Employee assistance programs and mental health issues

Improve your Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to respond to mental health-related issues. At your next negotiation, consider some of the following strategies.

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The following is adapted from Elements and Priorities for Working Toward a Psychologically Safer Workplace, courtesy of the Mental Health Commission of Canada.

Some ideas to consider for maximizing your EAP's effectiveness with mental health-related issues:

  • Types of counselling offered. Counselling services should be available to meet a variety of individual preferences. This includes a choice of face-to-face, e-counselling, telephone counselling or group sessions. It also means different types of therapy that address different needs.
  • Stay at work services. This should include the ability to help before someone is off work to solve performance and, or conflict issues.
  • Education and information sessions related to workplace mental health for management and employees. Some ask for up to 100 hours of training each year for their employees. For it to be effective and change behaviours there must be incentives for employees to attend. 
  • Assessment and referral services. This should include services that make an assessment or refer individuals for assessment when mental illness is suspected. Links to relevant and credible resources should be shared for better understanding. 
  • Continuation of treatment after maximums are reached. Have options for employees to continue to work with a specific EAP provider after the allotted sessions are completed. This could be by using other benefit amounts or paying out of their own pocket. This is to provide continued service with a trusted provider. This is done for the benefit of the employee rather than the provider.
  • Information on community resources – Request that your EAP counsellors become knowledgeable about and are able to refer employees to community resources for mental health issues, addiction and other related issues, where appropriate.
  • Supply a mental health resource list. Request that the EAP provide a list of relevant community resources for employees.
  • Qualifications and expertise. Make sure EAP providers have a minimum standard of qualification and use evidence-based approaches. 
  • Setting targets for EAP usage. Request that an average percentage of employees who will use EAPs be reached. Put safeguards in place to make sure no charges will be taken on for over-usage within the contract period. This can help with budgeting and to make sure the plan supports more users to get the help needed.
  • Referral to appropriate service providers. Make sure there is a service that directs employees to the most appropriate provider. They should have the skills to provide support for their specific area of concern. Addiction, couples counselling or eating disorders all need very different areas of expertise.

The above material reprinted with permission by the Mental Health Commission of Canada

The following questions and answers are shared with permission of the Employee Assistance Society of North America:

How can we help our Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) to respond to mental health-related issues?

EFAP is a voluntary and confidential service meant to help employees at all levels and, in most cases, their dependents. This includes concerns that affect their personal well-being  or work performance. Support can include telephone, face-to-face, and virtual counselling to help resolve problems and address concerns. The service is usually free of charge to staff, and, in some cases, family members. 

The cost to the employer is usually per employee per month. The more employees covered, the smaller the costs per employee. Smaller employers can sometimes join a local group of small to medium-size employers for greater cost reduction.

Who offers this service?

In most cases, the counselling services are provided by professional counsellors through an agreement with an outside provider. Some larger organizations may have this service in-house. This means the counsellors are employees of the organization, and colleagues. Special measures should be put in place to assure confidentiality.

Quality Assurance

There is a recognized accreditation program for EFAPs in North America through the Council on Accreditation. The organization may have someone who oversees what’s offered from the EFAP and can perform quality audits. In addition, EFAP counsellors are usually mental health professionals. They are members in good standing with a professional college or association in their province or territory. They also are required to abide to a professional code of ethics. It is important for employers to ask about the quality assurance process of any potential EFAP provider.

Can an EFAP help my team work better/adjust to changing times?

EFAPs help employees one-on-one. Most EFAPs also provide on-site workplace interventions to address workplace stressors. This can include violent or aggressive behaviours, unresolved conflict, poor team performance due to psychosocial stressors, the death of a colleague, or injury at work. Some can perform workplace assessments that can help identify behaviours and practices that are contributing to the workplace health problems. This can include absenteeism, presenteeism and poor team performance. They can assist through restructuring, workforce adjustments, and other transitions that create stress on your employees. Coaching managers in how to assist employees who experience mental health problems can be available as well. There may be some cost for these services.

Some types of workplace interventions that may be offered by an EFAP:

  • Stress Management
  • Conflict Resolution
  • Management Coaching
  • Grief and Loss
  • Trauma and Critical Stress Management
  • Career Counselling
  • Health Promotion 
  • Emergency Preparedness
  • Return-to-Work Facilitation
Contributors include.articlesEASNAMary Ann BayntonMental Health Commission of Canada

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Billiam1Posted on.comments  July 5, 2021I need to find a counselor but im not sure where and who to go?
MaryAnnBPosted on.comments  July 6, 2021Start here and ask for help finding the right person for you: Wellness Together Canada Through Wellness Together Canada, individuals of all ages in Canada or Canadians abroad can access supports ranging from self-assessment and peer support, to free and confidential sessions with social workers, psychologists and other professionals. Supports are provided online in both official languages as well as by phone and text for those without internet access. Phone-counselling sessions are available in 200 languages and dialects, through instantaneous interpretation. Connect to Wellness Together Canada, by visiting Wellness Together Canada or text the word WELLNESS to the following numbers for immediate assistance: 686868 for youth 741741 for adults Front Line Workers, text the word FRONTLINE to 741741 Call 1-866-585-0445 (Adults) or 1-888-668-6810 (Youth)
Hoiser13Posted on.comments  August 31, 2022Good Morning , I think i need mental health help. I am a front line worker with homeless in my area. I am a mother , wife, and Life has become over whelming . I would like to talk to someone if possible.
GraciePosted on.comments  August 31, 2022Hi Hoiser13, This message is in response to your inquiry to the Workplace Strategies for Mental Health website. If you are experiencing a crisis, you can reach a crisis line in your province or territory through Canada Suicide Prevention Service | Crisis Services Canada. Our focus is on workplace processes that support psychologically safe workplaces and promote the mental health of employees. While information and useful links are available on our site, we do not have qualified personnel to appropriately respond to questions related to specific concerns. If you have specific questions related to your own or another person's mental health or are concerned about medications or medical conditions, please speak with your mental health-care provider, doctor or pharmacist. We are not able to reply to questions on particular personal mental health issues, medications or medical conditions. Thank you, Workplace Strategies https://www.workplacestrategiesformentalhealth.com/

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