EFAP FAQ

About the Program

What is the Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP)?

The EFAP is a service designed to support individuals and offer counselling to deal with difficult or stressful personal, family or work related issues. There is no predefined limit on the number of sessions provided, however counselling is solution-focused in nature.

What services are covered through the EFAP?

In addition to individual and family psychological counselling, the EFAP provides a variety of services, including:

• specialized individual or group programs (parenting, communication and relationship issues, cultural transition, addictions, retirement preparation, etc.).
• crisis response.
• nutritional consultation.
• educational health resources.
• elder care and child care resources.
• retirement adjustment.
• life event support.
• work life support (especially child care, elder care and role overload-related issues)
• legal and financial consultation.
• specialized programs (Indigenous, cultural- and gender-specific programs, addictions hotline, workplace advice line).
• web-based services (online resources, self-assessment tools, counselling, e-scheduling, health information services).

Individual assessment and counselling, family or couple counselling and psychological assessment is also available in a wide range of areas, including:

• marriage and family counselling.
• anger and stress management.
• career counselling and job stress.
• anxiety and depression support.
• health and relationship issues.
• retirement adjustment.
• separation/divorce/custody.
• communication and conflict resolution.
• family violence.
• post-traumatic stress.
• grief and loss.
• addictions.
• childcare and eldercare consultation.

Organizational support services are also available to help address issues such as:

• work performance.
• constructive conflict.
• supervisory coaching and counselling.
• team building.
• critical incident response.
• effective communication.

Is the service confidential?

Yes, the EFAP service is completely confidential. Homewood Health reports aggregate data on utilization and trends to the university quarterly, but absolutely no information on these reports is specific to any individual(s). As with any health-care provider, the only exception is in cases where the individual accessing services has provided written consent to their psychologist to have specific information shared in order to address benefit entitlement questions or other similar issues.

Access

Who has access to the EFAP?

All University of Alberta staff members and eligible dependents have access to the EFAP. This includes all staff members who are not covered by the university's Supplementary Health Care Plan (e.g. casual and temporary staff members).

Do graduate students have access to the EFAP?

No. However, the university also administers the Graduate Student Assistance Program (GSAP) specifically for graduate students, which has some similar components to the EFAP program.

What if one of my students needs assistance?

Undergraduate Students

University of Alberta undergraduate students and graduate students have access to psychological counselling services through Counselling and Clinical Services. You can reach them directly at 780-492-5205. The office is located on the second floor of SUB.

Graduate Students

Graduate students at the university can also access psychological counselling services through the Graduate Student Assistance Program (GSAP). Graduate students needing assistance can call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Cost

How do I pay for services?

For faculty, staff members and eligible dependents, there is no charge for visiting EFAP psychologists or accessing other EFAP services.The cost of the service is covered by the university.

Is there a provision to reimburse for services obtained outside of the university's EFAP provider?

Effective October 1, 2023, employee health plans include coverage for psychological services. Benefit program eligibility and levels of coverage vary depending on your appointment. For details on what your plan covers, refer to the plan documents available on the Benefits Overview page.

Psychologists

What do I do if my family physician makes a referral to a psychologist other than the university's EFAP provider?

Your family physician may refer you to a psychologist they’re aware of to treat your specific issue or concern. If there is a counsellor at Homewood Health who has this specific area of expertise, they will recommend that you go to the university's EFAP provider in order to have the cost of your sessions covered.