	Employee Assistance Program Services

Introduction

Administration and Management

Service Delivery Administration Standards

Service Standards

PA-EAP 3: Program Implementation and Contract Management

The customer organization’s needs and contractual obligations determine the EAP services provided and the content of service utilization reports.

PA-EAP 3.01

The EAP develops an implementation plan to facilitate program design.

Interpretation: Examples of information that may be gathered to develop an implementation plan include, as applicable:

a confidential survey of employee and management representatives to identify key problem areas;
employee profiles and demographics;
employee absenteeism rates;
employee turnover rates;
accidental injuries;
health insurance costs;
worker’s compensation claims;
previous EAP utilization information; and
transition planning for continuity of care for existing high risk cases and those requiring ongoing case management.

PA-EAP 3.02

The implementation or program plan includes mechanisms for promotional and employee communications that include, but are not limited to, the following, as applicable:

printed communications;
company website;
referral resource database;
listserves, discussion groups, chat rooms, instant messenger, and other electronic communication tools;
training of supervisors, key management, and union representatives;
employee orientation; and
other promotional and educational activities.

PA-EAP 3.03

Prior to initiating a contract, and at renewal, the EAP and host or customer organization address:

how a case is defined and how utilization is calculated;
how a “new” client is defined;
the amount (for example, number of hours) of clinical and account management time projected per defined period;
desired outcomes and performance standards;
the means of measuring outcomes; and
the format and frequency of reports.

Interpretation: The standard requires the EAP to designate the numerator and denominator for purposes of utilization as addressed in (a). Training to supervisors and other units are not acceptable factors to be addressed in utilization.

PA-EAP 3.04

The EAP abides by formal contractual agreements and stipulates in writing:

a designated account manager;
objectives for the contract;
services to be provided and by whom;
financial terms;
facility, equipment, and staff resources required;
projected utilization rates;
mutual indemnification, when appropriate; and
mutual obligations of the EAP and customer organization.

NA The agency is an internal EAP only.

PA-EAP 3.05

The EAP reports to the customer organization regularly or as indicated, on the following, as appropriate:

cases opened;
types of services requested;
number of sessions;
number of training or seminar participants;
website usage;
client and/or supervisory consultation;
outcome measures, such as goal achievement and client satisfaction;
other utilization trends identified; and
other administrative activities.

Interpretation: The EAP ensures that client confidentiality is maintained in its reporting process.

PA-EAP 3.06

The EAP maintains up-to-date information on each host or customer organization’s demographics, business, and covered EAP benefits.

Interpretation: Examples of information maintained include, but are not limited to, employee locations; available health coverage, including mental health benefits; products or services provided by the customer organization; and whether it’s a unionized or non-unionized setting.

QUICK JUMP TO


	PURPOSE: Employee Assistance Programs help agencies support employees working to maintain or improve their productivity, functioning, and pro-social behavior and remain at or return to the workplace.

RELATED FILES


	EMPLOYEE Paid member of an organization. Foster parents are not considered employees and are specifically referenced in relevant standards.


	PROGRAM A system of services offered by an organization. For example, an organization providing a mental health service may offer several mental health programs to different populations, e.g., a mental health program for adolescent teens. The word "program" can be used interchangeably with the word "service" or to describe specific programs.


	CUSTOMER ORGANIZATION An employer, organization, union, or association who signs a contract with an EAP organization to pay all or part of the costs for the employee assistance program.


	SERVICE One or more organization-operated programs or activities that have a common general objective and deploy the organization's material and human resources in a planned and systematic manner. An organization that publicly promotes or identifies itself in writing as offering a service, is licensed to deliver a service, assigns personnel and/or space to a service, or allocates financial resources to a service is considered to offer that service.


	PLANNING The process of specifying objectives, evaluating the means for their achievement, and exercising deliberate decision making about appropriate courses of action.


	CASE A general term used to designate clients (including individuals, families, and groups) served by an organization for purposes of monitoring the provision of services. A foster care case is generally based on the placement of an individual child, although casework for the child may include services to the child's family. A child protective services case is based on an entire family household if a family assessment model is used; otherwise a case is defined as a child.


	TRAINING Instruction so as to make fit, qualified, or proficient in a skill or body of knowledge.


	CONTRACT A formal written agreement between two or more parties that specifies the services, space, or products to be provided in exchange for some form of compensation. Also known as "purchase of service arrangement."


	CLINICAL The study, assessment, and diagnosis of the client situation followed by direct treatment to help the client achieve prescribed goals.


	PERFORMANCE A measure of how well an organizational system provides services to consumers. Performance is often based on key indicators, such as rates of service, cost per consumer, degree of satisfaction with services, and extent of consumer access to services.


	MANAGEMENT See ADMINISTRATION


	CLIENT See service recipient.


	OBJECTIVE A sub-goal stated in operational terms, i.e., a statement that makes clear what expected results are to be measured or assessed.


	INDEMNIFICATION Protection for the directors, officers, board members, personnel, and volunteers of an organization against any civil or criminal action, suit, or proceeding resulting from their activities with the organization. Indemnification should include all reasonable expenses, including legal fees, except when it is determined that the person is liable for negligence or misconduct in the performance of his or her duties. Organizations generally will have an indemnification clause in their bylaws, whether or not external insurance coverage has been purchased to cover such risks as may be involved.


	ACCOUNT MANAGER The liaison between the customer organization and the EAP provider responsible for ensuring the needs of the customer are addressed. The account manager is employed by the EAP.


	UTILIZATION RATE The number of employees seen by the program divided by the number of covered employees in the company. A client who does not keep a scheduled appointment without informing the counselor should not be counted in the utilization rate. Note: The EAP must designate the numerator and denominator for purposes of utilization. Training to supervisors and other units as well as work-life services accessed are not acceptable factors to be addressed in utilization. A return client with the same primary problem should be counted only once in the utilization rate.


	INTERNAL EAP Any employee assistance program whose EAP counselors or employee assistance clinicians are employed by the host organization.


	CONFIDENTIALITY An ethical and practice principle that requires the protection of information shared within a professional-client relationship. An organization that upholds confidentiality prohibits personnel from disclosing information about persons served without their written consent.