Employee Assistance Program provides short-term counseling and assessment. You may be looking for ongoing counseling, or your EAP counselor may suggest it. The idea of going to a new provider can be a somewhat unsettling, and EAP wants to help you in this process.
To begin, your EAP counselor will talk with you about possible resources who may be able to see you. EAP tries to keep information on ongoing providers. However, one size does not fit all. Below are a few tips to help in obtaining ongoing resources.
First Contact
It is not uncommon for the first contact you have to involve leaving a message with the referral. Many therapists do not have receptionists, so it is likely you will need to leave a message. Some people may not realize this and become frustrated, calling again and again thinking they will get a live person. Some therapists do email but many don’t. When you make the first call about making an appointment with a new therapist and have to leave a message, consider including the following information:
- Your name, phone number and email, and best time to reach you
- What you are interested in (for example, marital, individual, or family therapy)
- That you were referred by the UI EAP
Questions to Ask
- Are you taking new clients at this time?
- If you are not, who would you recommend?
- What is your experience working with (men, women, children, teens, couples)?
- Do you accept my insurance and what are your session fees?
- What is your policy on cancelations?
Additional Tips:
Consider contacting your insurance and informing them of the name and credentials of the therapist you plan to see should you need to preauthorize your visit. It is not uncommon to have to complete paperwork either before the visit or before you even schedule an appointment.
Additionally, although your EAP visits have been free, visits to a community provider will either be billed through insurance or paid out of pocket. Even though EAP may have referred you to a community provider, it does not mean that EAP assumes any responsibility for the cost of that provider.