Last November, Capital Region ESD 113 Executive Director of Human Resources Jodi Petrovich received a message from one of our region’s smallest districts: they needed her help finding an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that would support their staff.
EAPs improve access to comprehensive mental health, financial, and legal services. The problem?Most EAPs require a minimum number of subscribers, a barrier that keeps many small districts from being able to offer these services.
“The uncertainty and loss that have characterized the past two years have had significant impacts on mental health,” Petrovich said. “It’s more important than ever that people in our region have access to this sort of resource.”
Petrovich quickly set to figuring out how to connect more districts with more EAP coverage. ESD 113 EAP provider First Choice Health agreed to partner with consortium member districts at just $2.33 per employee per month.
By the end of December, ESD 113 was prepared to provide any district interested in participating in the consortium with full coverage by January 1. By mid-February, 12 districts had joined the consortium.
The consortium now serves nearly 1,200 school district employees and their families.
“We want to do what we can to offer school staff around our region help, support, and—above all—hope,” Petrovich said.
Is your district interested in joining the Capital Region ESD 113 EAP Consortium?
Contact Jodi Petrovich to get started. In your email, include:
- The name and email of your district’s authorized signer for contracts
- The name and email of your district’s primary contact for day-to-day communication
- Your district’s total number of employees (by headcount, not FTE)
What services are offered through the Capital Region ESD 113 EAP Consortium?
- Benefits for employees and eligible family members
- 24/7 confidential assessment and referral services
- Up to three counseling sessions per person per issue within a 12-month period
- Access to legal, financial, and ID theft and fraud resources
- Discounts on certain health-related products and insurance
- Access to monthly newsletters and webinars
- Access to online trainings on a variety of topics
