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JHEAP Manager Resources

The Johns Hopkins Employee Assistance Program (JHEAP) offers confidential, professional support to employees. As the workplace evolves, the role of HR, leaders, and managers in supporting employee well-being is very important in helping promote JHEAP to their teams. JHEAP can assist leaders and managers in supporting employees by providing 1:1 consultations, resources, group support sessions, training, and more.

Not sure how to handle a situation?

Don’t overthink it, call JHEAP for confidential support — anytime, any day.

888-978-1262

JHEAP Leadership Toolkit

Created for HR, leaders, and managers, to help you identify mental health challenges, recognize their impact in the workplace, and address them effectively using JHEAP services. Learn about best practices to assist team members in distress, and how JHEAP provides guidance and resources for managers to support individuals, groups, and themselves.

JHEAP Services for Managers

1:1 Consultations for Leaders

For non-urgent needs, reach out to [email protected] to schedule a consultation with a JHEAP clinician for guidance on available support for yourself or your team.

For urgent needs, call 888-978-1262, state that you are a supervisor calling to consult about an employee concern, and a clinician will hear your concerns and provide recommendations.

On-Site and Virtual Support

After a critical incident, JHEAP can provide support to groups or individuals. Call 888-978-1262 and request a Management Consultation to determine the best next steps with the support of a clinician.

Departmental EAP Presentations

A JHEAP team member can provide an overview of EAP resources and trainings virtually or in-person on topics like self-care, stress management, and more. Complete the Workshop Request Form to schedule a presentation. 

Concerned about an employee’s emotional well-being or workplace behavior?

JHEAP can help you respond effectively.

If you observe distress or concerning behaviors among your team, the best place to start is to talk to a JHEAP clinician about your concerns so that you can receive professional guidance on how to proceed.

To consult with a JHEAP clinician, call 888-978-1262 and state that you are a supervisor calling to consult about an employee concern. A member of the JHEAP Clinical Team will hear your concerns and provide recommendations.

You also can refer employees you’re concerned about directly to JHEAP by calling 888-978-1262.

Spread awareness and promote JHEAP among your team using the JHEAP Flyer

Follow these guidelines when referring an employee to JHEAP. General Guidelines for Referring an Employee to JHEAP include: focus on observable behaviors, avoid making assumptions or diagnosing, emphasize support and available resources, reassure confidentiality, and frame it as a benefit not a punishment.

Explore the tabs below for more information about JHEAP Manager Resources.

Management Consultations

JHEAP offers unlimited, expert support to help supervisors address employee concerns and improve team well-being, to return focus to operational goals. Consultation services include:

  • Support for difficult conversations and employee referrals
  • Help navigating change, workplace grief, crisis response, and related communications
  • One-on-one guidance for employee and team challenges
  • Tools to recognize and respond to signs of employee distress Access to articles, tools, live and on-demand webinars
Making a Referral

The JHEAP On-Site Clinical Team is dedicated to supporting employees whose health or personal lives have begun to impact their lives at work. The best way to connect your entire team with support is to regularly remind all your employees that JHEAP is available to them and their family members. If you need a refresher on the services offered and resources to make a referral, review the Leadership Toolkit.

If you have particular concerns about a specific employee, you might consider making an individual referral using one of these approaches:

Supportive Suggestion (Informal Referral)
  • A supportive suggestion is best when managers are aware that problems at home or work are causing an employee distress. A supportive suggestion is most appropriate when the distress is not significantly impacting work performance and relationships.
  • A manager may suggest the employee call JHEAP or visit the JHEAP website.
  • It’s often helpful to explain to employees that JHEAP clinicians help employees with a wide range of concerns—that you’re not “sending them to therapy.”
  • If the employee chooses to make an appointment with a JHEAP Onsite clinician, it’s helpful to offer the employee time away from work to attend the initial appointment, if possible.
  • Under some circumstances, especially when the employee is acutely distressed, it’s helpful for the manager to facilitate the employee’s call in a private space, either joining the employee on the call or simply providing the space. Keep in mind that when employees are acutely distressed, they can speak with a JHEAP clinician on the phone immediately.
Formal Referral (Voluntary, Documented Referral)
  • A Formal Referral is useful when a manager wishes to address work performance problems, behavioral concerns, or both, and when the manager would like confirmation that the employee has attended an appointment. Under an FR, managers are welcome to provide updates to the JHEAP clinician about the employee’s progress.
  • When employees are referred to JHEAP under an FR, they remain on duty.
  • An FR is a voluntary referral; employees are not required to engage in the FR process. Whether or not the employee chooses to participate, supervisors are encouraged to continue monitoring performance and behavioral concerns. An FR is not part of a disciplinary process, will not be included in the employee’s human resources file, and is meant to convey that the employee is responsible for his or her own behavior and performance and for doing what is necessary to improve.
  • To initiate an FR, the manager should call JHEAP at 888-978-1262 and request a formal referral. JHEAP will assess the situation, consider the context, and make recommendations about best next steps.
Suggested Phrasing

“I’ve noticed that you’ve been having some challenges recently, like [specific behavior or performance issue, e.g., missed deadlines, changes in mood, absenteeism]. I want to make sure you have the support you need. One resource available to you is our Employee Assistance Program, JHEAP. It’s completely confidential and free to use. They can help with a variety of things—whether it’s stress, personal issues, or something else that might be affecting your work. I encourage you to consider reaching out to them. If you’d like, I can provide the contact information or help you connect.”

“You mentioned that you’ve been going through a tough time lately. I want you to know that you don’t have to go through it alone. We have an Employee Assistance Program that offers free, confidential support for things like stress, anxiety, family concerns, and more. You can reach out to them directly—no need to go through me. If you’d like, I can get you the details.”

Crisis Response

Crisis Response Services can help you and your department provide an appropriate response when a difficult workplace event occurs. JHEAP provides emotional support for individuals and groups in response to difficult work events.

Emotional Support for Individuals and Groups

JHEAP provides the following services in response to difficult work events:

  • Consultations with managers and supervisors to plan a response to staff who are coping with a difficult workplace event
  • Staff briefings and tips for coping with the event
  • Small group interventions following a traumatic event
  • On-site outreach to provide initial support and psychological first aid
  • Same-day appointments for crisis victims
  • Individual assessment and referral for emotional problems related to a crisis
  • Departmental briefings for supervisors and tips for supporting employees
  • Resource materials for individuals impacted by the crisis

Most people who’ve faced a crisis recover and return to work without additional support. Others, however, may need supportive attention. Feeling better is unique to each individual and does not follow any set pattern or timeline.

If you or your department experiences a crisis that exceeds your resources and ability to cope, please call JHEAP at 888-978-1262. JHEAP can lend guidance and consultation about the best ways to respond to difficult workplace events. JHEAP also can assist you in understanding the normal response to grief and traumatic stress, and help your team adopt positive coping strategies and foster resiliency.

Confidentiality

Professional ethics and state and federal laws dictate that sessions conducted by the JHEAP are confidential. Information about sessions or their content will be released only upon an employee’s written request, and/or in circumstances where a clear danger to the individual, others, or the institution exists, or as may be required by law. The JHEAP Clinical Team adheres strictly to this policy.

Reach Out to JHEAP

For non-urgent concerns, email [email protected] or Lisa Dewitt, JHEAP Account Executive at [email protected].

For urgent concerns, call 888-978-1262 and say you are a JHU leader needing and management consultation.