The American Bar Association states that during a 12-month period, more than half the employees in a typical workforce will experience a legal or financial issue involving “life events” such as marriage, birth, adoption, illness, renting an apartment, buying or refinancing a home, using credit cards or purchasing a car.
Employee Services
Northwest Beacon Group, LLC, Employee Assistance Program’s goal is to deliver assistance when your employees need it. Your employees have access our EAP services when needed without incurring unnecessary expense or incurring administrative hurdles.
Access to Services
Accessed via the telephone, NWB’s EAP quickly guides callers to our confidential resources. When assured of confidentiality, employees otherwise hesitant to seek help are more likely to respond. No matter when an employee may call — noon or midnight — direct access to trained behavioral care clinicians are available.
When an employee calls NWB EAP, the specific company plan is verified, concerns are briefly discussed, and referrals are made to an appropriate EAP clinician. Participants can access EAP clinicians for face-to-face sessions, receive information by phone, or be referred directly to non-clinical resources. Non-clinical referrals include assistance for financial, alcohol, eldercare, and childcare issues.
Calls which indicate the need for crisis intervention are connected immediately to master’s-level behavioral care professionals for stabilization. Local resources are contacted or identified as appropriate.
Assessment and Problem Resolution
When employees need assistance, they will be referred to local NWB EAP counselors for private, confidential face-to-face assessments. EAP clinicians help participants clarify their personal concerns, identify underlying issues, evaluate the level of severity of the concerns, and find solutions.
If the issue cannot be resolved within six sessions, NWB EAP clinicians will develop a care plan and discuss them with the client and the NWB EAP team before referral to an outside source is made. This process further assures your employees and their household members receive the most appropriate care — quickly and affordably.
Referral
All employees who access NWB EAP receive thorough assessments. During program implementation, information regarding all medical/behavioral benefits is gathered and shared with Northwest Beacon’s intake staff. And, if the problem cannot be resolved, an employee is referred to an appropriate professional, community service or program to address his/her concerns. This process helps ensure proper utilization of the behavioral health care benefits provided by your employer.
Follow-Up
NWB Employee Assistance Program views follow-up as an important component of our service. Two weeks after completion of their last EAP session the participant will receive a postage-paid survey to see if he/she is satisfied with the services received to date and to add any additional concerns. Through these participant surveys, NWB EAP learns about processes that work well or that may need improvement. Survey responses remain anonymous and strict confidentiality measures are taken.
Follow-up also occurs if an employee calls NWB’s EAP to make an appointment but fails to attend the scheduled appointment time. Also, if no action is taken by an employee within one day of their initial contact, NWB EAP’s information system flags the case and contact is made with the employee to assist in resolving the issue. If needed, an additional appointment time will be scheduled.
Service Specialties
NWB EAP clinicians are experienced in conducting assessments that pinpoint the specific conditions of each employee accessing services. They are also experienced in providing effective referrals which match an employee’s needs.
In order to provide a comprehensive service program, NWB EAP has a network of multi-disciplinary clinicians equipped to handle issues and specialties which include:
- adolescents;
- adult children of alcoholics;
- adults;
- co-dependency issues;
- crisis intervention;
- depression;
- family counseling;
- family violence;
- geriatric;
- grief/loss;
- HIV/AIDS;
- interpersonal issues;
- life circumstances;
- managing change;
- marital/couple;
- marriage counseling;
- parent/child counseling;
- phobias;
- post-trauma stress;
- prevention skills;
- schizophrenia;
- sleep disorders;
- stress;
- women’s issues; and
- workplace issues/violence.
Non-Clinical Specialty Vendors
Non-clinical resource and referral services, such as financial, legal, child/elder care consultation, are provided through NWB Employee Assistance Program’s referral list.
Community Resources
NWB EAP recognizes the important role of community-based programs in helping employees deal with the issues affecting them. We encourage participation in self-help groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous, support groups, educational programs, and other alternatives.
Other issues assisted by non-clinical resource referrals include:
- financial;
- senior services;
- crime victim help;
- gay/lesbian issues;
- AIDS support;
- single parenting;
- divorce mediation;
- women’s issues;
- smoking cessation;
- child abuse;
- chronic illness; and
- care-takers.
Network Management
Northwest Beacon Group’s network of EAP clinicians includes psychologists, social workers, and master-level therapists who specialize in EAP services. Our goal is to assure every employee has access to an EAP clinician specific to their needs.
Providers who meet Northwest Beacon’s clinical and administrative standards may be selected for inclusion in the network. Prospective candidates are screened against a defined set of subjective and objective selection criteria.
Our subjective criteria include:
- willingness to provide solution-focused therapy consistent with Northwest Beacon’s EAP model; and
- willingness to participate in our formal quality, utilization, risk management programs.
Our objective criteria include:
- licensed, masters prepared or Ph.D. level professionals;
- formal EAP training, experience and certification;
- acceptable malpractice history and current coverage;
- current and valid licensure and/or certification in accordance with applicable state regulations;
- evidence of 24-hour availability or suitable coverage for care provision in clinical emergency situations involving our participants;
- training and experience with substance abuse treatment; and
- comprehensive knowledge of community resources.