FAQ

What is an E.A.P.?

An E.A.P., or Employee Assistance Program is a Union-sponsored program designed to help members and their dependents that have personal or family problems. The purpose of the E.A.P. is to help people get assistance as soon as possible in order to keep at a minimum the personal and financial costs of:

• Health care
• Absenteeism and lateness;
• Unnecessary terminations.

The E.A.P. is designed to help people without jeopardizing their job, future or reputation. The professionals at the E.A.P. have been selected to offer off-site easily accessible assistance. We hope that the E.A.P. will be of service to you. Remember, anyone can have a problem, and waiting to do something about it often only makes it worse.

Who can use the E.A.P.?

The Employee Assistance Program is available to all members of the Local and their dependents.

What problems does the E.A.P. deal with?

• Parent/child problems
• Marital difficulties
• Alcohol/drug problems
• Depression
• Job stress
• Financial concerns
• Legal problems
• Personal loss
• Emotional disorders
• Other life stressors

How does the E.A.P. work?

If you need help, call your Employee Assistance Program Referral Service at 914-245-6300 or 1-800-EAP-2799. During regular business hours, you will reach an E.A.P. counselor. After hours, your call will be answered by a trained operator and immediately referred to one of our counselors who will promptly return your call. After discussing the problem and evaluating your particular needs, the counselor will arrange an appointment at the E.A.P. or make a referral to an appropriate resource.

What will the E.A.P. cost?

There is no charge to you when you call your E.A.P. And there is no charge to come in and talk with someone for an initial assessment session. At times, a single call, or the initial session, can solve the problem If you decide to seek further help, charges of the health professionals or counselors whom you are referred to will, in most cases, be covered by your union health insurance major medical plan. When other types of assistance are required, e.g., legal, financial or community services, it is your responsibility to arrange for payment with these providers.

Is the E.A.P. voluntary and confidential?

The Employee Assistance Program is there for you and is totally voluntary and confidential. Your union wants you to utilize the program if you or a family member has a problem. No service or treatment is ever imposed on you – you are entirely responsible as to whether or not you decide to pursue help.

What happens if a Supervisor refers a member to the E.A.P.?

In cases where a member’s job performance is impaired by a personal problem, a Supervisor or Business Manager or Business Agent may refer him/her to the Employee Assistance Program. With the full knowledge of the member, the initial phone call may be made by the Business/Manager/Business Agent. Once the member speaks with our counselor, no further personal information is provided.

If you have any questions about your E.A.P., please do not hesitate to call for confidential, professional, and immediate assistance at:

Lower Hudson Valley E.A.P.
914-245-6300 or 1-800-EAP-2799.

Levels of Care

• Medical detox facility – 3-7 days where patients are monitored 24/7 to get drugs/alcohol out of their system and medically stabilize them.
  Residential treatment center (RTC) – 21 to 90 days depending on the patient and severity. Patients receive substance abuse treatment, support groups, individual therapy, group therapy, and psychiatric care.

  Partial hospitalization program (PHP) – 20 hours a week of programming and can include individual therapy, group therapy, psychiatric consultations, and life skills training classes.

  Intensive outpatient program (IOP) – 10 hours per week and usually allow the patient more time away from the program to get back to living at home, attending school, working if they have a job, and practicing the life skills they are hopefully learning from the program.

  Outpatient treatment (OP), refers to non-residential treatment, in which the patient spends structured time in treatment during the day or evening and returns home each night.

• · Sober living home – 3-12 months depending on the facility and needs of the patients where they live in a group house that is run by a sober house manager. The sober living houses have strict house rules and administer regular drug tests, but do not offer therapeutic programming other than regular house meetings and possibly a few mandatory 12-step meetings

What is a Single Case Agreement?

Single Case Agreements, also known as SCAs, are contracts between an insurance company and/or your EAP and an out-of-network provider. These types of contracts typically cover a specific client receiving a service for a designated amount of time at an agreed upon rate.