An EFAP is a professional and confidential service which is offered by an organization to its employees and their families to support them in quickly and efficiently resolving a vast range of problems that may impact work performance, wellness and behaviour.

Everybody faces difficult or stressful events in their lives. Most of the time, we handle these personal issues fairly well. Other times, life events can become challenging enough to interfere with our effectiveness and happiness both at home and at work.

Your EFAP provides you with confidential, professional counselling and wellness services that are there to provide support for those times when a little extra help is needed. The program provides access to masters' level counsellors, plus a full suite of lifestyle, specialty, and online services.

As of May 1, 2014, Homewood Health™ provides the EFAP program to Queen's University employees and their immediate family members. Homewood Health™ offers a one-of-a-kind approach to EFAP: the highest quality of clinical support and intervention available within the EFAP industry, and an unmatched continuum of services - spanning health promotion, mental health and addictions treatment, and prevention-focused work-life counselling services.

Your EFAP through Homewood Health™ provides completely confidential, professional counselling for a broad range of personal and family issues. While the program can be used for crisis intervention, the ideal time to use the program is before problems get out of hand. The EFAP is a pro-active option for helping you manage your personal health and well-being.

The EFAP offers counselling, coaching, information, and support for all types of issues relating to mental health, health management, and achieving greater personal and workplace well-being.

Together, you and your dependents can receive short-term counselling from a professional counsellor either in person, over the phone or through our internet site at www.homeweb.ca. You are also able to access a full suite of Homewood Health™ Plan Smart - Lifestyle and Specialty Counselling Services as well as several online services.

All of the EFAP services are outlined in more detail immediately below:

Counselling services are confidential and professional. Assessments, guidance (and referrals when required) are offered that may help with many personal challenges including, but not limited to:

• Relationship concerns: communication/separation/divorce
• Family issues: parenting support/communication/aging parents
• Workplace concerns: conflict/stress/change/ balance/career
• Financial and legal difficulties
• Alcohol and drug dependency
• Gambling and other addictions
• Depression and anxiety
• Bereavement and grief
• Anger management
• Sexual harassment and abuse
• Child/eldercare resources
• Life transitions: retirement/menopause/divorce

When you need to speak with someone, simply call Homewood Health™ hotline number listed below. Homewood Health™ staff will ask you for some basic information (to establish your eligibility for this benefit) and will help set up an initial face-to-face counseling appointment at a time and office location that is convenient for you. If you prefer, telephonic or e-counselling can also be arranged. In all cases, an experienced counsellor will help assess your concerns and aid you in developing practical solutions. All Homewood Health™ counsellors have a minimum of a masters' level degree, and extensive experience in helping individuals with their personal challenges. If longer term counselling, hospital treatment or specialized services (such as medical, legal or financial help) are required, your counsellor will arrange an appropriate referral and follow up with you.

Whether one needs to find a nursing home for an aging parent on the other side of the country, obtain help getting finances under control, receive advice on how to raise a gifted child, or help stop bullying at school, Homewood Health™ can help!

Clients utilizing Plan Smart are provided with an overview of the service at intake by the counsellor initiating support with the specialist. Clients have access to the specialist within 24 hours, and depending on client availability, specialists can provide an assessment of the client's needs upon first contact. Assessment outcomes, including additional support and resources, are customized for each client.

For the most part, these services are delivered by phone or online and often include a personalized package of information and useful tools, such as software programs that have been selected with the client's best interests in mind.

Plan Smart - Lifestyle and Specialty Counselling Services include:

Life Balance Solutions

• Childcare/Parenting Services
• New Parent Outreach Services
• Elder and Family Care Services
• Legal Advisory Services
• Financial Consultation
• Relationship Solutions

Career Smart Counselling Services

• Career Development Services
• Pre-retirement Planning Services
• Conflict Counselling and Resolution
• Shift-worker Support 

Health Smart Coaching Services

• Nutritional Counselling
• Smoking Cessation Program
• A "12 Weeks to Wellness" healthy lifestyle program

In addition to core EFAP services, you have access to a variety of online resources that provide self-help information, references, articles, and guidelines.

• Online Health Library - extensive collection of educational resources organized into a Health Library - rich content, relevant topics, and easy navigation
• The Health and Wellness Companion - comprehensive self-guided, self-development program that is designed to provide a personal plan of action. This also includes a Health Risk Assessment.
• E-Courses - instant access to online learning developed by psychologists specialized in e-learning and health promotion. These self-paced, interactive, confidential learning courses target personal and workplace issues.
• BusyFamily Childcare and Eldercare Resource Locators - conduct your own customized searches by keying in specific requirements. You can search for daycares, homecare, respite care, schools, camps, long-term facilities, assistive care facilities, and facilities geared towards the elderly with health needs or cultural preferences. Responses are instantaneous and can be easily sorted for comparison purposes.

All services are offered at no cost to you or your family members. Occasionally a counsellor will refer to resources in the community. Any costs incurred through community resources are considered outside of the EFAP program and are therefore not covered by the program, however, they may be covered through your other health benefits.

Confidentiality is the cornerstone of the EFAP. The program allows all EFAP clients to discuss any life-issue in complete confidence, whether speaking with a masters' level counsellor or another professional for one of the Plan Smart specialty services (e.g. Lawyer or Registered Dietician).

Homewood Health™ standards of confidentiality are the same as those used by medical doctors in Canada. You and your family may rest assured that all conversations and dealings with the EFAP will remain strictly confidential within the limits of the law*.

Homewood Health™ is required by law to disclose what would otherwise be confidential information when there is a risk of serious injury to oneself or others, there is suspicion of child abuse as defined by provincial legislation, or when served with a properly executed court order (i.e. subpoena).

Whether in concern or in crisis, you and your family members are encouraged to take the first step, and access support through your Employee and Family Assistance Program. To speak to someone in confidence, for crisis services (24 hours a day) or to book an appointment, call one of the Homewood Health™ numbers below:

• 1.800.663.1142
• 1.866.398.9505 (Numéro sans frais - en français)
• 1.888.384.1152 (TTY)
• 604.689.1717 International (Call Collect)

www.homeweb.ca

In times of crisis and emotional distress, Homewood Health™ staff is prepared to take your call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Help is always available.