DIRECTION for Employee Assistance
Overview
Staffed by licensed psychologists, MSWs and masters level counselors, this employee assistance program helps workers deal with personal problems, manages behavioral health benefits for employers, and provides training and organizational development to work groups to improve productivity and satisfaction in the workplace.
DIRECTION also provides ongoing counseling and psychological services to the general public and a program to help individuals coping with chronic pain conditions.
For Employees and Household Members
Face-To-Face Counseling Services
An experienced, licensed mental health professional provides one to four confidential sessions, per problem per year of solution-focused counseling for all employees and any member of their household, at no cost to the individual. Services are provided at our central office, located at 66 Club Rd. in Eugene. For employees who live outside of the Eugene/ Springfield area, we contract with carefully screened, licensed mental health professionals who have experience working with employee assistance program clients.
Solution-Focused Counseling
DIRECTION for Employee Assistance provides short-term, solution-focused counseling. Research shows that the majority of issues that are presented in a counseling setting can be resolved with brief therapy, when services are provided by experienced professionals. In fact, almost 90% of the employees who sought counseling services at DIRECTION have resolved their concerns within those sessions and have not required another resource.
Short-term counseling is a major component of DIRECTION. This service can save the employer and insurance carrier money when the employees access DIRECTION instead of automatically utilizing their health plan benefits.
Access to Services 
DIRECTION is available to each employee and members of their immediate household. All contacts that employees make with DIRECTION are strictly confidential. The DIRECTION staff can help employees address a wide range of personal and professional issues.
Regardless of the type of problem the employee may experience, the DIRECTION staff will conduct a comprehensive assessment of the problem and provide professional counseling, as well as referrals for pre-screened resources when appropriate, and then follow-up until the problem is satisfactorily resolved.
First Step
The first step is for an employee or household member to call our central scheduling system at 345-2800 or (800) 535-1347. When an employee or household member contacts DIRECTION between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., their call will be answered by a highly trained receptionist, who will provide information about DIRECTION services and assist the caller in determining the most appropriate action. It may be that the employee desires to schedule an appointment, wishes to speak with a counselor, needs a referral or requires immediate intervention. DIRECTION has specific procedures for each of these situations.
Timely Appointments
Our experience suggests that most people who call for employee assistance services do so because they are experiencing a significant level of emotional distress and should not have to wait for services. We make every attempt to be responsive to their needs through timely appointments.
The DIRECTION office is staffed with trained and experienced counselors and support staff from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Counseling staff is available to provide program services within those office hours and until 8 p.m. on weekdays. After hours crisis calls are forwarded to on-call DIRECTION staff through our answering service. On-call counselors are familiar with high risk, volatile cases and workplace situations through routine internal consultation among DIRECTION staff.
DIRECTION?s receptionists actively listen for signs of distress and use sound judgment to match clients with particular counselors in a timely manner that meets the clients' needs and is responsive to the level of urgency. Receptionists are trained and encouraged to access DIRECTION counselors as needed. Providing ongoing support to receptionists is a critical component of excellent customer service. Our receptionists are the first experience many clients have with EAP/Supervisory consultation services. Training and support to the reception staff maximizes customer services to callers who are stressed, upset or are having difficulty focusing their thoughts and attention. Ensuring "extra care" at the front end of the EAP continuum is a hallmark of our program.
Crisis Management
In emergency situations, an appointment with a DIRECTION counselor can be set the same day. During non-business hours, our clinical staff is available by phone to respond to emergency situations 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. They will provide support and/or direct an individual to appropriate resources, if necessary.
There is an established procedure so that a counselor can promptly respond to those calls that may require crisis intervention. Critical incident debriefings and other crisis intervention services are performed on an as-needed basis whenever considered appropriate, regardless of the time, day or night. We respond on-site to critical incidents within one to two hours of an event, if requested, and provide critical incident debriefings within 24 to 48 hours of the event.
Confidentiality
To insure confidentiality DIRECTION follows the following procedures:
- DIRECTION will not, under any circumstances, verify the names of anyone seeking counseling to supervisors, co-workers, or even spouses of family members without a specific, current written authorization.
- All counselors are highly professional in consultation with supervisors and stewards. Absolutely no information is provided without a written, signed release form. Effective consultation does not necessitate discussion of personal information.
Career Services 
Concerns about one's career often motivate individuals to seek out counseling assistance from DIRECTION. As with any other problem, each employee and any member of their household is entitled to up to four sessions, which includes an assessment of their career concern, assistance in defining career goals and the development of an action plan. We would typically begin by providing a clinical interview with an emphasis placed on gathering background and related information.
We use a number of assessments in our career counseling. We often administer the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator in an effort to better understand the individual's focus and perspective. Interests are assessed using the Strong Interest Inventory (SII). The results of these assessment tools are analyzed and presented to the employee in a format that encourages exploration, rather than categorization.
It is the career counselor's intention to help clients better understand themselves, their abilities, interests, hopes, resources, limitations, and to help them clarify what it will take to successfully achieve their goals. This happens in and through the collaboration between therapist and client.
If people want more counseling or guidance, they are referred to an appropriately matched career specialist to obtain additional services in our community, which might include the Lane Community College and University of Oregon career centers, the State of Oregon Employment Division, and the Internet.
As in all areas of employee assistance counseling, confidentiality is protected - especially with middle and upper management employees, constant reassurance concerning safeguards for protection of confidentiality needs to be maintained.
Work/Life Services
Information and referral services will be provided to employees on obtaining child care, elder care and other community services.
In addition to our on-line work/life services referenced above, DIRECTION also provides services in our local office to assist employees in addressing complex issues and making contact with needed services and other resources. These include:
Dependent Care
Finding safe, nurturing child care that is also consistent and developmentally appropriate for one's child is a constant reality and challenge for the working parent. Affordability and accessibility to one's work schedule are added challenges. When child care is unsettled for parents, the result can be frustration, guilt and concern that can lead to distraction on the job and/or missed time from work.
Our staff is available to clients by telephone or face-to-face consultation to assess, problem-solve and identify a solution that is satisfying to the parent. Through the consultation process, we will assist the parent in understanding the role of developmental issues in choosing care for their children, develop an understanding of the costs and structure of various types of child care available for infants, preschoolers and school-age children, as well as develop an understanding of how to evaluate and monitor the quality of a child care setting. We will assist the parent in the identification of child care options available that best fits their family and identify community resources to help locate specific providers.
Elder Care 
Identifying and getting help to care for an aging relative can be difficult and confusing. As our population ages, more people are faced with this responsibility, which can be distracting and emotionally exhausting, often requiring time away from work and family.
As with a child-care consultation, an elder-care consultation is available at DIRECTION via telephone or face-to-face contact with a counselor. Through the consultation process, DIRECTION staff assists in evaluating the needs of the clients' elderly relative in terms of living arrangement, health care, legal rights and financial concerns/planning. The focus is on assisting the client to identify the short-term and long-term needs of their aging relative, clarify possible solutions and provide emotional support related to the issues involved.
As part of the consultation process, staff assists the client in understanding the costs and structure of various types of living arrangements and provision of care and to identify ways to evaluate the appropriate level of care needed by an aging relative, as well as how to evaluate and monitor the quality of care. Staff helps clients explore and use the private and public community services that can help meet their needs and identify potential sources of personal support for the caregiver.
DIRECTION counselors consult with the expert staff of the Cascade Adult Center, a department of Cascade Health Solutions, which provides day services for senior adults. This is a resource that is invaluable in identifying and making referrals to local resources. Often of great concern to the client is how best to communicate their concerns and involve their aging relative in decision making and planning. DIRECTION staff assists the client in clarifying a course of action with their relative.
Available to clients is a free elder-care resource guide developed by DIRECTION staff to be used as a reference in their short-term/long-term planning with their aging relative.
Financial or Legal
DIRECTION addresses financial and legal matters with employees who request a consultation. Upon careful assessment of individual concerns, DIRECTION counselors provide a basic evaluation, as well as guidance in terms of financial matters. Sometimes emotional issues are reflected in a person's spending and financial-management style. In these cases, the client?s needs may be better met through mental health counseling. When there are issues that warrant financial expertise, we use the resources available in our community, specifically Debt Reduction Services, a non-profit organization that can assistemployees in understanding the options they have to address their financial concerns.
A DIRECTION counselor can often help an employee explore their concerns and decide if legal advice is appropriate or warranted. It is also helpful to first allow the employee to vent and explore their emotional issues prior to seeking legal counsel. Emotional issues resolved at DIRECTION can sometimes avert a legal crisis. Our mediation and conflict resolution services can, at times, prevent a separation, divorce or custody dispute from becoming a highly charged, adversarial, litigious situation.
If after careful assessment and evaluation of the employee's needs, a referral for financial or legal counseling seems necessary, we provide names of specialists. These resources are subject to the same standards we expect of mental health providers.
Wellness and Personal Coaching 
Employees can gain assistance with lifestyle changes, such as weight management, smoking cessation, and in achieving other health-related goals. DIRECTION clinical staff will work directly with the experienced health professionals in the Occupational Health Department of Cascade Health Solutions to coordinate access to services to meet the specific health needs of employees.
Wellness Center
We provide access to Cascade Health Solutions interactive Web-site, the Wellness Center, which contains thousands of articles and other resources that address health and wellness topics. These articles are continually updated and focus on issues relevant to today's busy employee. The Wellness Center can be found at www.cascadehealth.org.
For Supervisors and Managers
Supervisor Consultation and Coaching
Supervisors will have access to unlimited confidential supervisor consultations, by phone or in person. DIRECTION provides timely consultation for supervisors when questions, concerns or uncomfortable feelings arise in regard to an employee's behavior or job performance. Issues might include performance management, conflict resolution, employee disciplinary issues, return to work planning, and other issues. Early consultation often helps supervisors avoid and/or resolve problems before they become disciplinary situations. Consultation can be used for trouble-shooting upcoming situations, strategizing how to deal with an existing situation, or just gathering general information about, or clarifying, some particular consideration. DIRECTION's staff who provide supervisory consultation have extensive training and experience coaching supervisors and HR staff to address what can be some of the most vexing workplace behavioral problems challenging supervisors. We cannot emphasize enough the usefulness and importance of this aspect of our service to you.
Supervisor Training
DIRECTION will provide on-site training to supervisors in early identification of employees with personal difficulties and in facilitating proactive intervention through the use of DIRECTION services. DIRECTION will collaborate with the Human Resources Department staff at your facility to provide a range of training opportunities for managers and supervisors. Examples of topics include violence prevention, effective communication, transition issues, conflict resolution, performance management, leadership trainings, and D.O.T. substance abuse training. The DIRECTION staff is highly skilled in developing and tailoring individual training sessions to meet the needs of particular work groups or
organizations. In addition, a training calendar is offered each year.
Management Referrals 
DIRECTION offers supervisors the opportunity to refer employees for disciplinary and performance management issues. By the time job performance is affected and documented by the supervisor, the problem has generally acquired a lengthy history. Therefore, many supervisor referrals encompass assessment, counseling and a referral. DIRECTION does not place any limit on the number of sessions when the client is receiving counseling as part of a management referral. While the majority of management referrals are resolved within three to five sessions, we will provide as many sessions as is necessary to resolve the emotional/ behavioral difficulties that are adversely impacting work performance. The following is an example of how the management referral system at DIRECTION is implemented:
- Supervisor will consult with a DIRECTION counselor regarding the employee issue ? we recognize that each situation is different and that supervisors need the opportunity to discuss each new problem as it arises. Consultation may take place over the telephone or in person at the DIRECTION office.
- In some cases, prior to making a management referral, it is helpful for the supervisor to suggest to the employee, in a non-threatening way, that they utilize DIRECTION services and give the employee specific feedback about the required behavioral change at work.
- Remember that all employee contact with DIRECTION, except for a management referral, is strictly confidential, so supervisors must have the employee sign a release of information in order to send them to DIRECTION for a management referral.
- When management referrals are made, the supervisor sends any written documentation of the specific issue to be addressed by the referral, with a signed release of information. This release allows the DIRECTION counselor to review and clarify issues, prior to the initial meeting with the employee. During this initial meeting with the employee, the management referral procedures are carefully reviewed and employee questions are answered.
- After meeting with the employee, the DIRECTION counselor calls the supervisor to report that theemployee has made contact, and followed through or did not follow through with counseling. Telephone or written feedback then continues, as needed, until the problem is resolved and/or the case is closed.
- Meetings can also be arranged to include the supervisor, counselor, and the employee to discuss any aspect of the supervisory referral. Supervisor referrals are monitored regularly so that continuity of treatment and communication with the employee and employer can take place. In summary, supervisory referrals involve five distinct steps: recognizing problems, documenting behaviors, meeting with employee and having them sign the release of information forms, making an appointment for the employee with a counselor at DIRECTION, and consulting with the DIRECTION counselor regarding the case, after sending the management referral forms to DIRECTION.
Assistance in Drafting Policies
Policies might include drug-free workplace, sexual harassment, respectful workplace, workplace violence, etc.
Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) Evaluations
Evaluations are conducted by certified Substance Abuse Professionals (SAPs) on the DIRECTION staff when there is reasonable suspicion or after a positive drug screen, to assist in resolution of problems and in satisfying regulations.
Promotion of Services
On-site employee orientations, Web-based information, brochures, payroll stuffers, on-site posters and employee mailings are some examples of methods used to inform employees about DIRECTION's services.
For the Organization 
DIRECTION Training Calendar
A training calendar will be issued each year. Supervisors, employees and their household members can access the calendar at no cost. The annual calendar outlines more than 50 hours of training. The DIRECTION training calendar provides two training tracks, one for employees and household members and one for supervisors. Training examples for supervisors include: Leadership Series, which is comprised of five workshops designed to enhance leadership effectiveness; Alcohol and Drug Reasonable Suspicion Training; Leading for Change; and Clear Communication for Leaders. Examples of trainings offered to employees and household members include: Coping with Financial Stress, Nutrition
for a Healthy Life, Dealing with Challenging Relationships, and Managing Stress. For your convenience, any of these Training Calendar workshops can be presented on-site at PHOR locations.
On-Site Critical Incident Debriefings and Grief Counseling
DIRECTION counselors are available to report to the worksite when a critical incident occurs. Based on the needs of the organization, a DIRECTION counselor will report within two hours of the incident for crisis support, and/or provide a more traditional critical incident debriefing within 48 hours of a traumatic workplace event. On-site services in response to a traumatic workplace event include group debriefings, individual counseling and supervisory consultation. DIRECTION also offers facilitation for workgroups related to losses, such as the illness or an expected death of a co-worker. Written materials on coping with grief and acute stress are available as a hand-out and on our Web-site.
On-Site Training and Consulting
DIRECTION will provide up to 30 hours of on-site training or organizational consulting services per contract year, at no additional cost. Trainings would include management and supervisory trainings, health and wellness workshops, personal growth and development trainings, and organizational consulting and interventions.
Health and Wellness Fairs
DIRECTION will provide an informational display and invite staff members to attend an on-site health and wellness fair, to promote the visibility of DIRECTION and inform employees of the many benefits available to them.
Testimonials
"I never thought I would need counseling until a family problem was on my mind all the time. I couldn't get any work done. I was consumed with this issue. I called DIRECTION and one of the counselors helped our family improve our communication and work out solutions to our problems. It's not that the problem went away, but we learned ways to work together and deal with them better."
" I didn't consider myself the kind of person that got depressed. But there was a time in my life I was under so much stress that little by little I felt more and more down. Until, all of sudden, I found myself unable to function like I used to. I called DIRECTION. They kept all of my information confidential. No one at work ever knew that I called. My counselor gave me tools to work through the problem and live a normal life."
"I used to work with this guy that I just did not get along with. Everyone knew we didn't like each other and it was affecting our team. My DIRECTION counselor helped me learn how to not take his comments personally and not escalate a conversation into a confrontation. With some time and practice we were able to develop a working relationship that was good for everyone."
FAQ's 
- Will our employer know that we've gone to DIRECTION?
Not unless you tell your employer or sign a release. DIRECTION'S relationship with you and your household members is totally confidential.
- Are we required to tell our employer that we have an appointment at DIRECTION?
No. A session at DIRECTION is treated like any other professional healthcare visit.
- How long does it take to get an appointment?
Depending upon the time of day or evening that you need, most appointments are available within a week to ten days.
- What happens when our EAP sessions are completed?
There is a charge for counseling services beyond your EAP sessions. It's possible that your insurance will help with this. If you want to continue your work with your DIRECTION counselor, and if your DIRECTION counselor is a provider for your insurance, this is easily arranged. If your DIRECION counselor is not a provider for your insurance, s/he can refer you to a provider who might be another counselor at DIRECTION or a provider in the community. Please ask any questions you have about this.
- What insurances do you take at DIRECTION?
We accept Regence Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Mental Health Match, PacifiSource, PacifiCare, Employer's Health Alliance, Lifewise, ODS, OEA Choice Trust, Workers Comp. Other contracts may be arranged. Please call DIRECTION with any questions or concerns.
DIRECTION does not currently bill Medicare. - Do we see the same counselor for every session?
Yes, unless your counselor, in consultation with you, determines that another staff member at DIRECTION would be more appropriate to assist you.
- What happens if I'm dissatisfied with my counselor?
It's essential that you feel satisfied and confident with your counselor. You can simply ask the receptionist to make an appointment for you with another counselor. You can also discuss your options, if you wish, with your counselor or with Teri Strong, the Director.
- Who has access to the EAP services?
Any employee or household member of our client companies may access services through DIRECTION. A household member does not need to be related to you, but must live at your address.
- What if I need to talk to someone immediately?
There are counseling times set aside each day for emergencies. At night and on weekends and holidays, there is a counselor on call. You would call the DIRECTION phone number to contact that person.
- Do you have counselors available after work hours?
DIRECTION counselors see people as early as 8am, and as late as 7pm.
- What kinds of issues can DIRECTION deal with?
DIRECTION can address a broad range of problems, including but not limited to the following: anger management, grief and loss, communication skill building, depression, family issues, parenting concerns, stress and anxiety, work-related problems, relationship difficulties, trauma, substance use/abuse and recovery, elder care issues, step-parenting, separation/divorce.
- What services does DIRECTION offer for work-related issues?
We provide a number of services for people with work-related concerns, including: conflict resolutions, supervisor consults, team building sessions, individual counseling, coaching and leadership skill building, critical incident debriefing.
- Can I specify a male or female counselor?
Yes. Just tell the receptionist if you have a preference.
- Are there counselors who specialize in different issues or different ages? How would I know who to ask for?
When you call, the receptionist may ask you briefly about your issues so that you can be matched to the counselor best suited to your needs.
- Can my DIRECTION counselor co-ordinate my care with my other healthcare providers if I wish?
Yes. You will need to sign a release in order for him/her to talk with your other providers.
- Will DIRECTION see people from the community who are not part of the EAP network?
Yes. You can call DIRECTION for an appointment if you are not covered by an EAP. Unlike the EAP sessions, though, there is a charge for your appointments as there would be with any other health-care provider. Insurance often helps with these services.
Contact
For more information or to schedule an appointment email or call 541-345-2800.