The vendor required to provide employee assistance program (EAP) for include:
- Scheduling:
• Urgent appointments must be scheduled and provided within 24 hours, and non-urgent appointments should be scheduled and provided within three (3) business days.
• The offeror should explain procedures for ensuring appointment policy is guaranteed and enforced, and the process for reporting and remedy if it is not.
• The offeror should provide their definitions for “emergency” and “nonemergency” appointments.
- Support and counseling sessions:
• The county that public safety-first responders (fire, police, animal control, e-911, sheriff, adult protective services and child protective services) and their eligible dependents should receive ten (10) counseling sessions, per issue, per contract year, and that the remainder of the workforce and their dependents should receive five (5) counseling sessions, per issue, per contract year.
• The county that these counseling sessions are proceeded by an initial needs assessment session (not psychological testing), independent of the counseling sessions.
- Follow-up services:
• Follow-up services will be provided to employees if referral for ongoing treatment or other services is made.
• Include a follow-up procedure timeline for clarity.
• The case of county management mandatory directed referrals, the offeror should indicate how follow-up, return to work consultation and reporting is provided to the county in accordance with confidentiality, act privacy rules and county policies.
- Referrals:
• EAP must refer employees and dependents to appropriate external services not covered by the program (e.g., psychiatric care, psychological testing, long-term therapy, inpatient treatment, complex legal or financial services).
- Wellness checks:
• Interested in implementing wellness check procedures in which EAP representatives proactively contact county-identified employees who may be experiencing personal challenges, disciplinary issues, or work-related stress.
• These checks to provide support and offer available EAP services to increase utilization.
- Crisis or emergency:
• Assess eligible employees and dependents who present in crisis to determine the appropriate level of intervention or treatment either in person or virtual.
• these assessments must be provided even if the employee or covered dependent has exhausted their EAP benefits for the contract year.
- Crisis hotline:
• Provide a 24-hour, toll-free, crisis line based in the country which is staffed by trained professionals.
• Average call response times, if service is automated or supported with ai, and the qualifications of hotline staff.
• Provide explanations of all available toll-free service numbers with days and hours of operation.
- Grief counseling:
• Assistance must be provided to eligible employees and dependents suffering grief after the loss of someone significant.
• Grief counseling services are specialized and separate from short-term counseling services.
- Short-term counseling:
• EAP must deliver short-term counseling for a range of issues, to include but not limited to, family issues (relationship, divorce, elder care, dependent, etc.), illness, work concerns or trauma, mental health, financial difficulties, gambling, and conflict resolution, through licensed professionals.
- Case management and enrollment:
• Any case management protocol and provisions for emergencies and employees referred “out of house” by the awarded vendor, including monitoring progress and coordination with external providers and county representatives.
• level of coordination between EAP provider and out-of-house services to benefit both county EAP facilitators and program users.
• Maintenance of eligible employees and dependents EAP accounts and program files.
• individuals must not be labeled with social security numbers.
• The eligible employee’s accessibility to accounts and personal files.
• Assessment process post referral with users for satisfaction of services provided, positive progression, and assistance sourcing alternatives or additional resources and referrals.
- HR engagement:
• Any ongoing practices of engagement with county HR staff including, but not limited to, newsletters, utilization statistics, continued program education, promotional materials, changes in services, and case management.
• The frequency of such engagements and if offered in person, online, or automated.
- Employee engagement:
• Any ongoing practices of engagement with eligible employees including but not limited to, regular emails or newsletters explaining program benefits, promotional materials to assist with program utilization, workplace enrichment, education, and new employee orientations.
• Materials are provided to the county, and if these are sent automatically or if they must be requested.
• Identify any service to be provided in person by EAP staff.
• The county is interested in increasing EAP usage for eligible staff and dependents, please describe any resources the offeror can provide to support this goal.
- Employee access:
• The various ways eligible users can access their EAP accounts and program services. (i.e., app, website, email, phone) detail what information can be accessed through these channels. (i.e., appointments, scheduling, reports, referrals, newsletters, soft-skill training or wellness information and training.)
- Contract Period/Term: 1 year
- Questions/Inquires Deadline: January 16, 2026
