0505.00 Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Administrative Rules Adopted by Bureaus Pursuant to Rule Making Authority (ARB)
Policy number
PPB-0505.00

0505.00 Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Refer:                                        

  • ORS 181A.832 Mental health wellness policies for law enforcement agencies
  • ORS 181A.835 Peer support counseling sessions
  • City of Portland Human Resources Administrative Rule 10.02 Employee Assistance Program 
  • DIR 0210.21 Leaves from Service
  • DIR 0240.10 Line of Duty Deaths
  • DIR 0415.00 Return to Work
  • DIR 0416.00 Critical Incident Temporary Altered Duty
  • DIR 1010.10 Deadly Force and In Custody Deaths

Definitions:

  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP): a comprehensive and confidential service offered as a benefit to Bureau members and their families to identify and address a variety of personal or work-related issues, including but not limited to, mental health, substance abuse, family support, and critical incidents.

Policy:

1.      The Bureau recognizes that working in public safety exposes members and their families to stress and potential trauma related to critical incident response, in addition to stressors and challenges that exist in everyday life.

2.      Through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), the Bureau offers members resources to cope with personal or work-related concerns in an effort to increase member wellness and prevent or mitigate harm to members.

3.      EAP provides confidential support in accordance with state and federal laws to all Bureau members and their families. 

Procedure:

1.      The Employee Assistance Program.

1.1.   The Bureau shall maintain an EAP and designate, at a minimum, a sworn officer as the EAP Coordinator and a non-sworn administrative specialist, to facilitate EAP education, training, and resources for Bureau members.

1.2.   EAP provides optional, confidential benefits for members. Members are encouraged to contact EAP or refer members to EAP if they are concerned that a member is experiencing crisis, mental health problems, or substance abuse.

1.3.   Members should notify EAP of the following:

1.3.1.      Officer Involved Shootings and In Custody Deaths;

1.3.2.      Mass Casualty events;

1.3.3.      Critical incidents; and

1.3.4.      Member serious injury or death.

1.4.   The EAP Coordinator shall be responsible for:

1.4.1.      Certification and ongoing training for all EAP Team Members;

1.4.2.      Developing EAP education for new Bureau members and attempting to increase member access to EAP resources;

1.4.3.      Coordinating an on-scene EAP response to critical incidents;

1.4.4.      Conducting follow-up with impacted members following critical incidents;

1.4.5.      Arranging EAP response for members in crisis;

1.4.6.      Identifying qualified mental health professionals to provide confidential mental health services; and

1.4.7.      Coordinating with the Wellness Program to offer services to all Bureau members.

2.      EAP Objectives.

2.1.   The EAP aims to identify and address concerns that may impact a member’s personal and/or work life by:

2.1.1.      Collaborating with the Wellness Program on prevention and proactive efforts to increase member resilience;

2.1.2.      Assessment by EAP team members within RUs to identify individual member needs, mitigate stressors, and provide members information on EAP resources; and

2.1.3.      Intervening after critical incidents to ensure members have on-scene EAP support and following up to refer members to appropriate resources.

3.      EAP Members. 

3.1.   The Bureau selects members to serve as EAP Members in accordance with Bureau Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). 

3.2.   All EAP Members shall receive initial Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) certification training and ongoing annual training to remain active as an EAP Team Member.

3.3.   All EAP members shall comply with ORS 181A.835 confidentiality protections during peer support interactions and perform duties outlined in Training Division SOP 13-1 EAP.

3.4.   EAP members include:

3.4.1.      The EAP Coordinator and EAP Administrative Specialist.

3.4.2.      Peer Support Team:  Sworn and non-sworn members who provide Bureau members individual, confidential support and referrals to resources as needed.

3.4.3.      Traumatic Incident Committee (TIC). Sworn members who have been involved in deadly force incidents.  TIC responds to Officer Involved Shootings (OIS) and In Custody Death (ICD) incidents to provide support and guidance to impacted members.

3.4.4.      Police Alcohol Recovery Team. Sworn and non-sworn members who are familiar with addiction and recovery resources available to assist other members struggling with substance abuse.

3.4.5.      Public Safety Chaplains: Volunteer religious leaders who attend a certified public safety chaplaincy course and selection process to be sworn in as a Police Chaplain. Chaplains are a confidential, non-denominational resource for Bureau members and the community.

Effective:        3/17/2023

Next Review: 3/17/2025

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