New opportunities created for EAPs
A new guidance issued by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) concerning psychological disabilities will create important new opportunities for Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), especially those that operate in the managed care environment, says Jerome V. Vaccaro, MD, medical director of PacifiCare Behavioral Health, a Van Nuys, CA-based managed health care organization.The guidance, issued in early May, gives psychological and physical disabilities equal weight under the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990.
"This is a tough time for employers," says Vaccaro. "How do they differentiate a real disability from abuse? How do they set performance standards? How should they communicate these issues to their staff? How can they comply with the new guidance? How are they going to afford parity in health care benefits? How can they develop systems to address these new problems, such as the issue of reasonable accommodation?"
That’s where the EAP professional comes in, says Vaccaro. "The EAP provides employers on-going consultation and education around these kinds of issues — such as what are the mentally ill, and how do we deal with them in the workplace? The EAP can provide guidance in these areas, whether through lectures, spot consultation, or ongoing support." For example, PacifiCare provides a 24-hour toll-free number for its employees who either require counseling services or have questions about mental illness. Typically, Vaccaro says, EAPs have very good connections with the human resources (HR) department. "As HR has to grapple with the new accommodation’ situation, they can call upon the EAP professional for advice," he notes. And of course, the EAP is the first place employees with mental problems are likely to go for help — especially under this new environment of parity.
The new reality created by the EEOC guidance, Vaccaro maintains, is a "perfect match" for companies with managed behavioral health care. "And the best possible scenario is managed behavioral health care plus a behavioral health-focused EAP," he says.
EAPs, Vaccaro explains, are more focused on psychiatric rehabilitation and on the interface between psychiatric illness and productivity. "So are managed care companies," he notes. "As managed care becomes more outcome-focused, they’re looking more closely at productivity all the time. Old-style indemnity plans didn’t have that consistent focus on productivity."
[For more information, contact: Jerome V. Vaccaro, MD, PacifiCare Behavioral Health, 5990 Sepulveda Blvd., Van Nuys, CA 91411. Telephone: (818) 782-1100. Fax: (818) 787-6337.]
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