Archive: Business & Technology

The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) at Family & Children’s Service of Ithaca (F&CS) is celebrating its 30th Anniversary this year.  It was 30 years ago when retired F&CS President and CEO, Jim Johnston, reflected on the mental health needs of our local business community.  At the time, the prevalent EAP model focused largely on alcohol and substance abuse issues in the workplace.

F&CS recognized that mental health issues, as well as family and other personal concerns impact workplaces, and Jim Johnston was interested in developing a preventive mental health service for employers and their employees and expand the agency’s mission.

Johnston first approached Gerry Thomas from the Industrial Labor Relations (ILR) School at Cornell, and with his support, made a presentation to personnel’s Cecil Murphy.  The idea gained the support of Harrison Trice, professor at the ILR School at the time; Trice was best known for his research on drug and alcohol in the workplace. 

In 1982, F&CS and Cornell University entered into a partnership to provide an EAP service which included much more than services for employees around substance abuse issues.  Led by F&CS’s first EAP director, Thom DeLara, Cornell employees could now seek assessment, short term counseling and referral for mental health, substance abuse or nearly any personal, family or work concern.  F&CS also provided consultations to human resources and management, as well as critical incident services for crises and tragedies at Cornell.

Always on the cutting edge, Cornell was among the earliest universities to have an EAP, and F&CS was one of the first to develop an EAP in upstate New York.  The program at Cornell was the foundation for putting an EAP program together to serve other businesses throughout the community.

For 30 years, the Family & Children’s Service EAP has grown along with the agency and has always transformed to meet the changing needs of our local employers.  Over the years, the EAP has developed professional training seminars that meet the needs of our unique business owners and continues to develop this component of the program.  The EAP offers training seminars for supervisory training, professional development and employee wellness and has developed other programmatic components at the request of our partners.

The EAP prides itself on its high quality, prompt and personal service to local employers.  Utilizing mainly its own professional clinical staff of more than 30 therapists, EAP provides contracted employers assessment, short term counseling and referral for personal, family or workplace issues for its employees.  EAP participants receive priority access to the agency’s counseling services.  After EAP services, individuals have access to the large scope of affordable and unique services that F&CS offers.  As a full service EAP, employers can receive consultation and support around personnel issues, crises and a variety of other workplace challenges, plus quality workplace training programs tailored their specific needs.

Presently, the EAP serves nearly 60 businesses in Tompkins and Cortland counties plus their remote employees nationwide through a large affiliate network of more than 250 providers. The EAP covers more than 6,000 employees plus their family member’s workplace training programs to enhance professional development and employee wellness.  Throughout the 30th Anniversary, F&CS will be offering discounted trainings for employers and their staff.

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