An EAP or employee assistance program is a free service offered in many workplaces.
Employee assistance programs are portals for services and treatment facilities for issues in the following areas:
- Mental health disorders
- Alcohol use disorders
- Substance use disorders
- Legal problems
- Childcare challenges
- Financial issues
You should view an EAP as a catalyst to reach out for the help you need in any of the above areas, especially if these problems are impacting your performance at work and your quality of life.
Free and confidential, you cannot be penalized for taking advantage of an employee assistance program. Indeed, if your employer offers an EAP, you should get any help you need without hesitation.
What is an Employee Assistance Program
What is EAP, then?
Voluntary and accessible on-demand, EAP services are broad in scope. Expect any or all of the following:
- Assessments for mental health or substance abuse
- Telehealth
- Referrals
- Mental health support
- Substance abuse treatment and rehab
- Crisis management
- A fixed number of counseling sessions
- Follow-up services
EAP services are free up to a point. You’ll get a limited number of free counseling sessions, for instance, and you can then decide whether to continue paying out-of-pocket for therapy, or whether you feel you have gained sufficient input already to implement change.
If you need EAP services for substance abuse issues, you’ll have access to all of the following vital services:
- Medical detox
- Inpatient addiction treatment
- Outpatient addiction treatment
- Inpatient mental health treatment
Unfortunately, some confusion still surrounds EAPs. Drug rehab EAP are not synonymous. An employee assistance program is not a substitute for traditional medical and mental health care. Rather, an EAP acts as a bridge you can choose to cross and get the help you need to cope with the challenges thrown your way.
EAP Program Rehab Coverage
Even if you have already finished a treatment program or a medical detox, you may still find your EAP benefits are applicable to this stage of your recovery. Whether you need an EAP to help you get sober or to help you stay sober, you should find resources, education, and counseling at your fingertips. Engage with these and you can thrive at work while staying strong in your sobriety.
If you use substances at work and find your employer referring you to an EAP for substance abuse treatment, they may receive details of your treatment, so you forfeit confidentiality. Outside of these circumstances, the only way an EAP can provide any information to your employer is after you have given written consent, or if you are viewed as a threat, either to yourself or others.
Anyone who is perceived as a threat to any employee or other person, or anyone issuing threats to hurt co-workers on an EAP is on thin ice. The provider will almost certainly notify your employer, possibly even the police.
Beyond this, you’ll find rules and restrictions vary from EAP to EAP.
The majority of employee assistance programs for substance abuse are not only voluntary but also tailored to help you thrive rather than having any kind of punitive angle.
While you won’t lose your job for using the company’s EAP benefits, if you fail to comply with treatment as a condition of ongoing employment, you could be fired or experience other adverse consequences impacting your position at work.
Now you know how an EAP program unfolds, how widespread is EAP rehab?
Well, according to the SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management), 77% of all employers in the United States offer an EAP program rehab coverage.
We’ll briefly highlight employee assistance programs from the following major employers in the state of California:
- Boeing
- Disney
- University of California
- Walmart
Boeing EAP
The Boeing Employee assistance program and Solutions for Living offer each employee up to 6 free counseling sessions per year.
Eligibility extends to all active employees and any dependents, regardless of medical plan status.
Boeing’s employee assistance program can help employees address the following issues:
- Alcohol use disorder treatment
- Substance use disorder treatment
- Bereavement issues
- Mental and emotional health concerns
- Relationship issues
- Managing ongoing chronic illnesses
You’ll be entitled to a free 30-minute legal consultation, as well as discounted attorney services through this EAP.
The same applies to a financial consultation, with the EAP giving you access to a CPA or licensed professional.
Beyond this, the Boeing employee assistance program also extends to phone counseling for financial issues, as well as childcare assistance.
Disney EAP
Disney’s employee assistance program previously gave you five free individual counseling visits per year, but this has been increased to ten sessions annually as of 2021.
Once you have used these sessions up, you can then access a suite of behavioral health services using your Disney medical plan. Copays may be applicable, and the providers must fall under the Cigna Behavioral Health umbrella.
Disney also offers robust virtual support options via Talkspace.
University of California EAP
Employee assistance programs at the University of California are called Faculty and Staff Assistance Programs.
These programs are administered independently by each medical center, campus, and national laboratory.
All programs offer free and confidential emotional health resources, many of which are available on campus. You will also have seamless access to referrals, assessments, and short-term counseling.
Walmart EAP Program
All Walmart employees and their families have access to unlimited ongoing phone support for mental and emotional health concerns.
The Walmart employee assistance program also offers ten free counseling sessions per person, per year.
You will also have access to text-based therapy via the Talkspace service from RFL (Resources for Living).
Renaissance Recovery EAP Rehab
If you want to take advantage of an employee assistance program in California, the first thing you should do is contact your EAP provider. If you are unaware of the provider, ask someone in your HR department, or consult your company handbook to determine where you stand in terms of rehab coverage.
While employee assistance programs are confidential, you should be prepared to supply relevant identification.
Now is the time to establish any out-of-pocket costs. If you need help here at Renaissance Recovery Center, for instance, we can offer counseling sessions, as well as formal addiction treatment programs, including Virtual IOPs and PHPs (partial hospitalization programs). We can also connect you with sober living homes if your home environment is not conducive to your recovery.
At any stage of proceedings, feel free to reach out to the friendly Renaissance team and call our addiction hotline today.
