Ways and Means advances new employee assistance program contract after questions on cost and overlap with health insurance

The Ways and Means Committee voted to move a one-year contract for county employee assistance program (EAP) services to the full legislature after staff described vendor selection, utilization and services. County human resources staff said the winning bid represented the best value; the cost would rise from about $13 per employee to $18 per employee, below many peer counties’ rates, and the vendor will provide short-term counseling, crisis response and webinars.

Diane (Human Resources) explained the county’s current provider is retiring and will continue to assist through June 30; an RFP identified a new vendor whose pricing the county accepted. “We went from $13 an employee up to $18 an employee,” Diane said, noting many other counties pay between $24 and $26 per employee. She told the committee the vendor’s services are designed for short-term counseling and crisis intervention rather than ongoing long-term inpatient care, and that employees’ family members are eligible for services.

Committee members asked whether the EAP duplicated services in the county’s health insurance. Diane said the EAP focuses on short-term needs (family issues, stress management, crisis intervention) and would be complementary to the health plan’s outpatient and inpatient coverage. Committee members requested utilization and reporting data; Diane said quarterly aggregate reports are available and that historically about “a little over a 100 employees” use EAP services in a calendar year. Staff said the county estimates about 800 employees (including part-time) are eligible.

The committee voted to forward the EAP contract to the full legislature for further discussion and final approval. Staff said the contract term is one year with up to four optional one-year renewals and that cost increases were modest compared with peer counties.