Hey guys sorry it has been a while since I last wrote. This semester is moving quickly and taking me a long for the ride. Can you believe it we are already in the middle of October and mid-terms are quickly approaching....ahhhh. Hey C'est la vie (It is life).

So as I said earlier this semester my field placement is at First Advantage EAP. I am excited by this field placement and the opportunity to grow in my knowledge of EAP. I have made a lot of good connections and new friends. I have been to my field placement for about five weeks now and so far I really love it. I am there three days a week (Tuesday – Thursday). If I could be there more than three days a week I would. Hint, Hint wink, wink I really want a job with them after I graduate. Yes, I am already thinking about after graduation, hey it is never too soon to start. I am learning so much about EAP services. First Advantage provides telephonic EAP services, so I am mostly on the phones handling referrals. So many of you are probably wondering what is an EAP and how does it relate to social work?

So EAP is the acronym for Employee Assistance Program which is completely different from EPA which is the Environmental Protection Agency, Trust me I have heard that joke before.

From what I have learned so far from my SWOA 736 class (Administering EAP), EAPs grew out of industrial alcoholism programs of the 1940's. EAP is social work but for any employee or their family members. An EAP is a confidential, short term, counseling service for employees with personal problems that affect their work performance. The EAP offers help with the resolution of those problems. These problems, however, do not have to be caused by workplace issues. Employee Assistance Programs are designed to help people understand or overcome their personal problems. While most EAPs offer a wide range of services, they often refer to other professionals or agencies who can offer more or extended care in particular areas. My field placement has a network of affiliates it refers its clients to called the local network affiliates (LNA). Most LNA’s handle the assessments and refer back to my field placement with their recommendations. First Advantage on a case by case basis then handles the case management if the situation warrants it.

EAPs are usually a program purchased or funded by an employer and provided by an external organization or occasionally by an internal department within a company.

The ranges of areas typically managed by an EAP provider include:
• personal issues
• job stress
• relationship issues
• eldercare, childcare, parenting issues
• harassment
• substance abuse
• separation and loss
• balancing work and family
• financial or legal
• family violence

Sometimes when the EAP is internal it works with the Human Resource department or the ER Employee Relations department. This I find is the most difficult part of EAP. The EAP now has two clients to joggle, the client the company and the client the employee. My field placement is an external EAP and I am learning through that you have to be somewhat business savvy to be in the EAP field. This is one of the major reasons why I decided to get my MSW with a concentration on EAP. I believe it is exposing me to many different aspects of social work.

Social work is about helping improve people’s lives. Social Workers help people cope with issues in their everyday lives especially in their relationships more specifically personal and family problems. With the economy being what it is right now many people’s lives includes their jobs or even the jobs that they don’t have, but want. I really believe EAP is a necessary part of the social work industry. My field placement has been really busy lately, in some part I think it is because of all that is going on. A lot more people are calling to request services and we are ready to help.

Alright my friends that is it for now. Thanks for letting me provide you a brief synopsis of my field placement. I will keep you all posted on what is going. Until next time, stay blessed!

Please feel free to write me with any questions you have.

Stella

: )