UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – On Jan. 1, Penn State’s new Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provider, SupportLinc, went live. This new EAP offers additional emotional well-being and work-life balance resources to help employees manage their lives at work and home.
“We care deeply about the health and well-being of our employees, and the shift to SupportLinc as the University’s new EAP allows us to further invest in our people,” said Jennifer Wilkes, vice president of Penn State Human Resources. “Having SupportLinc offers our employees a host of new services, in addition to ones that have been available for years.”
Wilkes said new services include personal coaching, text therapy, virtual counseling support and a mental health navigator.
Administered by CuraLinc Healthcare, SupportLinc provides guidance to help employees address and resolve life’s challenges at no cost to the employee or their family. SupportLinc provides all the standard services employees have had access to from their EAP provider, including short-term counseling and support, legal consultation, financial expertise, as well as new and enhanced services:
- Coaching - NEW
- Get assistance from a coach to boost your emotional fitness, learn healthy habits, establish new routines, build your resilience and more.
- Mobile app - NEW
- Get confidential support and guidance on-the-go from a licensed counselor via live chat, as well as expert content and resources – all from the convenience of your phone.
- Text therapy - NEW
- Exchange text messages, voice notes, and resources Monday through Friday with a licensed counselor through the Textcoach mobile and desktop platforms.
- Animo platform - NEW
- Strengthen your mental health and overall well-being using Animo’s self-guided content, practical resources, fun games, and daily inspiration to foster meaningful and lasting behavior change.
- Virtual Support Connect - NEW
- This digital group support platform offers unlimited moderated sessions hosted by licensed counselors on topics such as grief, mindfulness, preventing burnout and more.
- Mental Health Navigator - NEW
- Take the guesswork out of your emotional fitness with the Mental Health Navigator icon on the web portal or mobile app. Complete a short survey and receive personalized guidance for accessing program support and resources.
- In-the-moment support and short-term counseling
- A licensed clinician answers 24/7/365 when you call for assistance with work-related pressures, depression, stress, anxiety, grief, relationship problems, substance use, or other emotional health difficulties.
- University employees and their benefit-eligible family members may also receive up to five counseling sessions (per person per issue), in-person or via video.
- Legal consultation
- SupportLinc offers a free, annual 30-minute legal consultation per issue with a local attorney, by phone or in-person.
- Convenience resources
- SupportLinc’s knowledgeable specialists provide unlimited referrals that help address a wide range of challenges such as child or elder care, adoption, pet care, home repair, education and housing.
- Financial expertise
- Receive expert financial consultation and planning with pressure-free, personalized guidance including a free 30-minute session with a licensed financial counselor.
- Web platform
- Your one-stop shop for SupportLinc support, resources or information and discover on-demand training to boost well-being, financial calculators and career resources.
To learn more about these resources, SupportLinc is offering information sessions over the next few months to employees as well as sessions dedicated to manager/supervisors.
All requests for information or assistance are free of charge and completely confidential. Access support whenever needed, wherever is most convenient. Contact SupportLinc 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, at 888-501-3532, visit www.supportlinc.com using group code pennstate, or download the mobile app. Family/household members or Penn State employees not using single sign on should use group code pennstate to register for an account.