TITLE
Recommendation to declare ordinance making findings and determinations regarding contracting for work usually performed by City employees and authorizing City Manager to negotiate and enter a contract with Managed Health Network for employee assistance services, read and adopted as read. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) are employer-sponsored programs designed to assist employees and family members with mental health, substance abuse, health/wellness, and work/life issues. Early EAP programs began with employer-sponsored counseling and substance abuse monitoring programs, such as the Department of Transportation (DOT) Drug and Alcohol testing program. However, the standards of EAP resources have been expanded to include those that address marital/family issues, elder care, child care, financial planning, legal services, identity theft remediation, stress/grief counseling, and home management referrals. Such services are considered beneficial resources that promote employee retention and productivity in the workplace.
Additionally, many EAPs include organizational management amenities. These include organizational development and leadership seminars, supervisor training, crisis response services, and conflict-prevention workshops. Collectively, offering a wide breadth of EAP services advances long-term organizational performance and employee well-being.
The City's EAP is currently managed by the Risk Management and Occupational Health Bureau of the Human Resources Department. The program is budgeted for 2.5 full-time employees (FTEs), comprised of one Public Health Professional III, one Public Health Associate II and 0.5 of.an FTE for clerical support. All positions and associated program costs are funded by the Internal Services Fund (IS 390). The City's in-house EAP provided a basic level of service for all employees and eligible dependents, including counseling sessions, Critical Incident Stress Debriefings (CISD) during o...
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