Prevention is an EAP Core Technology

Results of a EAP Survey

Presented by Dr. Joel Bennett and Dr. Mark Attridge

Organizational Wellness& Learning Systems

February 2008

Outline

• Why do this now?• Survey approach• Method and Sample• Core Technology• Prevention• Key findings

An article describing this survey was published in

The Journal of Employee Assistance › Vol. 38 Nr. 4, October 2008

The Journal Archives:http://www.eapassn.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=901

Article posted in Find Articleshttp://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0PLP/is_4_38/ai_n32065631/

Adding Prevention to the EAP Core Technology by Joel B. Bennett, Ph.D., and Mark Attridge, Ph.D.

Why review the Core now?

• Trends toward service integration• Human Resource more interest in wellness

programming• Core originally developed 20 years ago; no

focused re-appraisal• EAP field has accumulated great deal of

knowledge of risk and protective factors that could be applied now

Survey Approach

• Developed for EAPA webinar • Items developed to assess:

– Perceptions of CORE and

how prevention may play a role

– Reports of actual

prevention services

CORE

PROFESSIONAL ROLEIDENTITYPREVENTION

Sample: The survey weblink was sent to all EAPA members, the EAP manager list on Yahoo and EASNA members

Method & Sample (N = 200)

• Online survey (Dec. 2007 to Jan. 2008)• Diversity of Tenure but most very experienced

– 10% less than 5 years; 18% 5 to 10 years; 49% 10 to 20 years, 29% greater than 20 years as EAP

• Diversity of Positions (internal, external, provider, admin, union, HR)

• Diversity of Organizational Size– 36% 1 to 99; 25% 100 to 4,999; 22% 5,000 to

19,999; 16% 20,000+;

Do you consider yourself…?

Response Options:

A) EAP Provider

B) Wellness Program Provider

C) Prevention Provider

D) Work/Life Provider

E) Some Combination of Above

Relationship to EAP Field

Providers [99]

Internal

External

Int + Ext

Consultants [10]

Union-related [7]

Other [10]

Internal

ExternalInt + Ext

Administrators [74]

Providers of directclinical service: 49%Administrators: 37%

Internal: 38%External: 32%Both: 16%

Job Title (most frequent categories)

Number of survey respondents

The Original EAP Core TechnologyAssess w/

performance focusThe identification of employees’ behavioral problems includes assessment of job performance issues (tardiness, absence, productivity, work relationships)

Success judged by performance

The evaluation of employee’s success with use of EAP service is judged primarily on the basis of improvement in job performance issues.

Management consultation

Provision of expert consultation to supervisors, managers and union stewards on how to use EAP policy and procedures for both employee problems and for management issues

Constructive confrontation

Availability and appropriate use of constructive confrontation techniques by EAP for employees with alcohol or substance abuse problems

Link individuals w/referral resources

The creation & maintenance of micro-linkages with counseling, treatment and other community resources (for successful referral of individual EAP cases)

Link organizations w/ resource agencies

The creation and maintenance of macro-linkages between the work organization and counseling, treatment and other community resources (for appropriate role and use of EAP)

Focus on alcohol/ substance use EAP has a focus on employees’ alcohol & other substance abuse problems

Roman, P. M., & Blum, T. C.  (1985).  The core technology of employee assistance programs.  The ALMACAN, 15(3), 8-9, 16-19.Roman, P. M., & Blum, T. C.  (1988).   Reaffirmation of the core technology of employee assistance programs. The ALMACAN, 19(8), 17-22.  Roman, P.  (1990).  Seventh dimension:  A new component is added to the EAP ‘core technology.’  Employee Assistance, February, 8-9.

How familiar are you with the seven components of the EAP Core Technology?

Number responding

47%35%

Overall, when thinking about [each of the following], what level of importance is such programming to your EAP practice, your professional identity as an EAP, and service to your clients/customers? [Response 1 = Low; 3 = Medium; 5= High] Only responses of ‘4’ and ‘5’ shown in chart

15

22

31

29

31

33

37

31

78

68

60

54

51

32

27

29

Med/High

High

Assess behavior problems w/performance focus

Management consultation

Link individuals w/referral resources

Constructive confrontation

Link organizations w/resource agencies

Focus on alcohol/substance use

EAP success judged by performance improvement

Prevention Programming

Importance of EAP Core to Professional Identity as an EAP (full sample, n = 200)

CORE

TEC

HN

OLO

GY

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8 60%

Importance of EAP Core to Professional Identity (subsample Blended EAP/Wellness; n = 72; 36%)

19

29

31

23

31

24

38

29

69

58

56

51

43

49

26

29

Med/High

High

Assess behavior problems w/performance focus

Management consultation

Link individuals w/referral resources

Constructive confrontation

Link organizations w/resource agencies

Focus on alcohol/substance use

EAP success judged by performance improvement

Prevention Programming

Overall, when thinking about [each of the following], what level of importance is such programming to your EAP practice, your professional identity as an EAP, and service to your clients/customers? [Response 1 = Low; 3 = Medium; 5= High] Only responses of ‘4’ and ‘5’ shown in chart

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8 74%

Service Provider (83)

Administrator (69)

External (66)

Internal (76)

Importance of Prevention to Professional Identity as an EAP (Different Breakdowns)

% Reporting Med/High or High

(number of respondents in group)

Key findings

• The majority of all respondents (60%) feel their prevention is a significant part of their professional identity

• For blended EAPs (those endorsing both EAP and other service areas), closer to three-fourths (74%) see prevention as important as to their professional identity as the other components of the EAP Core Technology

Prevention

• Do you (or your organization) offer prevention programming?

• What role do you play? (your level of involvement in prevention activities)

• Does the core emphasize prevention enough?• Should the core include more focus on other

specific prevention activities?

Delivery of SpecificPrevention Services

Team Building

Alcohol Screening or Training

Other Drug Screening or Training

Depression Screening or Training

Other MH management (e.g., anxiety)

Workplace Violence (bullying) Assessment/Training

Cardiovascular Screening or Training

As an EAP, how often are the following primary prevention services provided to the GENERAL POPULATION in your (client) organization (s)? (Note. do not include only single or individual employee EAP cases. If you have multiple worksites or clients; answer for the typical situation).

Number of Programs Offered (Quarterly+)(and relationship with importance of prevention to professional identity)

65%

76%

70%

61%

Number of Prevention Programs Offered (% of total sample)

%

Percent in category indicatingthat prevention is important (med/high)

Offer 5 to 8 programs

Offer 0 to 2programs

Offer 3 to 4programs

59

31 32

24

912

22

44

14 1416

43

24

4

Chart Title

NeverRarely

Sometimes

OftenFrequently

I play norole Little

SomeImportant

I play the most significant role

Does notemphasize preventionenough Little Some

Good StrongEmphasis

Do you feel that the EAP Core includes a sufficient emphasis on prevention program delivery to worksites? The EAP Core Technology:

What role do you specifically play in directly implementing prevention programs to specific worksites?

Do you (or does your organization) offer prevention programs directly to employees?

Offer PreventionYour Role

Delivering PreventionDoes EAP Core

Emphasize Prevention?

Importance of Prevention

• Over half of sample offer prevention at their organization “often” or “frequently”

• Over half of sample play an “important” or “the most significant” role in prevention at their organization

• But only one-fourth of sample thinks that the EAP Core has a “good” or “strong” emphasis on prevention

Do you feel that the Core Technology should be enhanced to include the following…?

What level of focus should EAPs have on providing services to help organizations become healthy work environments (healthy work cultures)?

Much less focused on work culture

Less focused In Between More focused Much more focused on work culture

05

1015202530354045

1 0

17

41 41

Chart Title

% o

f tot

al sa

mpl

e

Key findings

• The Core Technology is well known and important to those in EAP field

• Prevention activities are being provided • Prevention is also important, but not at as

high a level as other areas of the Core – except for those already involved in prevention delivery who value it higher

• There is strong interest in adding certain kinds of prevention services as part of EAP Core

If given the opportunity to earn professional CE, how likely would you attend an e-learning course that gave you tools in workplace prevention?

As a professional, would you be interested in receiving further education about how you can bring prevention services to your (client) organization?

Interest in further education in prevention

Developed and Presented byDr. Joel BennettOrganizational Wellness & Learning Systems3221 Collinsworth (Suite 220)Fort Worth, Texas, 76109817.921.4260www.organizationalwellness.comowls@organizationalwellness.com

Dr. Mark AttridgeAttridge Consulting1711 Emerson Avenue SouthMinneapolis, MN 55403(612) 333-2441 home/officewww.attridgeconsulting.comE-mail: mark@attridgeconsulting.com

Organizational Wellness& Learning Systems

PREVENTION EDUCATION AT www.prevtools.com