If a personal problem is overtaking your life, perhaps we can help by assessing the problem, advising you of treatment resources, and supporting you in your program recovery.

LifeWatch Employee Assistance Program has been designed to provide you or your dependents with a highly confidential, effective source of help for personal problems that have grown to the point of seriously affecting you on the job or at home.

Although we recognize that you probably have found solutions to most of your problems in the past, sometimes the right resource hasn't been found or used and the situation has worsened. All of us need some form of help at one time or another in our lives. It's okay to reach out for that help.

LifeWatch Employee Assistance Program is not a counseling service. The primary function of the program is to help refer you or your family member to the most appropriate and effective help in our community. When you or a member of your family contacts the Employee Assistance Program, a professional case manager will help to assess your problem, advise you on available alternatives for treatment, counseling, or further evaluation, and assist you in arranging an appointment in a completely confidential manner.

LifeWatch Employee Assistance Program is not a cure-all of life's problems. The program is not designed to handle specific on-the-job problems such as dissatisfaction with supervisors, raises, transfers, or promotions. But it is a reasonable place to start with personal problems that are overtaking any area of your life and beginning to become unmanageable.

• Alcoholism is called a family disease because it adversely affects everyone around the alcoholic. spouse, children, parents, friends, and co-workers. They suffer from the cycle of problems generated by the drinking as well as from the frustration of not knowing what to do about it.

• Understanding the problem can often lead to positive solutions, but what is required first is recognition that a problem exists.

• The same drive to be part of, better than, or at least comfortable with, other segments of society often leads to dependence on illicit drugs, such as marijuana, cocaine, or heroin.

• In either case, professional help is needed to break the vicious cycle of drug use and the toll that it takes on everyone around the addict.

• Remember, as with all drugs, including the most' abused drug of all--alcohol, the diagnosis is based on the use of the drug, followed by trouble, followed by use, followed by trouble etc., etc. The addict or alcoholic is simply a person whose drinking or using creates problems in his or her life and continues to drink or use.

Unknowingly, you may be allowing the stress of working and living in a fast-paced society to adversely affect you. Depression, anxiety, loneliness, and frustration can be overcome.

Today's high divorce rate takes its toll in terms of productivity and personal effectiveness. The long and sometimes frustrating process will emotionally drain the most resourceful person.

There is practically no way that anyone can get any information about you or your family member if you voluntarily seek help through the program, unless you tell them. All staff persons connected with LifeWatch Employee Assistance Program, as well as the program advisors, and those persons affiliated with the RIC Confidential Assistance Program (your fellow employees), are pledged to maintain the highest level of confidentiality.

Your particular medical plan covers most, and sometimes all, of the costs for health care professionals to whom you may be referred for assistance.

Professional case managers associated with the Watch Employee Assistance Program will do everything possible (1) to refer you to the most qualified source of help, and (2) to inform you ally what the costs will be. They will also work with you and the treatment provided to p costs reasonable in terms of effectiveness of treatment and your ability to pay.

Basically, some life problems just won't go away themselves. There is always a cost involved in solving them; a cost in terms of time, effort, or money. Whatever the cost may be, it be a good investment in the future for you your family.

In order to make reaching out for help as comfortable and confidential as possible, we created here at Rhode Island College a "helping network" of concerned fellow employee (Confidential Assistance Program), linked together with the professional staff members of Watch Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

You may call the EAP directly for information and/or an appointment. In most cases, they will respond within 48 hours with an initial appointment for problem assessment.

Rhode Island College
Confidential Assistance Program