Employee Assistance Program helps workers learn to deal with stress, family challenges Published Jan. 7, 2011 By Marc Barney OO-ALC/DPH HILL AIR FORCE BASE -- If you're a federal civilian employee on base and find yourself facing an emotional challenge such as frustrations or stresses at work, troubles in your marriage, struggles with depression or anxiety, a desire to reduce or quit drinking or abusing other drugs, or anyone living in your household is struggling with any of these or any number of other emotional or behavioral challenges, let us introduce ourselves to you. We are the FOH/EAP program. EAP stands for Employee Assistance Program and it is provided through Federal Occupational Health as one of the benefits you are entitled to as a federal civilian employee here at Hill Air Force Base. The EAP is set up to be able to provide mental and behavioral health services to federal employees on a volunteer basis if or when they find themselves struggling with any number of relationship, emotional or behavioral challenges. The EAP can provide up to six sessions, free of cost, to you or anyone living in your household through which your challenges or concerns can be assessed, goals for change or assistance can be set, and a plan for how to pursue those changes will be laid out and worked on. A very important aspect of the EAP is that the services provided are not only free, they are also strictly confidential except in rare cases such as when a person's safety is at stake. This means that you can feel safe coming in and discussing your concerns and asking what questions you feel need to be asked without fear that what is discussed will find its way to family members, supervisors, co-workers, the union, or anyone else. In cases wherein it appears that your issues or concerns are beyond the scope of the EAP program, due to the location, program resources, or limits on the number of sessions available through the EAP etc., the EAP can assist you in being connected to community resources that can more fully and effectively assist you in getting your needs and concerns met. We can also assist you in getting connected to someone who is contracted by the FOH/EAP in the community to provide the same EAP services free of charge for convenience purposes or other concerns. Besides mental health services, the EAP also has legal and financial services available should you have needs in these areas. There are also online services available through FOH4you.com, the EAP's website. This website has links to services such as a depression self-assessment, anxiety assessments, links to elder care assistance and child care assistance, and many other services. The EAP is available 24 hours a day 7 days a week. By calling 1 (800) 222-0364 you can ask for and get signed up for services you need. If you find yourself in crisis, this is a good number to call because there are licensed, master-degree-level clinicians available at this number just in case you indicate that you are in a crisis situation and need immediate assistance. Otherwise, when calling this number, the call center operator will gather some basic demographic information from you and then will contact the EAP providers at Hill AFB to alert them to the fact that you have contacted the EAP and are in need of an appointment. Once this is complete, we here at our Hill EAP offices get that message and will contact you shortly thereafter to schedule an appointment. Unless you call after hours we usually are able to get in touch with you the same day that you call the 800 number. If you have any questions or would like to set up EAP services for yourself, feel free to call the 800 contact number and the operator will assist you. Don't wait until small, annoying problems become very large, invasive, and debilitating crises in your life. The earlier you access help, typically the quicker and more effective you will be at getting things back to normal or to a place that you will feel happier about. Remember, help is just a quick phone call away at 1 (800) 222-0364. We're here for you.