HPM 10.5-Employee Assistance Programs

Question 1

Employee Assistance Program Purpose

Answer 1

The welfare of employees and their families is a primary concern of the Department. The purpose of the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is to provide confidential , professional assistance to any employee with behavioral or personal problems which may impair his or her job performance, attendance, and conduct. The Statewide EAP Coordinator is assigned to the Employee Assistance Unit (EAU), Health and Safety Section (HSS), Personnel and Training Division (PTD).

Question 2

Counseling Program

Answer 2

1) Employees and their family members have access to a limited number of prepaid professional counseling sessions each fiscal year to address a wide range of personal issue.
2) Any Employee, including supervisors, may inform other employee of the availability of EAP services.

Question 3

Employee Assistance Program Procedures

Answer 3

Employees or their family members may contact MBC directly. Supervisory or Department approval is not required

Access is confidential. Sick leave may be utilized by employees attending EAP sessions if properly documented by a STD 634 (Absence and Additional Time Worked Report) using established procedures for a medical appointment.

Question 4

Peer Support Program (Chpt 2)

Answer 4

a) The purpose of the Peer Support Program (PSP) is to prevent and/or lessen the potential negative emotional impact of a critical incident on a Departmental employee by providing emotional support, information, and assistance.
b) A critical incident is any event, on duty or job-related off duty, involving actual or threatened death or serious injury, which has the potential to create a sense of fear, helplessness, horror, or general distress.

Question 5

Employee Assistance Plan Policy

Answer 5

The Peer Support Program SHALL consist of volunteer Peer Support Officers (PSO), Peer Support Public Safety Dispatchers (PSPSD), and Peer Support Associates (PSA) who have been involved in at least one critical incident.

• The PSP does not take the place of the mandatory debriefing following a shooting incident.
• Peer Support is not to be considered a substitute for professional counseling
• All Peer Support activities SHALL be voluntary
  3) Since PSOs/PSPSDs/PSAs volunteer their time and efforts to participate in the FSP, the usual contract provisions and policies relating to such issues as overtime may not apply.

Question 6

Peer Support Program Confidentiality

Answer 6

The PSP is a confidential program. No records will be maintained which identify employees who utilize the Program. Shall not divulge shared information with other employees, family members, friends, supervisors or management or the general public.

• Confidentiality will be strictly maintained except in the following circumstances:
  1) The protection of confidentiality within the Department SHALL not apply to employee misconduct which constitutes illegal activity.
  2) Confidentiality cannot be maintained when an employee shares information with a PSO/PSPSD/PSA and that PSO/PSPSD/PSA is a subpoenaed to testify.
  3) A PSO/PSPSD/PSA who, as a consequence of obtaining any information from an employee, believes that the employee is an immediate danger to him/herself or others SHALL immediately notify the employee’s commander and the Peer Support Coordinator who will assist in determining what steps should be taken. The Coordinator SHALL notify the HSS commander