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Employee & Family Assistance Program

The Employee & Family Assistance Program is a Voluntary, Confidential Counselling Service for all eligible employees and their eligible family members.

The program was established on January 1, 1993, in response to the recognition that almost any human problem may be overcome, provided it is identified, and access is available for appropriate counselling when necessary.

The counselling sessions are available off-campus at convenient Winnipeg locations. Access to the service may also be obtained by you or a family member while traveling elsewhere in Canada.

To access the EFAP, Call Toll-Free 24 hours a day, 7 days a week:

1.800.387.4765

Or go to:

www.warrenshepell.com

For detailed information on eligibility of family members please go to the Health Benefits Home Page.


What is the purpose of the EFAP?

The Employee & Family Assistance Program (EFAP) is a voluntary confidential short term counselling and referral service.

This service has been developed to help you and your family members with personal problems, tensions and stress before they lead to more serious difficulties. The service provider chosen for the Employee & Family Assistance Program is Shepell∙fgi (formerly Warren Shepell Consultants).


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Is the service confidential?

Confidentiality is the cornerstone of our EFAP. It is a program that allows you to discuss your personal problems and concerns in complete confidence in an understanding and professional environment away from the University.

You and your family may rest assured that all conversation and dealings with Shepell∙fgi counsellors will be strictly confidential. No information on any individual case will come back to the University of Winnipeg, or any employee group.


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Can someone contact the EFAP on my behalf?

The program is voluntary and is not meant to interfere with the private lives of employees, nor to accept responsibility for their personal problems.

Only you can make a counselling appointment for yourself. Contact is made directly by you or a family member to Shepell∙fgi.


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How much will it cost?

The focus of the counselling program is short-term problem solving counselling, which is provided at no cost to you.

In cases where longer-term or specialized services are required, the EFAP counsellor will assist you through a referral to an appropriate professional or agency in the community. The fees for such referred services are the responsibility of the employee or family members. However, some of these services may be covered by the Manitoba Health Services Commission or your Blue Cross Extended Health Plan. In any event your financial situation will be considered by the counsellor when making such a referral and the costs discussed in advance with you.


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What kinds of services does the EFAP provide?

The EFAP counsellors at Shepell∙fgi are highly trained and experienced across a broad range of personal and work-related problem areas, and will assist you with any personal and/or work-related concerns that may be affecting your physical or emotional well-being.

These can include such concerns as:

  • Personal and Emotional
  • Marital/Other Relationships
  • Family
  • Bereavement
  • Violence
  • Single Parenting
  • Aging Parents
  • Stress
  • Interpersonal Conflict
  • Career

When it is determined that long term or very specialized care is required, the EFAP counsellor may make an appropriate referral.

The referral resources include:

  • Clinical Psychologists
  • Social Workers
  • Family & Marital Counsellors
  • Alcohol & Substance abuse Counsellors
  • Financial Counsellors
  • Personal & Emotional crises Counsellors
  • Lawyers
  • Psychiatrists
  • Medical Professionals
  • Self-help groups

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Additional services

Mastering Stress:

This is a self-paced interactive internet self-help program for stress related concerns available through the Shepell∙fgi Website (www.warrenshepell.com). Mastering Stress helps you to: understand your stress; gain relief from everyday problems associated with stress; and develop a personalized action plan to effectively manage stress.

QuitCare Smoking Cessation Program:

The QuitCare Program helps smokers become life long quitters. Through individual telephone counselling and a personal handbook you will develop quitting skills proven to enhance success, and strategies to address urges and hard to handle situations. Telephone counselling with Certified QuitCare Counsellors occurs at your convenience.

Nutrition Counselling:

You have access to a professional nutritional consultation service through Shepell∙fgi. A registered dietitian will assess your eating habits, identify dietary concerns and answer any questions you may have. Initial consultation may be done in-person to allow for a comprehensive assessment. Subsequent sessions may occur in-person or via the telephone. The EFAP will provide up to three hours of nutrition counselling per eligible individual. General nutrition questions will be addressed over the telephone.

E-Counselling:

Need access to an EFAP counsellor but do not wish to receive in-person or telephone counselling? You can now access the services of a professional EFAP counsellor on-line. Just go to:

www.warrenshepell.com/ecounselling or

www.warrenshepell.com/intranetapp/uofw.asp

There you will find instructions on registration. E-Counselling is based on an exchange of emails between you and your E-Counsellor. This allows you to communicate at your own pace in the comfort and privacy of your home. As with all other Shepell∙fgi counselling services, E-Counselling is completely confidential and available to regular employees and their eligible family members.


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Newsletters & Web Links


Balancing Act

Healthy Living

Healthy Working

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EFAP Committee

An EFAP Committee was established for the purpose of developing and promoting the Employee & Family Assistance Program and has continuing responsibility for ongoing review of the Program.

If you have any concerns or require further information, you may contact one of the representatives on the EFAP Committee.

Michele Del Rizzo (A.E.S.E.S.) 786-9709

Harald Weigeldt (I.U.O.E.) 786-9770

Randy Kroeker (U.W.F.A.) 789-1466

Ingrid Truderung (Exluded) 786-9214

Laurel Repski (University) 789-1451

Mary Anne Walls (University) 786-9280

The people that make up the University of Winnipeg are its single, most valuable asset. The Employee & Family Assistance Program is designed to help employees achieve success, both in their careers and in their level of personal satisfaction.



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