Iowa State has updated its existing Employee Assistance program with the help of the Mary Greeley Medical Center in Ames.

Starting last Monday Mary Greeley has been working efficiently to help Iowa State employees in need of assistance with personal or professional problems through the employee assistance program. Programs are available to aid a range of problems from alcohol and drug abuse to gambling addiction and eating disorders.

Cliff Barta, psychologist and clinical supervisor for Psychiatric and Social Services at Mary Greeley said, “It was set up primarily as a service to any and all ISU employees that have personal problems which may effect the way they further help the university.”

“This is not the first time ISU has ran this program…They are now temporarily trying to run the program through the hospital. They want to find out if the program will work better on or off campus.”

The program is designed to benefit ISU employees. “Primarily, the program is set up as an assessment and referral situation. We see the employee for up to three sessions. We make sure he or she is in need of treatment or getting proper treatment and if they are in need of more or different treatment we refer them to department with in the hospital,” Barta said.

Carla Espinoza, assistant vice president for Human Resource Services said in a press release that EAP professionals in the Assessment and Referral program may refer ISU employees to other health care providers for follow-up services or medical care.

“While Mary Greeley personnel have been informed of the health care and counseling providers available through ISU insurance polices, faculty and staff who receive referrals should be sure to contact their carriers to find out the extent of their benefits and to get authorization. In some cases authorization may require referral by a primary care physician,” Espinoza said in a press release.

The revised program at Mary Greeley will be similar to the one which had previously been established at the University. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.