54875582.pdf

\n\n--- Page 1 ---\n\nGAINESVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT GENERAL ORDER TITLE ACCREDITATION Employee Assistance Program CALEA 22.1.7(a-f) (EAP) PRIOR REVISIONS 1/4/99; 8/20/08, 04/28/15, PROPONENT UNIT 2/20/20 Personnel Division ATTACHMENTS: -City of Gainesville EAP Brochure website -Clinical Psychological Associates Website NUMBER ISSUE DATE REVISION DATE TOTAL PAGES 22.7 07/01/1998 08/08/2023 6 I. PURPOSE: This Order identifies Departmental benefits regarding employee psychological services. II. POLICY: The Gainesville Police Department shall offer an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) through which members shall be offered evaluation, counseling, and treatment for emotional and psychological problems. III. PROCEDURE: A. Services: The scope of services offered through the Employee Assistance Program includes: [CALEA 22.1.7 (a)] 1. Counseling of Department members and their immediate family members (i.e., spouses and dependent children); 2. Training in crisis intervention techniques, domestic negotiation, and interpersonal and communication skills; 3. Training in personal anger management and stress management; 4. Collecting and establishing a data base on Departmental personnel; 5. Evaluating departmental chain-of-command and management strategies in relation to overall morale and job satisfaction; 6. Psychological services on an as-needed basis for relevant issues which may arise; 7. Providing “Fitness-for-Duty” Reports; 8. Entry level psychological tests for sworn members. B. Providers:\n\n--- Page 2 ---\n\nGAINESVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT 1. All Department members shall use the Department contracted Psychologist/Psychiatrist. This information is listed on the GPD intranet page under Personnel/Training: Employee Assistance Program. [CALEA 22.1.7 (b)] i. Sworn Gainesville Police Department officers, professional staff assigned as a Field Service Technician or to the Forensic Crime Unit are entitled to unlimited EAP visits. An immediate family member of a sworn department member is permitted five free visits per year. After five visits, the member is liable for the cost (which may be covered by a member’s insurance). ii. GPD employees who are not sworn officers or assigned as a Field (Police) Service Technician or to the Forensic Crime Unit are entitled to three free EAP sessions per year. iii. All other Department members are permitted three free visits. After three visits, the member is liable for the cost (which may be covered by a member’s insurance). Beginning in 2018 the City has initiated a program for employees and dependents insured by the City's health plan to continue with our providers after the three visits for a $25.00 co-payment for a standard session. 2. Voluntary Participation: Department members and their immediate family members who experience emotional and psychological problems may seek assistance and counseling from the City’s contractual psychologist or psychiatrist. i. Confidentiality: Any member receiving self-initiated treatment may use the services of the contractual psychologist / psychiatrist without the knowledge of the Department, except when there is evidence of a concern for fitness for duty or imminent harm to self or others. [CALEA 22.1.7 (c)] a Under either circumstance, the provider, in discussion with the member, shall make notification to the Department that the member is unfit for duty. b The Personnel Services Division Commander shall only be provided with information necessary to implement a course of action recommended by the provider which is intended to return the employee to duty status. c No other details of treatment or confidential information shall be revealed. ii. Prescribed or Other Medications: Legal medications (i.e., over-the-counter) or prescribed drugs may affect the safety of the employee, other employees, or members of the public. Drug Free Workplace protocol shall be followed. 3. Mandatory Participation: At the Department’s financial expense, and when the situation dictates, Departmental members shall be required to participate in the Employee Assistance Program. [CALEA 22.1.7 (e)] 2\n\n--- Page 3 ---\n\nGAINESVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT i. Program Confidentiality and Management: Mandatory participation in the EAP program is no different, with regard to confidentiality, than any other medical referral and shall be coordinated and directed by the designated management representative (Personnel Services Division Commander/designee). [CALEA 22.1.7.c] ii. Refusal To Participate: Any member refusing to participate in mandatory counseling shall be subject to potential discipline. iii. Qualifying Conditions Mandating Participation: Under the following conditions, Department members shall be referred to EAP for a psychological evaluation, to receive counseling, or to partake in any treatment as directed by the Department. a Traumatic Incident: An incident, in which a loss of life occurs in an unusually violent or traumatic manner, occurs involving a young child, or other circumstance which has a significant emotional impact on involved members. 1) Self-Referral: The member shall initiate his/her own EAP appointments. Member shall schedule within the next three business days, and be willing to confirm the appointments with his/her supervisor. 2) Supervisory Referral: The member’s supervisor shall initiate the referral, directing the member to report to the Personnel Services Division Commander/ designee, who shall schedule a debriefing and evaluation session. Scheduling the Meeting: i) The member’s supervisor may, if after regular business hours, immediately contact EAP if the situation indicates the need for immediate intervention. ii) If immediate intervention is not indicated, the member shall be referred to the Personnel Services Division that day, or, if after hours, the next business day, to set up a meeting with EAP. 3) Notifying Personnel Services Division Commander: The Personnel Services Division Commander shall be notified as soon as practicable if the member is involved in a shooting, an officer-involved death, or any other incident which, in the opinion of the duty commander / designee, warrants such notification. 4) Evaluation: Under the direction of the Personnel Division, the City’s contractual psychologist or psychiatrist shall evaluate the employee and 3\n\n--- Page 4 ---\n\nGAINESVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT make a recommendation regarding the person’s fitness for duty and the need for further treatment. The Chief / designee, in consultation with the Personnel Division Commander, shall evaluate whether there is need to change the employee’s job assignment. 5) Critical Leave: Within five days of the traumatic incident, the employee may be granted up to two days of paid leave by the Chief, based on the recommendation of the Personnel Services Division Commander/designee. i) If a member of the Personnel Division is not available, the member’s bureau commander may authorize leave, but the member shall be directed to report to the Personnel Services Division the next business day for an evaluation. b Danger to Self or Others: When a Departmental member poses a threat to himself/herself or others or is unable to perform his/her essential job function(s) due to psychological problems, the member shall be referred to the Personnel Services Division Commander or designee. 1) The member shall be briefed (if feasible) by the Personnel Services Division commander / designee regarding the purpose of the referral and shall submit to a fitness for duty evaluation by the EAP provider. 2) The provider shall submit a written report to the Personnel Services Division commander or designee that states whether the member is fit or unfit as it pertains to fulfilling the member’s essential job function. i) When the member is deemed to be unfit, the provider shall submit recommendations for attaining fitness for duty. ii) The member may review the report with the provider and Personnel Services Division commander or des