The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides evaluation, short-term counseling, referral, management consultation and training services to federal employees. Federal professionals oversee and evaluate the delivery of program services and ensure the quality that the needs of employees and agencies are met. The focus of these programs expanded when organizations recognized that alcohol was not the only problem affecting employees at work. Public Law 79-658 authorizes the head of the agency to establish health service programs for employees.
It also forms the basis for expanding counseling programs for those who deal only with a substance use disorder to wide-ranging programs that provide counseling for other personal problems, For example, an agency may have an excellent EAP program; however, the stigma associated with mental health support may discourage employees from seeking help. The Federal Department of Occupational Health (FOH) of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) provides professional consultation and technical assistance to agencies in the development and oversight of EAP programs and provides comprehensive EAP services to agencies through inter-agency agreements. The EAP provided by FOH is a comprehensive program that helps employees resolve personal problems that may adversely affect their work performance, behavior, health, and general well-being. It's important for all employees, including leadership members, to know how employee assistance programs (EAPs) can play an important role in mental health.
The HHS Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provides assistance to agencies to facilitate and expand programs for the prevention of drug abuse and for the treatment and rehabilitation of drug addicts. The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides evaluation, short-term counseling, referral, management consultation and training services to federal employees, and is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Public laws 96-180 and 96-181 authorize your agency to extend counseling services, as far as possible, to family members of employees who have problems with alcohol and drugs, and to employees with family members who have substance use disorder. Several legislative initiatives have shaped the orientation and implementation of employee assistance programs in the Federal Government.
All health plans offered to state employees and their dependents have employee assistance programs (EAP). Each agency's Employee Assistance Program has professionals who are experienced in helping employees, managers and teams overcome these problems by developing techniques and plans for coping with stress, facilitating group briefings after traumatic events, identifying and referring employees to professional and community resources and other recovery techniques. Familiarizing yourself with your agency's emergency action plan, as well as the resources available to help employees before, during and after an emergency, is helpful if you're in an emergency situation. We also provide extensive and convenient program management tools and support so that employers can easily configure and have employees use EAP services.
The Inova Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a comprehensive, affordable and first-rate provider of global employee support services.
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