The Tanner Employee Assistance Program (TEAP) helps individuals with personal problems that affect their whole lives, including time with both family and co-workers. Through TEAP services, employees can address issues that may be taking a toll on their job performance and relationships.

Every effort is made to protect employees’ privacy. From the first phone call, a request for assistance is treated with the kind of respect personal problems deserve. (There are some exceptions required by law: if an individual reveals their intent to harm themselves or others, or if the welfare of children or elderly is at risk.)

 The Tanner Employee Assistance Program provides up to five free sessions for assessment and short-term problem resolution for employees and their dependents. If more sessions are needed or if the problems are such that other professionals should be consulted, referrals are made. In most cases, the employee's health insurance will assist with the payment of any additional costs.

For more information, call the Tanner Employee Assistance Program at 770.834.8327 or 1.888.732.5422.

Hours

The TEAP office is open from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m., with additional hours available by appointment. A counselor is on call after regular hours for consultation.  For medical or mental health emergencies, employees should contact the nearest hospital’s emergency department.
        

Our Mission

TEAP is the west Georgia work-based resource designed to assist employees and managers in identifying and resolving issues that interfere with workplace productivity. TEAP is available to all employees and dependent members of their families.

TEAP Issues

Mental health difficulties, child development and elder care concerns, emotional trauma, alcohol or other drug problems, marital separation or divorce, organizational changes and productivity challenges are some of the issues that may warrant a call to the EAP.

How it works

The initial call is answered by someone who will listen with empathy to the reasons for calling.  He or she will then either transfer the call to a licensed counselor who can give immediate assistance or will schedule a convenient appointment time to come in and talk.

At the initial appointment, some paperwork will provide basic information to the counselor and explain the privacy policy. After the paperwork is completed comes the visit with the counselor.

The first appointment usually lasts about 90 minutes, with subsequent appointments lasting up to an hour.  TEAP specializes in short-term counseling, and the number of visits is determined by the specific problem as well as the company’s EAP contract. 

Sometimes, depending on the nature of the concerns, visitors may also be referred to other professionals such as other mental health counselors, attorneys, financial consultants, physicians or any variety of specialists.

If necessary, return appointments may be scheduled in order to assist in continuing to work toward an acceptable resolution.

Cost and Eligibility

Individuals are not charged for telephone contacts or visits to TEAP.  The service is provided by the employer through a contract with Tanner Health System and is available to employees and their dependent family members. In most cases, health benefits will pay a portion of any referral costs. 

TEAP Referrals

Most of the time, individuals are self-referred or may have been encouraged to call by a friend, family member or a co-worker.  In other cases, managers or supervisors may refer employees either out of concern for the individual or because the person’s job performance suggests that a personal problem may be affecting their ability to do their work effectively.  

TEAP FOR MANAGERS

Referring Employees

If the manager is aware of an employee’s personal concerns, he or she may encourage the employee to make a TEAP appointment and provide them with information about the program. When the employee’s job performance is affected, the manager may suggest TEAP as a way to resolve performance problems through professional help.

TEAP Follow-Up with Managers

Most of the time, the only information a manager will receive from TEAP is that the employee attended the initial session. Unless the employee gives written permission, no information of a personal nature is provided to anyone other than the TEAP professional staff.  When there are job-related issues in need of resolution, the employee may choose to involve the manager, but will be required to sign a release for appropriate information to be exchanged.  If the employee is able to resolve his or her personal problems, the manager will typically see improvement in the employee’s job performance.

Other TEAP Manager Services

Managers may certainly call the TEAP themselves. In addition, they may consult with TEAP staff regarding group or individual job performance issues, teamwork or team building concerns or when dealing with a workplace crisis. TEAP also provides a number of staff development programs that can be tailored to fit the needs of the specific workplace.