COMDTINST 1741.7A
OCT. 21, 1997
5.
DISCUSSION. The Coast Guard recognizes that our personnel and their families are a most
valuable resource. We further recognize that unsolved personal and workplace problems often
have incapacitating effects leading to lost productivity and costly intervention. As such, the
Coast Guard has adopted the EAP to help our people pro-actively address their concerns and
manage problems throughout their careers. The EAP provides a confidential means for eligible
beneficiaries to improve life skills or obtain help before a concern becomes a crisis. The Coast
Guard, as an organization, also gains by maintaining a more productive work force which is
focused on mission performance.
6.
CONTRACTED SERVICES. The EAP contractor offers eligible beneficiaries assistance in four
distinct categories: Individual Services, Supervisor Consultation, Mandatory Referral and Critical
Incident Stress Debriefings.
a.
Individual Services: Individuals and their immediate family members may contact the EAP
directly using the toll-free telephone number to schedule an appointment. These services
include assessment, short-term problem solving, and referral services for persons needing
ongoing counseling or care.
b.
Supervisor Consultation: Supervisors may contact the EAP at any time for assistance or
advice in identifying troubled or problem employees, and methods for effective problem
resolution.
c.
Mandatory Referral: A supervisor may refer an employee to the EAP for consultation
when their job performance fails to improve. This resource is not intended to replace
existing methods of documenting or reconciling performance deficiencies, but may be used
to supplement such action. If this type of referral is used, the Coast Guard employee must
sign a release form that authorizes the EAP contractor to confirm for concerned commands
that appointment(s) were met. To coordinate this type of referral, contact the contractor at
1-800-222-0364.
d.
Critical Incident Stress Debriefings: A critical incident refers to any traumatic event that
occurs in the workplace or affects the work group. These may include natural disasters,
serious injury or accidents, and suicide or homicide. The EAP contractor can provide on-
site counseling support following a critical incident. Request for CISDs should be
coordinated with the unit's designated Work-Life staff.
7.
PROCEDURES AND POLICY.
a.
To use the program, eligible beneficiaries may access the EAP directly by calling 1-800-
222-0364 to schedule a consultation, the EAP contractor customer service representatives
will require the caller's name, a brief description of needed assistance, and a telephone
number at which a local counselor may contact the caller. The EAP assessment and short-
term problem solving are provided at no cost to the employee or immediate family.
However, should an individual choose to pursue a referral based on
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