Description
Statement of Work: Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Counseling Services for NIOSH Morgantown WV The contractor will provide a comprehensive EAP delivering short-term, problem-focused counseling and a variety of services as described below. The contractor will provide qualified professional counselors who are trained in mental health counseling. A. Access Availability will be Monday through Friday during normal business hours (8:00am-5:00pm). After hour callers will be directed to call emergency services or go to the Emergency Room for an emergency. Face- to-face counseling services will be available at sites convenient to employees. B. Counseling Licensed/certified counselors, who hold a minimum of a master's degree and have a current state license or state certification to practice as a mental health practitioner (as required by West Virginia), will provide clinical services to those who access the EAP. On-site counseling and after-hours services will be available as needed. Employees may be referred to the program through self-referral, supervisor and labor representative initiated referrals, drug-testing programs, occupational health units, or other sources. Employees who may be affected by emotional concerns, alcohol, drug, or other personal problems will be offered up to six confidential EAP visits which include assessment, short-term problem solving, referral if needed, and follow-up services. Family members, whose problems are related to the employee’s problems, may also receive service regardless of whether or not the employee is a client of the EAP. Employees requiring specialized or long-term, on-going counseling will be helped by the EAP counselor by referral to established community resources and facilities for treatment and rehabilitative care. It will be the responsibility of the employee or the employee’s health benefit package to cover the cost of services by community resources. C. Risk Management Consultation Counselors will provide consultation and guidance to managers, supervisors and labor representatives to assist in constructively confronting employees regarding job performance, attendance, and/or behavioral problems, and in referring employees to the EAP for assistance. D. Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) The EAP will provide consultation to agency management in the development of agency plans for handling and responding to traumatic events (grief counseling). The EAP will provide counseling services to employees who have experienced a traumatic event so as to decrease emotional stress and increase overall employee functioning. Counselors, experienced in recognized CISM models will be available to provide face-to-face individual and/or group support to those who have experienced threats or actual acts of violence, suicide, or homicide. The EAP will also be available for other traumatic events that severely impact the work-site such as natural or man-made disasters, severe injury, death or any other situation that might have psychological, legal, and/or media impact on an agency. E. Confidentiality Confidentiality is a critical element of the EAP. Employees seeking help must feel confident that using the program will not jeopardize their jobs. The program is guided by the laws and regulations that protect client information. Counselors maintain records in accordance with these laws and regulations. Before the release of any confidential information, the client’s signature is required. This signature allows for the flow of information between the client, the program, and the requisite organization. Disclosure may occur when there is a danger to self, others, or property as outlined in the Statement of Understanding signed by the employee and as authorized by law. All counseling records are kept with contractor and are maintained in the strictest confidence. All information contained within the counseling records is considered privileged, and under the protection of the Privacy Act of 1974, Pub. L. No. 93-579 § 3, 88 Stat. 1897 (1974) (codified as amended at 5 U.S.C. § 552a (1999)); 42 C.F.R. Part 2 (2001), Confidentiality of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Patient Records ("the Confidentiality Regulations"); and 45 C.F.R. Parts 160, 162 and 164 (implementing provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, Pub. L. No. 104-191, 110 Stat. 1936 (1996)), as applicable. Counseling records are used as documentation of the services rendered and/or as a source document for obtaining statistical data for management use. No record will be released except as permitted by the Confidentiality Regulations, the Privacy Act, and as otherwise authorized by law. HHSAR Provision, 352.239-73: Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Notice Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794d), as amended by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 and the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board Electronic and Information (EIT) Accessibility Standards (36 CFR part 1194), require that when Federal agencies develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and information technology, Federal employees with disabilities have access to and use of information and data that is comparable to the access and use by Federal employees who are not individuals with disabilities, unless an undue burden would be imposed on the agency. Section 508 also requires that individuals with disabilities, who are members of the public seeking information or services from a Federal agency, have access to and use of information and data that is comparable to that provided to the public who are not individuals with disabilities, unless an undue burden would be imposed on the agency. Accordingly, any offeror responding to this solicitation must comply with established HHS EIT accessibility standards. Information about Section 508 is available at http://www.hhs.gov/web/508. The complete text of the Section 508 Final Provisions can be accessed at http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/standards.htm. The Section 508 accessibility standards applicable to this contract are: 1194. 205 WCAG 2.0 Level A & AA Success Criteria 302 Functional Performance Criteria 502 Inoperability with Assistive Technology 503 Applications 504 Authoring Tools 602 Support Documentation 603 Support Services In order to facilitate the Government's determination whether proposed EIT supplies meet applicable Section 508 accessibility standards, offerors must submit an HHS Section 508 Product Assessment Template, in accordance with its completion instructions. The purpose of the template is to assist HHS acquisition and program officials in determining whether proposed EIT supplies conform to applicable Section 508 accessibility standards. The template allows offerors or developers to self-evaluate their supplies and documentation detail - whether they conform to a specific Section 508 accessibility standard, and any underway remediation efforts addressing conformance issues. Instructions for preparing the HHS Section 508 Evaluation Template are available under Section 508 policy on the HHS Web site http://hhs.gov/web/508. In order to facilitate the Government's determination whether proposed EIT services meet applicable Section 508 accessibility standards, offerors must provide enough information to assist the Government in determining that the EIT services conform to Section 508 accessibility standards, including any underway remediation efforts addressing conformance issues. Respondents to this solicitation must identify any exception to Section 508 requirements. If a offeror claims its supplies or services meet applicable Section 508 accessibility standards, and it is later determined by the Government, i.e., after award of a contract or order, that supplies or services delivered do not conform to the accessibility standards, remediation of the supplies or services to the level of conformance specified in the contract will be the responsibility of the Contractor at its expense. Electronic content must be accessible to HHS acceptance criteria. Checklist for various formats are available at http://508.hhs.gov/, or from the Section 508 Coordinator listed at https://www.hhs.gov/web/section-508/additional-resources/section-508-contacts/index.html. Materials that are final items for delivery should be accompanied by the appropriate checklist, except upon approval of the Contracting Officer or Representative.