Information About EAP

The EAP Role of Leadership Staff

Human resources, managers, supervisors, directors, captains, deputies, chiefs, EAP peer liaisons, presidents, vice presidents, COO’s, CEO’s, you name it!  You are All leaders!  You are tasked with being the heart beat monitors of the employee pulse, you have been chosen to lead your co-workers through many tough and great times throughout the work day.

Managerial staff are less likely to use EAP primarily due to the stigma of their leadership position and the feelings associated with mental health resources and weakness.  Knowing when to take a break, say no, and seek out help when you are mentally exhausted is one of the most powerful actions you can take.  It is a sign of strength to be able to reach out a hand despite feelings of pride, uncertainty, and societal pressures.  CFLR’s EAP program is dedicated to the needs of all employees and has a special understanding of the needs of leaders amongst them.

EAP Client Confidentiality

All information about EAP clients is strictly confidential, in accordance with state and federal mandates except in the following legally mandated circumstances:

• Probable or imminent risk of suicide.
• Probable or imminent risk of homicide or grave bodily harm to another person.
• Possible abuse or neglect of a child or vulnerable adult.
• Probable threat to national security.

All EAP staff are required to adhere to CFLR’s Confidentiality Policy; refer to CFLR’s Policy and Procedure Manual.  In addition, all EAP staff must abide by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

HIPAA law and the Notice of Privacy Practices: In accordance with HIPAA, all clients must be provided with the Notice of Privacy Practices information sheet.  This sheet describes EAP’s legal responsibilities with regard to a client’s health information and the client’s rights to his/her health information.  This sheet is given to the client at the time of his/her first appointment.  The client is encouraged to take the time to read this sheet and is then requested to sign Acknowledgement of Receipt of Notice of Privacy Practices.

Names and other identifying information about clients are not shared with anyone without prior written consent from the client in question.  Supervisory Referral clients may be known by the supervisor making the referral.  However, no information is released to the supervisor/employer other than compliance with EAP appointments unless a Release of Information is signed by the client upon the client’s instruction. Employers do not have access to client records.

The Release of Information is used to obtain the client’s signed consent to release or obtain information.  This exchange of information is most often used in relaying clinical information from EAP to a referral provider (such as a treatment agency).  This exchange is also used to relay follow-up information to/from the supervisor as it pertains to a supervisory referral.  Confidential information regarding clients may be received by fax via CFLR’s secure fax.  Likewise, EAP will only send confidential information by fax if the receiver has a secure fax.