If you are reading this page you have two questions to answer...

1. Do we want an Employee Assistance Program?

2. Who will we contract with to provide that service?

We believe the choice is clear. With Northeast Georgia EAP you get a full service, custom EAP that meets the exact needs of your workplace. We are responsive to your needs. Assuming you are aware of the benefits of an EAP to your employees and the bottom line, what should you consider in choosing an EAP? A good starting point is to refer to the standards and best practices recommended by the Employee Assistance Professionals Association (The national voice for EAP's).

If you are considering adding an EAP to your work site, please review the publication provided by the Employee Assistance Professionals Association that informs you as to what to look for. The EAP Buyer's Guide . We believe strongly that we measure up as a top tier EAP provider!

Here are some key points:

“You get what you pay for” is true for selecting an EAP. When evaluating Employee Assistance Programs, make certain that you are comparing “apples to apples.” Compare the individual service packages and how they best meet your needs. Resist “cost shopping” and simply choosing your EAP based on lowest price alone.

Buyers can and have been misled by unscrupulous group practices, counseling or healthcare providers, insurance companies and brokers who sell a traditional mental health service plan and tack on a limited employee counseling or referral service. This is NOT AN EAP.

Types of EAP's to avoid:

1-800 EAP's: Are you being offered only a low cost toll-free line, telephone or internet counseling and no other support? This might provide a limited and relatively cheap component of service, BUT it is not an EAP. Don’t be fooled.
Mental Health “Add-on” EAP's: Insurance firms or managed health plans may offer an “EAP” by providing the first 3 visits of the mental health plan “free” to the employee. The employee is then rolled over into the mental health benefit. Problems? Confidentiality, unqualified EAP providers, lack of
contact with the workplace, unexpected fees, and other ethical questions abound.
“Group Practice” EAP's: If a local group of psychologists or a mental health practice begins offering EAP, evaluate the service very carefully. They may be good at what they do, but unless the practice has experienced or CEAP-qualified EAP providers, a specific EAP service team and a commitment to delivery all core functions, they are more likely to be looking for a new and “easy” revenue source at your expense.

If you have any questions please contact me at contactus@negeap.com or call me at 706 549 6658.

We hope we can serve you in the future,

 

 

Other notes

If you are an employer in Barrow County Georgia see about our collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce. Consortium EAP