The Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce has launched a new program to offer employee assistance to its members.

The New Directions Employee Assistance Program (EAP) will be offered in conjunction with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. The program is "designed to help businesses assist their employees through a wide range of counseling, referral, crisis management, health care, financial, professional development, and other services and resources," according to a Chamber press release. Offerings of the program include: “Work-Life Plus+," which provides access to trained professionals who can assist employees in dealing with every-day stress; assessments and referrals from behavioral health experts to help individuals access appropriate care including counseling, community resources, and health coverage; short-term counseling for employees and their families at no cost for up to six sessions per issue; crisis management services for workplace trauma; management and supervisory tools including coaching, education, and training to help supervisors manage employee performance; legal consultation and resources; financial consultation and resources; and a health resource library, among others.

“The Chamber exists to help its members, and the New Directions EAP will provide an effective and affordable service to area businesses offering critical assistance to their employees to help them navigate personal and professional challenges,” says Chamber Interim Executive Director Jill May. “We’ve been working with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan for the past several months to implement this program and are pleased to offer it to our members to help them create a better and more productive work environment for their staffs.” 

The New Directions program will cost Chamber member businesses just under $2 per month for each employee, or or about $23 per year per worker, according to the organization. The program "has a retention rate of more than 98 percent with its customers, of which 95 percent would recommend its EAP to other businesses," the Chamber states. "The services are available around-the-clock through a toll-free hotline, as well as a digital app that be accessed through personal devices."

More information on the program, including enrollment information, is available online here.