San Mateo County Schools Insurance Group (SMCSIG) is pleased to announce that effective July 1, 2015, each member district now has access to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), called OPTUM, for benefit eligible employees and their family members. The employee assistance program (EAP) is a voluntary, work-based program that offers free and confidential counseling, referrals, and follow-up services to employees who have personal and/or work-related problems. An EAP program can help reduce employee absenteeism, provide counseling to troubled employees, and help increase productivity.
Employee assistance programs address a broad and complex body of issues affecting mental and emotional well-being, such as alcohol and other substance abuse, stress, grief, family problems, and psychological disorders. EAP counselors also work in a consultative role with managers and supervisors to address employee and organizational challenges and needs. In addition, EAP programs can offer trauma services to sites as a result of staff deaths, emergencies, and disasters.
OPTUM offers employees and their household dependents up to 3 counseling sessions per issue with a licensed professional to assist with work/life concerns. OPTUM offers one-on-one support from master’s-level specialists whom employees can easily access by phone or online. They also provide training to foster a productive and resilient workforce, management consultation and critical incident response services. These services are confidential so employees can use them with full trust that their issues will not be discussed with their employer.