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CompDrug, Inc.
547 East Eleventh Ave.
Columbus, OH 43211
Phone: 614 224-4506
compdrug@compdrug.org
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Employer Tip Sheet #8
Employee Assistance Programs
Employee assistance programs (EAPs) are one of the most effective ways
to deal with alcohol and other drug problems in the workplace. They can enhance
the work climate of an organization and promote the health and well-being of
everyone involved.
EAPs are usually multifaceted programs designed to assist employees with personal
problems that affect their job performance. Although some EAPs focus primarily
on alcohol and other drug problems, most EAPs address a wide range of employee
problems: stress, marital difficulties, financial trouble, and legal problems. Most
EAPs offer a range of services: employee education (on-site or off-site), individual
and organizational assessment, counseling, and referrals to treatment. EAPs can
also train supervisors for your program. In general, the more comprehensive the
services, the more the EAP provider will charge for them.
Types and Costs of EAPs
EAPs come in a variety of shapes and sizes and the cost will vary accordingly. Factors
include the types of services provided, the number of employees, the type of
industry, regulatory requirements, drug testing policy, location, and family
coverage. Just as an example, the chart below indicates average costs for an EAP
in the Washington, DC, area.
| Annual EAP Costs per Number of Company Employees |
| Number of Employees |
Cost Range |
Cost Mean |
Number of Employees |
Cost Range |
Cost Mean |
| More than 5,000 |
$14-25 |
$20.29 |
100-250 |
$24-60 |
$32.70 |
| 1,000-5,000 |
$17-39 |
$20.42 |
26-100 |
$29-75 |
$36.70 |
| 500-1,000 |
$21-36 |
$25.00 |
Fewer than 25 |
$30-100 |
$50.00 |
| 250-500 |
$23-45 |
$27.31 |
Consortium |
$10-25 |
$18.00 |
| Estimates are from Corporations Against Drug Abuse, a
Washington, DC, consortium and nonprofit organization. |
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"As a manager, I believe there are many benefits of an EAP. One of the
first changes I noticed was an improvement in employee attitudes. Over time,
patterns of tardiness and absenteeism have lessened, and I've noted an improvement
in coworker and customer relationships. It's been 2 years since we implemented
the EAP, and we've also begun to see a decrease in benefit dollars spent. Workers
are sick or late less often, our accident rate has decreased, we have fewer
Workers' Comp. claims, and our overall health care utilization has been reduced."
Manager, large retail corporation
"In a big company, when an employee has a drug or alcohol problem that affects
his or her work, other employees can usually take up the slack. In my company of
10 people, if one employee is unproductive because of alcohol or other drugs, my
business suffers. I can't afford to lose time and money due to an employee's drug
problem; but hiring and training a new employee can be expensive. I joined an EAP
consortium, and now I can afford to offer my employees help."
Owner, computer graphics company
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Types of EAPS:
Internal/In-House Programs.
These are most often found in large companies with substantial resources. The
EAP staff is employed by the organization and works on-site with employees.
Fixed-Fee Contracts.
Employers contract directly with an EAP provider for a variety of services,
e.g., counseling, employee assessment, and educational programs. Fees are usually
based on the number of employees and remain the same regardless of how many employees
use the EAP.
Fee-for-Service Contracts.
Employers contract directly with an EAP provider, but pay only when employees
use the services. Because this system requires employers to make individual
referrals (rather than employees self-referring), care must be taken to protect
employee confidentiality.
Consortia.
An EAP consortium generally consists of smaller employers who join together
to contract with an EAP service provider. The consortium approach helps to
lower the cost per employee.
Peer-Based Programs.
Less common than conventional EAPs, peer- or coworker-based EAPs give education
and training, assistance to troubled employees, and referrals -- all through peers
and coworkers. This type of program requires considerable education and training
for employees.
Benefits of EAPs
Employee assistance programs offer a variety of benefits:
- They can assist with policy development, employee education, and supervisor training.
- They can take the pressure off supervisors and managers, who feel responsible
when employees' personal problems affect job performance.
- They offer an alternative to firing, thereby saving the costs of recruiting,
rehiring, and retraining.
- They offer access to treatment for employees with problems that affect their
job performance.
- They have been linked to decreases in accidents, Workers' Compensation claims,
absenteeism, health benefit utilization, and turnover rates.
- They can assist employers in complying with drug-free workplace laws.
| "Using an EAP helps us prevent an employee's personal problems from leading to costly declines in performance and productivity. The EAP counselor can often identify and resolve employees' personal problems in the early stages. This allows our employees to return to their normal level of productivity in a timely manner."
Partner in a law firm
"When we first started using an EAP, I assumed it would be the employees
with chronic job performance problems who would use the service the most. However,
when we reviewed the program at the end of the first year, we discovered that the
majority of the employees who used the EAP were self-referred. When annual
reviews were conducted, several supervisors noted an overall improvement in
productivity and employee morale."
Manager of a bank
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Finding a Qualified EAP Provider
EAP Professional Associations
The first step in implementing an EAP is to find a qualified service
provider. Currently there are no national licensure programs for EAP providers,
although several States are considering such programs. Two professional
associations, the Employee Assistance Professionals Association (EAPA) and the
Employee Assistance Society of North America (EASNA), have developed
certification procedures for EAP providers. The Certified Employee Assistance
Professional (CEAP) credential indicates satisfactory knowledge about addictions,
intervention, and related skills. For a fee, EAPA and EASNA can also provide
directories of EAP providers by area or region.
EASNA (810) 545-3888
EAPA (703) 522-6272
Other Ways To Locate EAP Services
"I was afraid the EAP would require us to set up
a prepackaged program that would cost a lot of money. Instead we worked out a
program where employees can receive three sessions for assessment and short-term
counseling. Then, if the problem is more serious, the EAP will refer the employee
to an appropriate treatment program in the community."
Manager, printing company
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A variety of options are available for identifying EAP services. These options
include contacting organizations that describe themselves as EAPs and contacting
other sources of health care. Consider the following possibilities:
- Join with other employers and contract with an EAP provider. Consult the
Yellow Pages (look under "employee assistance programs" or "drug abuse
information and treatment centers"), contact your chamber of commerce or
trade association, or call CSAP's Workplace Helpline at 1-800-WORKPLACE.
- Call local hospitals and ask about available EAP services.
- Contact a health maintenance organization (HMO) that provides alcohol and
other drug abuse treatment services and ask about EAP possibilities.
- Contact a local mental health or substance abuse professional in private
practice and negotiate a contract for EAP services.
- Inquire if insurance carriers cover EAP services or can help to identify
local or regional EAP providers.
- Talk with other employers who have successful EAPs.
Questions To Ask
Not every EAP will be right for every organization. To determine whether or not
a particular EAP will be able to meet your specific needs, ask the EAP provider the
following questions:
- Do the staff members who will be assigned to my organization hold the CEAP credential?
- Do members of your staff belong to a professional EAP association?
- What is the education level of each member of your staff?
- Do you have references that we can contact?
- Do you provide on-site employee education and supervisor training services?
- What cost/fee programs do you offer?
- Will you do on-site visits? Are you able to conduct a needs assessment of our organization?
- What types of counseling services are available to employees? How many sessions?
- How easy will it be for employees to use the EAP? Where and how often is the EAP available to employees?
- To which programs and services do you make referrals—and why?
- Does the EAP have a system for evaluating the effectiveness of the program?
| Checklist for Starting an EAP |
___ Secure support and endorsement for the idea from top managers.
___ Review financial resources and determine a budget for the EAP.
___ Identify the organization's rationale and goals for the EAP. What needs do you want the EAP to meet?
___ Identify and select a service provider that is right for your organization.
___ Write an EAP policy and procedures statement and distribute it to all employees.
___ Schedule a meeting with employees to answer questions and discuss the services
available from the EAP.
___ Arrange for periodic program evaluation to take an objective look at the EAP's
operation and performance. For example: How many employees are using the EAP? How
many are self-referred versus those who are referred by supervisors? What services
are being provided? What benefits have resulted from the EAP?
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For other tips on finding and using EAP services in your community, see Employer
Tip Sheet #10.
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