Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for Small Business in Melbourne — How to Access It

Running a small business in Melbourne means looking after a lot of things at once. One thing that often gets left behind — especially in smaller organisations — is formal support for your team’s mental health and wellbeing.

An Employee Assistance Program, or EAP, is one practical way to offer that support. It gives employees access to professional counselling for personal and work-related issues, with an agreed number of EAP sessions available at no charge to the employee.

Cairnmillar Institute’s clinic is currently accepting new enquiries for EAP agreements. Cairnmillar’s organisational EAP service states that its programs can support organisations whether large or small, with tailored options based on organisational needs.

What Is an Employee Assistance Program?

An Employee Assistance Program is a short-term counselling service offered by an employer to their staff. At Cairnmillar, EAP services are provided by professional psychologists and counsellors who assist in the resolution of workplace issues.

The aim of EAP is to help employees deal with personal and professional issues that impact their performance at work and at home. Specifically, the service aims to promote better communication, enhance wellbeing, increase motivation, and foster better relationships with co-workers and in employees’ personal lives.

What Does EAP at Cairnmillar Cover?

EAP sessions at Cairnmillar are used as a preventative and early intervention service. Employees can access sessions for situations related to their personal or work life that are affecting their usual functioning, performance or wellbeing.

Situations that EAP can assist with include:

• Interpersonal relationships at work or in personal life
• Adjustment to changes in the work environment or position
• Changes to relationships such as loss or separation
• Mental health difficulties
• Trauma
• Difficulties with sleep
• General functioning
• Financial stress
• Work stress
• Work-life balance
• Chronic health conditions
• Changes to health
• Parenting concerns
• Support through a difficult time at work or in personal life

This is not a complete list — employees can discuss their specific situation with their clinician.

What Organisational Services Can be Included?

In addition to individual counselling sessions for employees, Depending on the EAP agreement, Cairnmillar can also offer organisational services such as staff wellbeing conversations, supervision, coaching, team building, debriefing and training.

Depending on the EAP agreement, support can extend beyond individual counselling to include broader organisational and team-focused services.

Can Family or Household Members Receive Support?

This depends on the organisation’s EAP agreement. Cairnmillar’s organisational EAP service lists individual counselling for employees and their family as an option that may be included in a tailored EAP package. Cairnmillar also states that referral services can often be sourced for clients and household members who need assistance beyond the number of sessions provided under the EAP agreement.

Is It Confidential?

Yes. EAP sessions at Cairnmillar are confidential. Your employees’ personal information is not shared with you as the employer.

The only limitations on confidentiality relate to situations where the clinician may be legally obliged to breach confidentiality — such as concerns around imminent harm to the person or others, or if subpoenaed during court proceedings. This is fully explained in the consent to service form and covered by the clinician during the first session.

What Do Employees Pay?

As an employee accessing EAP, a set number of sessions are offered at no charge. Each organisation has an agreed maximum number of sessions that an employee can access per calendar year. Additional sessions may be available, depending on the organisation’s EAP agreement. Employees should discuss this directly with their clinician and employer.

If an employee and their clinician decide it is beneficial to continue working together beyond the designated EAP sessions, they can do so independently at their own cost through Cairnmillar’s individual counselling service.

Most Cairnmillar EAP clinicians can offer telehealth or in-person sessions. Available options depend on clinician availability and the employee’s support needs.

How to Set Up an EAP for Your Small Business

If you are a small business owner in Melbourne and you want to offer an EAP to your team, here is how to get started with Cairnmillar.

Cairnmillar is currently accepting new enquiries for EAP agreements. A formalised Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and contract is required to establish the agreement.

To start the process, email Cairnmillar’s clinic admin team with the following information:

• Your organisation name
• Main contact details
• Approximate organisation size in staff numbers
• A brief description of your needs

The clinic coordinator will then contact you to arrange a meeting to discuss agreement options in more detail.

Email: [email protected] Phone: 1800 391 393 Website: cairnmillar.org.au/clinic/psychology-counselling-services/employee-assistance-programs

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does Cairnmillar offer EAP to small businesses? 

Yes. Cairnmillar’s clinic is currently accepting new EAP enquiries from organisations of all sizes. Contact the clinic admin team to discuss your organisation’s needs.

Q: What services are included in an EAP with Cairnmillar? 

EAP includes short-term counselling for employees provided by professional psychologists and counsellors, covering personal and work-related issues. Organisational services such as staff wellbeing conversations, supervision, coaching, team building, debriefing and training can also be included as part of the agreement.

Q: Is my employee’s information kept confidential? 

Yes. Personal information discussed in EAP sessions is not shared with the employer. The only exceptions are situations where the clinician is legally obliged to act, such as concerns around imminent harm or court subpoenas.

Q: Do employees have to pay for EAP sessions? 

No. A set number of EAP sessions are offered at no charge to the employee as part of the organisation’s agreement. Additional sessions may be accessible — this should be discussed with the clinician and employer directly.

Q: Can family members receive support through Cairnmillar’s EAP?

It depends on the organisation’s EAP agreement. Cairnmillar’s tailored EAP services can include counselling for employees and their family. Referral services can also often be sourced for clients and household members who need assistance beyond the number of EAP sessions provided under the agreement.

Q: How do employees book their EAP sessions? 

Employees contact the Cairnmillar clinic admin team by phone, email or via the online appointment request. When contacting, they should state that they are accessing an EAP service and provide the name of their employer.

Q: What is the cancellation policy for EAP sessions? 

A minimum of 24 hours notice is required prior to an appointment. Depending on the EAP agreement, sessions cancelled or rescheduled within 24 hours, or appointments not attended, may result in a cancellation fee or the session being forfeited.