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Counselling Model
An Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) is a benefit provided to an employee through his/her employer and offers professional, confidential, and personalized counselling services to help employees and/or their family members address a wide range of issues affecting quality of life, emotional well-being, and productivity at work. Our FSEAP Counselling EFAP services include the following: Clinical basic assessment/consultation Short-term, problem resolution focused counselling Referral to an appropriate resource
The goal of FSEAP 's EFAP counselling services is to assist clients in addressing problems or issues that can be resolved (or significantly improved) within short-term, problem resolution focused counselling (we find the average is typically 3 - 4 hours of counselling service per case). Cases involving multiple or longer-term issues or problems, are best addressed in a longer-term service. FSEAP clinical affiliates recognize that EFAP counselling work is different than psychotherapy, as well, that FSEAP is not an insurance benefit to supplement longer-term work. The Counselling Process
FSEAP strongly believes that one of the most important factors in the provision of effective EFAP services is thorough, but brief, clinical assessment. This structured assessment covers multiple aspects of a client’s life, including family, social, psychological, medical, cultural, educational, vocational, and financial issues, and typically takes between 1-2 sessions to complete. Once the assessment is complete, the counsellor and the client will then collaboratively develop a treatment and/or service plan, including specific goals to be accomplished, along with strategies to accomplish them. The number of sessions authorized at referral will determine what issues can be reasonably achieved within a brief therapy model. Cases involving multiple or longer-term issues or problems, are best addressed in a longer-term service.
Short-Term, Problem Resolution Counselling (if appropriate) If the clinical assessment reveals that the client’s issues can be resolved or significantly improved by the provision of short-term counselling, FSEAP provides this counselling within a brief, solution-focused framework (we find the average is typically 3 – 4 clinical hours). The EFAP clinical affiliate works to collaboratively develop with the client short-term counselling goals, and provide counselling around those goals in a focused or proactive manner. This work includes problem identification, joint problem-solving, skill acquisition, and behavioural change, and frequent assessment of progress being made towards goals. Where appropriate, clinical approaches used may include cognitive-behavioural strategies, family systems, trauma counselling, EMDR, and other clinical approaches.
Referral to Community Resources & Case Management If the assessment reveals that the client would benefit from other community based services or if the client requires a longer-term or specialized assistance, such as substance abuse treatment or psychiatric services, then FSEAP’s counsellor will help the client to access and utilize local community resources. In determining the appropriate referral source, FSEAP counsellors consider such factors as (a) the client’s clinical needs and goals, (b) the expertise of the referral resource, (c) the fit between the client specific needs and the resource, (d) the location and accessibility of the resource, (e) the client’s ability to pay for the resource, and (f) any waiting lists for the resource that may exist.
FSEAP clinical affiliates provide case management and follow-up services when client's desire additional support resources in their community or when a client’s issue(s) have been assessed to not be appropriate for EFAP Short-Term Counselling. FSEAP believes that proactive case management is one of the most important determinants of successful clinical outcomes with clients. Case Management services includes planning, securing, coordinating, monitoring, and advocating for unified goals and services with community resources on behalf of a client. When it has been determined that the client presenting problem or issues is not appropriate for short-term counselling, EFAP clinical affiliates provide this feedback to the client and provide the client with appropriate referrals to community resources. Discussion of referrals includes identification of available community resources, client’s financial ability to pay out-of-pocket, and insurance/extended health care coverage availability. The clinical affiliate may then refer the client to community resources, including private pay and sliding fee-scale resources, and/or those reimbursable by health insurance.
Follow-up is provided to EFAP clients (with their permission), regardless of whether they are seen for short-term counselling or referred to community resources. Follow-up typically occurs at 2 - 4 weeks following the conclusion (final closing session) of EFAP services. In serious clinical cases, such as those involving substance abuse treatment or psychiatric hospitalization, follow-up and monitoring may occur for up to a year.
FSEAP believes that termination and case closing is an orderly and planned process that involves the client. Termination and closing involves both the counsellor and client assessing progress made towards goals and objectives, discussing recommendations regarding unresolved issues (if applicable), and documentation of referrals to community based resources (if applicable). Case closing occurs within 30 days of the planned closing or final session, or after 30 days of no (or a loss of) contact with the client (for example, where the client has not responded to attempted “planned” follow-up efforts by the counsellor). Cases that show no documented client contact (in-person or telephone counselling) for over 90 days will be considered closed.
For more information about our EFAP Counselling Model, please see the FSEAP Clinical Affiliate Provider Guide available in the Forms and Guide section. (Registered Users Only - Login Required)
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