As a company benefit that is free to employees, an employee assistance program is a valuable asset both for the company and the employee. Access to the EAP is easy. There are no referrals needed by the employer. The employee has only to call, identify themselves as an employee of a contracted company and make an appointment.

Solutions Employee Assistance offers personalized service by staff who know our community and its resources. When you call during business hours you will talk to a real live person in our Vancouver office who will arrange an appointment for you with one of our counselors.

Late afternoon and evening appointments are very popular. Many people who call desire such a time. Others have a more flexible schedule and can come during a workday on an extended lunch break or near the end of their shift.

One of the biggest losses to any counseling service is a missed appointment. Individuals who make appointments and then do not attend them prevent another person who may truly need the appointment from getting the help they need.

Here are a few guidelines that can help us, serve you better:

• Call for an appointment before a situation escalates into a crisis. Solutions is not a crisis counseling service. Most of our appointments are booked three to seven days in advance. Whereas we can usually provide a counselor to speak to someone in crisis by phone, we can not often provide same day appointments (barring a cancellation).
   
• Write your appointment time on your calendar so you don't forget it.
   
• Arrive on time for your appointment. For your first appointment, the secretary will give you an arrival time 15 minutes prior to the time you will actually see the counselor. This will give you time to fill out some necessary paperwork.
   
• If you discover after making your appointment that you are not going to be able to attend, call Solutions immediately and cancel or reschedule. We often have individuals on short notice waiting lists that would like to use the time you are unable to use. The sooner you let us know of your need to cancel or reschedule the better.

For further information about Solutions Employee Assistance, continue to browse or call us.

Solutions Employee Assistance
Telephone (360) 696-5092 or (800) 232-2475
FAX (360) 696-5168
360.514.4180 (TTY)
 
e-mail: solutions@swmedicalcenter.org