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Employee Assistance Program

The Employee Assistance Program Consortium (EAPC) is a confidential, short-term counseling and referral service that is available free of charge to the employees and dependents of the Hospital for Special Surgery, Rogosin Institute, and Weill Cornell Medical College. All employee information and services are completely confidential and protected under HIPAA guidelines.

Counselors are available Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Additional hours can be arranged by appointment.

For an appointment at the EAPC, please call (212) 461-1769.

About Us

The staff cover a range of expertise including:

  • Certified social work
  • Alcohol and substance abuse
  • Eating disorders
  • Consulting psychiatry
  • Professional, confidential, free counseling

When specialized treatment is indicated, the EAPC has a broad base of referral sources. The EAPC will assist you to find the help you need.

Services

Services offered include problem identification, short-term and telemental health therapy, crisis intervention, consultation, and referral for a broad range of problems.

Call your EAPC for confidential assistance if you or your dependent is experiencing:

    • Emotional or psychological problems such as depression, anxiety and loss
    • Relationship or interpersonal problems
    • Family problems such as single parenting, care of elderly parents, domestic violence, marital or relationship conflicts
    • Substance abuse problems such as alcoholism or drug abuse by an employee or family member (the EAPC offers confidential referrals to treatment programs)
    • Legal and/or financial issues
    • Eating disorders or body image issues
    • Job or school performance problems
    • Health concerns, or any other concerns for which you may need professional assistance

The EAPC also offers supportive and educational groups from time to time.

Our Policy

The EAPC will protect your confidentiality.

The purpose of an employee assistance program is to give employees the opportunity to help themselves cope with problems which are adversely affecting them. Employee confidence in the EAPC staff plays a key role in the program's success.

EAPC services are paid for by your employer, but all contacts with EAPC are strictly confidential. Records of your call and your counseling sessions are protected in a secure system.

Can an EAPC counselor solve your problems? Probably not. But he or she can help you find new ways to begin to solve them yourself.

Some people have misconceptions about what counseling is all about. These misconceptions might keep them from making an appointment with a counselor who can help them find solutions they need to move forward in their lives.

Common Concerns

The following are some of the reasons people give for not seeking a counselor:

"People who seek counseling are desperate."

Some people who seek counseling truly are desperate for help, but counseling need not be considered a last resort for only the emotionally desperate. Instead, it is an opportunity to increase awareness about the issues related to specific concerns that are causing worry and frustration. Early counseling intervention can prevent the problems from getting worse.

"I can solve my problems on my own."

Of course, many people are fortunate enough to go through life without need of a counselor. Strong social support systems in the family or among friends can make a difference. Being satisfied in one's work, living and physical conditions make it easier to cope when things go wrong. On the other hand, when problems arise, it is good to know that it is possible to seek assistance from an objective listener – a professional who will hear you out and help you determine your options.

"I don't want my employer to know I have a problem."

EAPC services are paid by your employer, but all contacts with EAPC are completely confidential. Records of your call and your counseling sessions are protected in a secure system.

"I know someone who went to counseling and didn't feel any better."

Counseling cannot offer a guarantee that problems will go away. Those who expect quick, easy solutions to complex problems are often disappointed. An EAPC counselor can help assess problems, offer strategies toward solutions, and can recommend further help when it is needed. But a counselor can't force clients to take the actions they recommend. Clients need to accept responsibility for their own efforts.

"I don't want to deal with it today. I'm sure things will be better tomorrow."

Deciding to make the first call for help can seem an additional stress factor in an already overwhelming problem that is painful to think about and talk about. It seems easier to wait and hope the problem goes away. Too often people carry around the weight of the world for months, or even years before they take action to solve the problems that worry them. Yet once they act, by calling for help, they stop being victims and can begin to take control over their situation.

"I don't want anyone probing my mind."

The EAPC counselor's primary objectives are to identify and evaluate the problem with you, to determine related issues, to educate you about your options, and to help clients find the best, most affordable source of support and clinical information when ongoing assistance is needed. Clients share what information they want to share.

Contact Us

For professional, confidential, free counseling at your EAPC, or for further information regarding the program, please email us or call (212) 461-1769.

Location

For your convenience and privacy, the EAPC is located off of hospital grounds, a short walk from the main campus.

Employee Assistance Program Consortium
641 Lexington Avenue, Floor 25
New York, NY 10022

Enter on 54th Street between 3rd-Lexington Avenues.

Public Health Programs

Ann B. Beeder, M.D., Chief

Gerard Ilaria, Administrator
641 Lexington Avenue, Floor 14
Tel: (212) 461-1769
gilaria@med.cornell.edu

Mailing Address

Weill Cornell Medical College
Division of Public Health Programs
1163 York Avenue
New York, NY 10065

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