Early resolution of personal problems is in the best interest of both the employee and the employer. Our broad brush program is designed to encourage your employees and management staff to be proactive. We accomplish this by offering professional, short-term solution-focused counseling, professional development coaching, and mediation for workplace conflict, management consultation, and community resource referrals to employees who are experiencing personal or work-related dilemmas BEFORE work performance becomes impaired. Employees are educated about the positive benefits of the EAP and encouraged to be proactive and seek assistance on their own before problems begin to affect their work. Management is educated about the EAP and encouraged to use the program as a management tool in detecting and attempting to correct unsatisfactory work performance. Our EAP will work closely with your management staff to help clarify their role in identifying behavioral symptoms of emotional distress and making an appropriate referral to the EAP when work performance is deteriorating.
Our comprehensive service includes a clinical, educational, and administrative, component. For more information please contact Paula Spiecker-Watson at: watson-paula@cooperhealth.edu.
Employee Assistance Program Services
Our EAP offers a full array of services to help you and your employees when troubles begin to negatively impact work performance. Troubles can range from personal issues outside of the workplace to conflict between co-workers and relationships with management.
You can contact the EAP by calling 856.342.2280.
Clinical Services
Our clinical component offers short-term solution focused counseling, coaching for skill development, mediation for workplace conflict, community resource referrals, substance abuse referral and monitoring, and critical incident stress management services.
Confidential assistance to employees and family members with personal, interpersonal, or work performance problems
Confidential Assistance to Employees and Family Members with personal, interpersonal, or work performance problems - Every employee and his/her family members are entitled to five or eight (depending upon the module selected), free, confidential counseling sessions, per type of problem, per year. An employee or an employee's family member can enter the program through a special 24-hour telephone number. Voluntary referrals which encourages employees to make use of the program on their own before problems become more serious. During regular working hours, the phone is monitored by an EAP professional. During non-working hours, calls will be directed to our emergency on-call beeper system. An appointment will then be made with a mental health professional who will evaluate the problem. A treatment plan will be mutually agreed upon and the steps necessary to implement the plan will be discussed. Evening appointments are often available for your employees. Including the initial evaluation, all individuals are allowed five or eight sessions with a qualified mental health professional to help resolve their difficulties. It should be noted that 75% of employees resolve their identified concerns within three visits (Columbia, 1984).
Assistance with alcohol and / or drug abuse problems
The first step is to have a Cooper EAP substance abuse professional conduct an evaluation. Then, if a medical problem is detected, an appropriate referral is made. Such referrals may include sending the patient to community health services. In every case, treatment is closely monitored to ensure the maximum benefit to the employee while, at the same time, controlling costs. “Back to work” sessions with the employee and his/her supervisor, as well as “return to work contracts” between the company and the employee, are provided. When necessary, the EAP’s substance abuse professional acts as an intermediary with the various organizations involved. All drug and alcohol cases are monitored for one year following treatment.
Crisis intervention
Assistance is available 24-hours a day in crisis situations. For example, Cooper EAP can provide immediate telephone counseling when employees are suffering from acute mental illness and need to obtain appropriate medical evaluation and treatment. The EAP can also intervene in cases where employees are suffering from intense reactions to situational stress, mental health problems, or to alcohol/drug abuse. In situations where a traumatic event has occurred on the job (e.g. robbery, accident, death, or suicide), Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) services are available. These services help employees cope with the event and assist in mitigating any long-term adverse effects.
Consultation with supervisory / managerial personnel
Consultation to Supervisory / Managerial Personnel - Consultative services may be requested by supervisors / managerial personnel, or a contact may be initiated by EAP staff when they become aware of morale or other problems that need to be brought to the attention of the client companies' management team. Supervisors are encouraged to consult with EAP staff regarding work-related cases. EAP staff provides assistance to supervisors by reviewing cases, role-playing situations, and making suggestions regarding documentation. The key to these consultations is to train supervisors not to diagnose the cause of the problem, but to learn how to address work performance problems. This service is available to all supervisors / managerial personnel on an unlimited basis.
You can contact the EAP by calling 856.342.2280 or e-mailing HREAP@cooperhealth.edu.
Educational Services
Our educational component offers employee orientations to demystify the EAP, management training to encourage your staff to partner with EAP and use as a consultant with work performance issues.
Management / Supervisory Training Courses
The EAP conducts a training course designed to educate supervisory personnel how to refer a troubled employee to the EAP.
Employee Orientation Sessions
Employee orientations are provided for all employees. These sessions help to demystify the program and make asking for help a little easier for all employees.
Employee Awareness Material
Educational materials about the program are provided and include: posters, a letter of introduction, magnets and wallet-sized brochures outlining the program.
Employee Inservices
Two inservices are provided per contract year from the attached list. Any additional inservices will be billed at a hourly rate. Substance abuse training is provided to comply with federal and state requirements such as the Drug Free Workplace Act and Department of Transportation regulations. This includes both a 2 hour supervisory training seminar and a 1½ hour employee seminar on substance abuse in the workplace.
EAP Workshop Listing (Word Document)
EAP Workshop Listing (PDF)
Administrative Services
Our administrative component provides you with marketing materials to assist in marketing the EAP internally, utilization reports to identify issues that may require additional assistance from EAP (ie. Stress management) , and policy review and development to assist in incorporating EAP into your policies (i.e. EAP, Drug-free Workplace, Violence in the workplace, etc.
Statistical Information- Quarterly statistical reports on your program's utilization and demographics are provided.
Policy Development- In conjunction with your management team, the EAP will assist in developing policies specific to the needs of your company as well as review existing policies you may currently have on record:
- Substance Abuse in the Workplace
- Violence in the Workplace
- Cultural Diversity in the Workplace
Monthly Blog - A monthly blog post that addresses relevant subjects (stress, co-worker conflict, time management, etc.) and techniques for problem solving.
Marketing Materials - Posters, mini brochures, and other marketing materials can be obtained by calling 856.342.2280 and requesting them.