When choosing an EAP provider, there are many things that an HR department must consider in order to choose the service that best meets the needs of their organization and employees. There has been a trend in recent years for insurance companies to bundle Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Services into their core products and include a “free” EAP. These EAP’s are neither “free” nor an EAP. They provide an 800# that will refer employees directly into the health insurance benefit. These help lines will not always provide the necessary assistance some employees might need.
A High-Touch, High-Tech EAP Provider, such as AllOne Health EAP, provides the support and services to help maximize your greatest asset: your organization’s team members. Not only does a full-service EAP Provider support 24/7 mental health counseling but it also provide additional EAP services such as medical advocacy, organization trainings and life coaching.
Not all EAP Providers are alike. There are a few EAP providers that companies should avoid if they want to get the most benefits associated with EAP services. Types of EAP Providers that companies should avoid include the following:
- 1-800 Lines
- The price for 1-800 EAPs is usually very low. But these call-in lines usually do not offer certified support or only have limited counseling and resource options.
- Mental Health “Add on” EAPs
- Many health insurance companies will provide an “EAP” add-on. These mental health services lack confidentiality, have unqualified EAP providers and have unexpected costs associated with them.
An important factor to be mindful of when choosing an EAP provider for your organization is to ensure that the EAP services are practiced and provided by CEAPs. These are professionals that are trained to specifically deal with work related issues.
When choosing an EAP Provider, there are certain items that should be addressed in order to ensure that the services will provide the proper EAP benefits for the organization.
- Utilization rates
- Most EAPs track their utilization rates and are able to report on case success rates, etc.
- Communication Structures
- Are the EAP provider’s decision makers available for proper response to management and consultation needs?
- Customer Satisfaction
- The EAP provider should be able to provide up to date data on measurable client and organization satisfaction ratings.
Choosing an EAP provider should be done carefully, as the EAP does provide services that can be essential in stressful work situations.
Also read our guide to finding the best eaps to learn more.
