
Depending on which level of service is selected, a company could receive as many as four worksite health promotion seminars. Some packages also offer debriefings after critical incidents, such as a death at the worksite.
The Employee Assistance Program staff will provide the employer with help in developing human relations (HR) policies related to the Employee Assistance Program.
In the platinum package, the program staff will handle employee orientation and supervisor training related to the Employee Assistance Program. Alcohol and drug screenings are not included in any of the packages but they can be added.
What types of employers use the Employee Assistance Program?
The program serves a wide range of companies in a variety of fields, including educational institutions, industrial firms, law firms, health care organizations, other professional organizations, government agencies, libraries, ambulance services and transportation agencies.
How could a company with sites outside of the Kanawha Valley area participate?
Process Strategies contracts with therapists in other parts of West Virginia and in other states, as available, to provide service to company employees who are based outside the Charleston area.
How can I find out more or arrange to provide the Employee Assistance Program for my company’s employees?
Contact Rick Rucker by calling 304-926-1608 or emailing him at rrucker@highlandhosp.com.
*Each employer will designate who qualifies as immediate family for services and will notify their employee at the time of referral.