Lower Mainland Assessment and Referral Service

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EFAP/ARS
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Phone: 437-4776

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Assessment & Referral Service

Advantages

These services:

provide confidential & professional assistance.
provide its services to clients free of charge.
maintain a books/video lending library.
are located in the community.

The Lower Mainland Assessment & Referral Service is a non-profit society, which is administered by a Board of Directors of management/employee group representatives from its member organizations.

Advantages to Employees and Families

Permits immediate, direct and confidential access for family members and employees.
Does not set a limit on the number of sessions per client; it provides unrestricted use.
Is autonomous, professional, and administered by its member workplace organizations.

Advantages to Employer and Employee Group

Helps keep the overall operating cost to participating organizations at a minimum.
Provides the opportunity for labour and management to be mutually accountable for the provision of services to employees/members and families.
Permits a close and more extensive monitoring of public health and social services.
Eliminates the possibility of workplaces having to hire permanent counsellors, or assessment staff.
Enhances the image of the employers and employee groups as leaders in the human resources arena.

Advantages of the EFAP Program in The Work Place

Significantly increases the probability of program utilization, as the staff of the ARS are not employees of the labour or management and the service is located away from the workplace.
Greatly enhances the probability that confidentiality will be maintained.
Ensures that its services are owned and operated at the community level by the organizations it serves.
Permits effective monitoring of clients through a focus on treatment coordination and a personal responsibility for a client follow-up.
Enhances the potential to pursue EFAP and related evaluative programs.

Advantages to the Community

Permits small workplaces access to a service that would otherwise not likely be available to them.
Facilitates an ongoing commitment to community education and health promotion activities.
Encourages ongoing interaction at the community level between key persons from business, industry, labour, private practitioners/therapists and government.

One of the most significant advantages of the ARS is its position of advocacy. It is an advocate of the client, of labour, of management and of the community. The structure, composition and independent funding of the ARS allows it a unique position in advocacy and, as a lobbyist, for increased quality of local health care services.

Functions of the ARS

The structure and functions of the ARS are specifically designed to meet the needs of the workplaces it serves. The ARS assumes primary responsibility with respect to the assessment, counselling as appropriate, referral and follow-up of all employees (active, retired and disabled), their spouses and dependents. In addition, the ARS plays a supportive role with respect to the education and evaluation components of the EFAP's it serves.

It is important to note that the ARS does not provide consultation on EFAP design to the workplaces it services. Its sole purpose is to ensure the provision of care for the clients of EFAPs. Each workplace is responsible for developing and maintaining its EFAP.

Some cost to the individual may occur if referred for additional counselling and it is not covered by an extended health plan.

EFAP/ARS Trademark