Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Can't find what you need?
Email: wellpower@smu.edu
Email: benefitsu@smu.edu
Call: 214-768-3311
Administered by Magellan Health Service
(877) 704-5696
Magellan Health Services Website
The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is designed to provide confidential counseling and referral services for
all full-time and part-time benefit-eligible faculty/staff and their eligible dependents.
What is the Employee Assistance Program (EAP)?
The EAP is a confidential program designed to help you with your personal or workplace issues. The services offered under SMU’s employee assistance program are provided by Magellan Health Services to help you find an early resolution for your concerns.
Resources included in the EAP:
- Stress Reduction Assessment of stress, burnout and mental health issues
- Crisis Counseling Immediate intervention including suicide and violence prevention
- Short-term Counseling Problem solving for all types of issues
- Career Assessment Interest testing and career exploration services
- Child Care Resources Research and referral for all types of child care needs
- Elder/Adult Care Resources Research and referral to meet the needs of elders and other adults
- Work-life Resources Research and referral to convenience services to help with balancing work and personal life
Challenges the EAP can help with include:
- Managing Stress
- Controlling depression and anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Balancing work and life
- Quitting tobacco, alcohol or drug use
- Caring for children or aging parents
- Exploring career development options
- Dealing with conflict
- Working through grief and loss issues
What happens when I call the EAP?
Accessing the EAP is easy. Call the EAP at 1-877-704-5696. A licensed counselor will be available to speak to you
24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The EAP counselor will gather some information, evaluate your needs, and suggest
a possible plan of action. All you have to do is make the first call.
Additionally…
EAP information and services can be accessed online at Magellan Health Services Website, which includes online counseling.
We are pleased to announce that starting on June 1, 2020, we are adding BetterHelp virtual therapy modalities to your Magellan Employee Assistance Program (EAP) at no additional charge.
BetterHelp, the largest online counseling platform worldwide, provides counseling for the entire family – individuals, couples and teens (with parental consent and in accordance with applicable law and clinical appropriateness).
BetterHelp will give your staff, and their household members, access to therapy quickly – typically within 24 hours – when and where they need it.
There are four options to choose from:
- Text message
- Live chat
- Phone conference
- Video conference
BetterHelp will be provided as another option to the in-person and telehealth counseling we already offer. To get started, users will simply call their EAP phone number.
What happens next?
The next step will depend on your unique situation. If you are calling about an emotional or family issue, the
EAP counselor will offer a consultation, face-to-face meeting or phone counseling. This will give you a private
opportunity to talk about your concerns in depth. If face-to-face counseling is agreed upon, this meeting will take
place at a convenient location near you.
What if additional counseling needed?
The EAP provides short-term counseling, useful for helping you resolve many types of personal problems.
In some cases, more in-depth counseling, support groups, self-help programs, or other resources are available.
The EAP counselor will help you find the right resources to address your specific problem and will refer you to
helpful services beyond the EAP.
Who is eligible to use EAP counseling and services?
All benefit-eligible SMU faculty and staff and their eligible dependents.
What does the EAP cost?
- Up to five (5) counseling sessions per issue are provided at no cost to the employee.
- If an in-network counselor is selected, the SMU employee health plan can be used to cover co-pays.
What is provided?
The program provides short-term counseling, consultation and referral services for SMU employees and eligible dependents.
Resources: