EmployeeConnect, known generically as an employee assistance program (EAP), is a confidential personal counseling and work-life service that provides support and resources to help employees resolve personal issues and identify needed resources.

  • Unlimited telephonic support for broad range of topics
  • Four-session face-to-face counseling to address personal issues such as relationship struggles, substance abuse, parenting challenges and grief.
  • Comprehensive online offering to increase employees’ comfort with the program and provide information on a variety of topics
  • Unlimited telephonic access and online support for Work-life services including:
    • Family and personal convenience referrals, such as child and elder care resources
    • Legal information and referrals for situations requiring expertise in family law, estate planning, landlord/tenant relations, consumer, civil and others
    • Financial information to assist with concerns such as household budgeting, as well as short- and long-term planning

FAQ

Who provides the services for this program?

Services are provided by ComPsych Corporation. ComPsych is the world’s largest provider of employee assistance programs.

How many sessions will I receive?

Through EmployeeConnect, you will receive up to four face-to-face counseling sessions in addition to unlimited telephonic support. If you need to go beyond the four counseling sessions provided, you will need to make arrangements with the counselor to pay. (Masters prepared counselors are not covered by the Samford Medical Plan.)

How do I access the EmployeeConnect program?

You may simply call the toll-free number (888-628-4824) to access the EmployeeConnect program.

How are emergency situations handled?

When a caller presents with an imminent risk to potentially harm self and/or others, ComPsych GuidanceConsultants (master’s level intake counselors) use their crisis intervention skills and experience to ensure the caller’s safety. They will develop a safety plan for the caller and/or the community at-large by facilitating immediate intervention with a local professional (psychiatric facility, emergency room, EAP provider).

Are EmployeeConnect services confidential? Will anyone at Samford University know I called?

EmployeeConnect services are confidential as required by state and federal law. No one will know that you accessed the EAP unless you tell them. We understand that for the program to be used, you must be confident that your confidentiality will be preserved. This protection of confidentiality is ingrained in the way ComPsych GuidanceConsultants work. For example, if a caller hesitates to provide their name, the GuidanceConsultant will not press them unless an in-person referral is needed. The GuidanceConsultant will also ask the caller if a follow-up call can be conducted, as well as when, where and how they prefer to be contacted. Before any employee information is communicated to a third party, ComPsych will obtain a signed release of information from the caller. Further, ComPsych emphasizes confidentiality in all promotional materials and routine communications.

Standard confidentiality criteria require ComPsych to:

  • Endorse and adhere to confidentiality guidelines from the Employee Assistance Professionals Association, a professional organization for the EAP industry.
  • Use only licensed behavioral health care professionals as providers.
  • Require a signed release of information from an employee before talking to anyone about the information.
  • Explain confidential aspects of the program during employee and manager orientations.
  • Require that counseling sessions be held in private, professional offices located in appropriate sites with convenient and confidential access.

How much will I have to pay for EmployeeConnect services?

These services are provided to you at no cost through Samford University.

Is a spouse or family member eligible to use the program?

Yes. The EmployeeConnect program is available to all employees, spouses and their immediate family at no charge.

If a dependent needs to use this benefit, does the employee need to call for them?

No. Anyone accessing the EmployeeConnect Program can call directly to receive services.

What kind of experience and credentials will my counselor have?

ComPsych GuidanceConsultants are the first point of contact when you call the toll-free line. They perform counseling and work-life triage, assessment, intake and referral. GuidanceConsultants hold master’s degrees in counseling, social work or other related majors. In addition, they have broad-based clinical skills and at least three years of experience in assessing and counseling related to a variety of issues, such as substance abuse, suicide and work-life concerns. GuidanceConsultants have three years of experience and training that enables them to provide support, facilitate immediate assistance in emergencies and handle requests for counseling, family or personal convenience needs, legal information or financial information. When you schedule a face-to-face appointment, you will be referred to a local provider in ComPsych’s network. ComPsych’s provider network includes only fully credentialed, state-licensed clinicians.

To be included in the ComPsych network, a provider must have:

  • A master’s degree in a behavioral health-related field or a PhD/PsyD (for psychologists)
  • A license to practice in the state at the highest level of independent license granted by the appropriate state licensing board
  • Three years’ post-graduate experience
  • Advanced education in substance abuse, children, eating disorders or another specialty area suited to EAP programs of critical incident support and management referrals
  • The willingness to participate in ComPsych’s quality oversight and assurance programs.

Can I get a referral to see a specific counselor or a counselor with a particular specialty?

Yes, you can request a particular specialty. ComPsych’s providers have expertise in areas such as adolescent and child, anxiety disorders, depression, domestic violence, marital and family, stress management, and substance abuse. If you request a specific counselor, and that counselor is not in the ComPsych network, ComPsych will invite the provider to join. If the provider meets all of the requirements to join the network they will be added. This process takes four to five weeks.

What services are available on the Web site?

In addition to obtaining help through the toll-free line, you will have information, advice and tools at your fingertips through ComPsych’s GuidanceResources Online www.GuidanceResources.com (user name = LFGsupport; password = LFGsupport1). You can learn about subjects related to health and wellness, family, relationships, career, education, personal finances, laws and regulations, leisure, home and auto. You can also access information by life event—for example, marriage, adoption or retirement. In addition, employees can confidentially email issues to “Ask a GuidanceConsultant”. The site is available in multiple languages and visually impaired visitors can enlarge the text.

GuidanceResources Online content includes:

  • Interactive tools and assessments such as financial calculators, budgeting spreadsheets, language translator and personal issue quizzes
  • Customized child care provider/facility lookup and mapping for more than 500,000 resources by location and preference, availability verification based on specific criteria
  • Comprehensive elder care facility lookup by location, with ratings and rankings research, and current availability and information on more than 100,000 providers
  • Information regarding colleges and universities, career schools, graduate programs, scholarships and testing information; searchable by detailed criteria
  • Attorney resource lookup and mapping by ZIP code and proximity for more than 6,300 firms and 12,000 practitioners
  • Link to economically create simple, legally binding wills
  • Financial planner lookup and mapping by ZIP code and proximity for more than 15,000 financial professionals