COMPASS provides full service EAPs to a wide variety of municipal, school and private organizations. EAPs are designed to help the employee, his/her family as well as the organization for whom (s)he works. Please review the COMPASS "points" that make it a unique organization to provide your Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Click here to email COMPASS.

Organizational Overview

• Established in 1986... one of the first in the Boston/MetroWest area;
• A privately owned, "flat" organization with limited bureaucracy and overhead;
• Limits the number of client-organizations in order to provide superior service;
• The Director serves as the contract manager in order to insure smooth assistance;
• All orientation and training seminars are facilitated by the Director and/or Associate Director;
• Director or Associate Director are available "24/7" for crisis intervention;
• All COMPASS Staff Affiliates are licensed mental health professionals;
• Provides "user-friendly" intervention through face-to-face meetings, phone or email;
• Provides legal consultation;
• Is nationally recognized and sought out by other EAP organizations for critical incident and trauma interventions as well as for fitness for duty evaluations.

The following is a brief description of the EAP services provided by COMPASS:

• Coordinate, organize and administer the EAP;
• Employee orientation seminars;
• Promotional materials for all employees (brochures, posters, pens/magnets, etc);
• Seminars on a variety of health, work and family issues;
• Confidential short term counseling for making assessments and recommendations.  If extended assistance is recommended, make carefully selected referrals and provide follow up assistance. 
• Provide crisis intervention in the case of workplace trauma/crisis. 
• Supervisory consultation and training for management personnel.
• Web-based and telephonic work-life consultation
• Review of workplace policies, procedures, programs

Seminars and training programs offered as part of the EAP

• Stress management 
• Sexual harassment 
• Critical incident stress & trauma in the workplace 
• Communication skills-training 
• Conflict management 
• Managing hostility in the workplace
• Supervisory/Administrative coaching
• Improving time management
• Understanding depression and anxiety disorders
• Holiday Season Stress
• Understanding the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

(In addition, COMPASS will work with organizations to develop a variety of training workshops to meet the specific needs of the participants.)

Organizational Development
There are times when an organization is in need of an outside consultant to assist them through some "troubling times" or a "tumultous transition." Lay-offs, mergers, changes in personnel, policies or procedures may lead to inter-departmental tensions that grinds down the morale and productivity. COMPASS staff bring their clinical skills to the workplace in an effort to limit the level of turmoil and to promote the process of growth that is required during transition. As part of this process, COMPASS may assistance with policy development, communication skills training, and other efforts to facilitate harmony and efficiency.

Critical Incident and trauma in the workplace training and services
The Centers for Disease Control estimates that there are 10 million work-related injuries and 7000 work-related deaths each year. The emotional, financial and organizational impact of accidents, deaths, robberies, lay-offs and other crises is far reaching. Often there is not a clear sense of how to respond. Emergency service departments (police, fire, hospital) deal with trauma and crises as a regular part of the job. In recent years, there has been much research that indicates that this type of work stress (critical incident stress) may have long reaching effect on those employed in public safety. Dr. Lewis has written a book: Critical Incident Stress and Trauma in the Workplace, (Accelerated Development, Inc., 1994) and has been addressing professional audiences throughout the country on this topic. COMPASS provides immediate consultation and interventions (i.e. individual and group debriefings) to an effected organization; works with EAP and/or outside agencies to facilitate on-going services for those employees in need; participates in safety policy development; and provides on-going consultation services to other CIS & T teams through out the country.

Hostility/Violence in the Workplace Training and Interventions
As companies are paying more attention to issues of violence and hostility, there is a greater need to be aware of the warning signs of potentially at-risk employees as well as "toxic work environments." COMPASS provides training and consultation to organizations concerned with this issue. In addition, COMPASS provides "At Risk" (fitness for duty) Evaluations.

"At Risk" (fitness for duty) Evaluations
There are times when an employee may manifest behavior in the workplace that is considered inappropriate and/or worrisome. Management as well as co-workers become concerned about safety, work performance and/or disciplinary issues. If an organization has an EAP, the individual may be referred for an assessment. However, the situation may be so difficult that a more extensive and comprehensive evaluation is required in order to determine the appropriate intervention and/or employment accommodations. COMPASS provides an "at risk" assessments that includes a clinical interview as well as an extensive battery of psychological tests. Further, a detailed report is generated with limited "psychobabble" and specific recommendations for work accommodations and professional intervention. Of course, this is all done with a signed informed consent form from the employee. Upon request, the employee may also receive a copy of the evaluation.

Pre-employment Psychological Screening
More organizations are paying closer attention to their hiring practices and many have introduced psychological screenings as a tool for candidate selection. In 1987, COMPASS received approval of the Department of Personnel Administration (of the state of Massachusetts) to provide Psychological Screenings of Public Safety Candidates (police and fire). As of September 1994, COMPASS is now working in collaboration with the Institute of Forensic Psychology (IFP), an organization providing these service to public safety departments throughout the country. Through this relationship, COMPASS now has access to more comprehensive screening tools and a more extensive data base for making employment recommendations. Whether it be public safety or private industry, a psychological screening may be helpful in determining a "good hire."