The formal words Employee Assistance Program (EAP) tend to mask the real value and meaning of this service. For Baptist team members, however, getting to know Baptist’s EAP, CONCERN, can be a life-changing event.
At its core, CONCERN is a free counseling service offered by Baptist not only to team members—but to anyone living in their home. So if your best friend’s two-day stay on your couch during his divorce turns into a three-month stint that is entirely disruptive to your family and work life, even your buddy can schedule time with CONCERN to help get him moving.
The market fee for services such as CONCERN is approximately $120 per hour. Not only is the service free to Baptist team members and anyone living in their home, visits are unlimited.
Founded in 1983, CONCERN has eight counselors of mixed age and diversity with more than 250 years of combined mental health experience. All are either licensed clinical social workers (LCSW) or licensed professional counselors (LPC). And it’s not money, but people who motivate them all. “We love it here and we love helping people,” said Stephanie Maddox, LPC.
Offices are located in Midtown Memphis; Germantown, Tenn.; Bartlett, Tenn.; and Southaven, Miss. To promote confidentiality, no offices are on any Baptist property. Assistant Director Judy Bookman also conducts trainings with client companies. “Judy held more than 300 trainings in 2015,” said Paula Wilkinson, director of CONCERN. Serving about 140 different entities including companies and cities throughout Arkansas, Tennessee and Mississippi, this group stays busy. “Another benefit is that sometimes it takes months for an individual to be seen by an outside provider like a psychiatrist. If we need to refer to an inpatient program or a psychiatrist, we can help get them in much faster,” said Wilkinson.
The CONCERN counselors have seen 35,000 individuals since opening in 1983 and schedule approximately 7,500 appointments each year. Having polled 2,500 new clients about their service, Wilkinson reports highly positive feedback. Whether it’s the ease of scheduling, first impressions of office staff or a counselor’s ability, all areas scored higher than 3.90 on a scale of 4.0.
Baptist team members who may need extra help in life can take comfort in knowing it’s just around the corner with CONCERN.
Top 4 Reasons people avoid seeking help
- MYTH: Lack of confidentiality, especially with an employer-based program. FACT: not only do visits require HIPAA compliance, counselors can lose their license if any confidentiality is breached.
- MYTH: Payments could reveal identity. FACT: CONCERN charges companies a flat fee so individuals aren’t billed in any manner.
- MYTH: Counselors will “tell me what to do.” FACT: Counselors see people with all manner of problems, from addiction to divorce to depression. They serve only to help individuals find new solutions.
- MYTH: A visit could affect employment, especially when the program is offered by the employer. FACT: In cases where an employer refers a team member (and the team member signs a release of information), the employer still cannot receive any information other than the team member has visited CONCERN.