Breaking Down the Stigma
Breaking the mental health stigma can be challenging, especially in the workplace. Outpatient counseling is a voluntary service that not everyone is willing to consider, even when struggles with anxiety, depression, grief, and abuse start interfering with the ability to focus, show up, and perform at work. Employers can help encourage employees to invest time in their mental wellness. This is why every employer should offer a mental health EAP. An EAP can help.
What is an EAP?
EAPs work by contracting with a counseling service that provides the materials, instructions, and answers DIRECTLY TO employees. Employers respect privacy, knowing they provide direct access to free counseling sessions and the opportunity for employees to get the proper support from trained professionals.
Return on Investment
Use caution against calculating return on investment purely in financial terms. Mental health can interfere with concentration and focus, cause people to make errors & miss deadlines, and undermine relationships with co-workers and bosses.
EAPs also help employers:
·        reduce absenteeism, employee turnover, and accidents,
·        lower workers’ comp. claims, grievances & healthcare costs,
·        help address safety and security issues,
·        improve employee productivity and engagement, and
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EAPs are often the most effective solution for providing support.
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Cost Effectiveness of EAPs
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that “all published studies indicate that EAPs are cost-effective.” The U.S. Department of Labor also says that for every dollar invested in an EAP, employers generally save anywhere from $5 to $16.
EAPs Help Reduce the Cost Barrier to Treatment
According to Forbes Health, the average cost of psychotherapy in the U.S. ranges from $100 to $200 per session.
“Access to affordable health care is a valid concern in the U.S. where terms like premium, copay, deductible, and out-of-pocket maximum can make what should be a simple process all the more cumbersome—and that’s if you have insurance at all. For those who don’t, regular doctor appointments or a sudden illness can lead to extreme financial hardship, making treatment, let alone a service like therapy, seem inaccessible”.
Move Forward Counseling’s EAP Service
The National Business Group on Health estimates that an average of 5.5% of employees utilize EAP benefits. For that reason, MFC provides EAP services for only $50/employee/year for three sessions/year. (50+ employees: cost is one-third of the PA-based workforce). Employees benefiting from therapy can continue with Move Forward Counseling or be referred to another therapist.
Learn more or ask for a free virtual consultation on MFC’s EAP service, best suited to employers with workforces in PA. This page links SHRM’s Managing Employee Assistance Programs toolkit and the NIH Health and Wellness Interactive Infographic on why employees utilize their EAP.
