ATHENS, Ga. — Human Resources at the University of Georgia has established a new program that will make counseling services available free of charge to UGA employees and their families beginning July 1. The Employee Assistance Program will provide professional and confidential counseling to help with a variety of individual and family concerns.
Services will include individual, marriage and family counseling; guidance with handling financial problems; and help with substance abuse. Initial services, including up to three counseling sessions with a local provider, are offered free to UGA employees and immediate family members (spouses and dependents).
“The Employee Assistance Program will be a wonderful service for the hard-working members of UGA’s faculty and staff,” said UGA President Michael F. Adams. “I wish for our employees to have access to resources that can help with their general health and well being. This is one such benefit that I am pleased we are able to provide.”
Upon calling UGA’s EAP provider, ComPsych, a professionally trained counselor will collect general information about the individual’s or family’s needs and will provide assistance via phone. In many circumstances, the intake specialist will refer the caller to the local-area counselor who best fits those needs. If the counselor determines the situation can be resolved within three sessions, the individual or family will receive short-term counseling through the EAP. However if the counselor determines the problem cannot be resolved with short-term counseling, the employee will be referred to a specialist for longer-term treatment in accordance with the UGA insurance benefit.
“I am pleased that we are able to offer this very important benefit for UGA employees and their families,” said Andy Brantley, UGA’s associate vice president for human resources. “The services provided through phone consultations, the ComPsych Web site and local counseling professionals help demonstrate our commitment to our faculty and staff – the most important resources of our university.”
The service is strictly confidential; ComPsych, by law, may not release an employee’s personal records without the written consent of the employee or client. Additional information about the EAP will be distributed to employees next week in the electronic Human Resources newsletter. Information is also available via the Human Resources Web site at www.hr.uga.edu.