- Office Home
- About Us
- Key Topics
- Resources
- Contact Us

HomeForeign Service Life...Counseling Resources and Referral Services

# 									Counseling Resources and Referral Services							

Global Community Liaison Office

		Ask GCLO Support Services		

## 								Counseling Resources and Referral Services							

        -  The Department of State provides a number of resources and services to support employees and their family members while on overseas and domestic assignments. 

### Key Resources

WorkLife4You (WL4Y) is the Department of State’s 24/7 comprehensive and confidential resource and referral service for employees and their family members. WL4Y provides free 24/7 education, and referral services that help Department of State employees and family members find the programs, providers, information, and resources they need to manage personal and professional responsibilities. Counselors will help determine what services are needed and available and refer to appropriate providers. Call them for 24/7 personalized assistance, read articles and educational guides on their website, order topic related kits, engage in monthly live talks, watch webinars and listen to audios or ask for a free in-person elder care assessment from a qualified Professional Care Manager.

Department of State, both Civil Service and Foreign Service employees and family members are eligible to use WorkLife4You.

Visit GCLO’s List of Federal Agencies’ Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) webpage or contact GCLOAskSupportServices@state.gov for help with contacting your agency’s EAP.

**Employee Consultation Services (ECS)**offers free, confidential counseling with professional clinicians to eligible Department of State employees and family members. They can assist with job stress, marital and relationship matters, parent and child dynamics, single parent and blended family concerns, school adjustment, elderly parent concerns, separation, loss and grief, acute and chronic medical illness, depression, anxiety, and other emotional or mental health challenges, financial concerns, life transitions, new career/retirement issues, and pre-post departure and reentry concerns. Additional information is available in this ECS video on suicide prevention. Contact ECS at **MEDECS@state.gov**or 202-634-4874.

**Employee Consultation Services (ECS) —****Virtual Support Groups Open to Members of All Foreign Affairs Agencies and Locally Employed Staff – Note:**These groups may be on hiatus during summer and high transition times. Please contact ECS with any questions: MEDECS@state.gov or +1-202-634-4874.
        - Adult ADHD Support Group   Meets the 4th Tuesday of each month  Time:  11:00am – 12:00pm ET
        - American Muslim & Arab American Support Group   Meets multiple times each month  Time:  Varies – please contact ECS
        - Anxiety Management (AM) Group   Meets the 1st Tuesday of each month  Time:  12:00pm – 1:00pm ET
        - Cancer Support Group   Meets the 1st Thursday of each month  Time:  12:00pm – 1:00pm ET
        - Divorce and Separation Support Group   Meets on Tuesday every three weeks  Time:  12:00pm – 1:00pm ET
        - Eldercare Support Group   Meets the 1st Tuesday of each month  Time:  12:00pm – 1:00pm ET
        - Enhancing Retirement Support Group   Meets the 3rd Tuesday of each month  Time:  12:00pm – 1:00pm ET
        - Grief Support Group   Meets the 2nd Thursday of each month  Time:  12:00pm – 1:00pm ET
        - Kaleidoscope: People of Color (POC) Support Group   Contact ECS for meeting dates   Time : 12:00pm – 1:00pm ET
        - Parents of Children 4-11 Years Support Group   Meets the 1st Wednesday of each month  Time:  12:00pm – 1:00pm ET
        - Parents of Adolescent Children 12-16 Years Support Group   Meets the 4th Wednesday of each month  Time:  12:00pm – 1:00pm ET
        - People Impacted by Antisemitism Support Group   Meets the 1st Tuesday of each month   Time:  Varies – please contact ECS
        - Single Parenting Support Group   Meets the 3rd Wednesday of each month   Time:  12:00pm – 1:00pm ET
        - Singles Support Group   Meets the 4th Monday of each month  Time:  12:00pm – 1:00pm ET
        - You’re Not Alone; Fertility Support Group    Meets the 2nd Wednesday of each month   Time:  12:00pm – 1:00pm ET

**ECS Classes**

**For additional details, please contact MEDECS@state.gov or call 202-634-4874**
        - Mindful Tuesdays Class   Meets every Tuesday weekly   Time:  4:15pm – 4:45pm ET
        - Mindful Wednesdays   Meets every Wednesday weekly   Time:  4:15pm – 4:45pm ET
        - Fridays @ Noon Mindfulness Class   Meets every Friday weekly   Time:  12:00pm – 12:45pm ET

**State Department Affiliated Mutual Help Groups – Open to Members of All Foreign Affairs Agencies and Locally Employed Staff**

**State of Serenity (SOS)**A 12-step meeting for those in or seeking recovery**Meets: Mon/Wed/Fri****Time**: 12:00pm -1:00pm ETContact MEDECS@state.gov for dial-in details

**Diplomatic Sobriety**An online Alcoholics Anonymous Meeting**Meets Sundays****Time**: 8:00am – 9:00am ETEmail diplomatic.sobriety@gmail.com for details

**Alcohol and Drug Awareness Program (ADAP)** is part of MED Mental Health Services’ Employee Consultation Services (ECS) and is comprised of several key components, including short-term counseling. ADAP provides services to all DOS and USAID employees and family members, and to other eligible U.S. Government employees and their family members who have Health Unit privileges overseas. For more information email MEDECS@state.gov or call: 202-634-4874.

**The Center of Excellence in Foreign Affairs Resilience (CEFAR)** offers several Resilience Boosting Webinars that cover a wide range of topics.

**Community Liaison Offices (CLO)** provide support to employees and families at post as well as specific support to families who remain at post during an Unaccompanied Tour. They can also help connect you to the Regional Medical Officer/Psychiatrist (RMO/P) for your post or to other available resources. Request contact information for your CLO at GCLOAskCLO@state.gov.

**Deployment Stress Management Program (DSMP)**is managed by the Bureau of Medical Services and offers prevention, intervention, assessment, treatment, counseling, education, and referral services covering the spectrum of the pre-deployment cycle through after reintegration. DSMP can also help you increase your resilience or manage any concerns during deployment and reintegration. These services are available to employees and families who are experiencing the effects of being assigned to a high stress/high threat post. Contact MEDECS@state.gov or 703-812-2257. 

**MED Connect** is the Department of State’s free, non-emergency mental health and medical referral program designed to support all Chief of Mission employees and family members on travel orders as they temporarily navigate the U.S. healthcare system. Contact MEDConnect@state.gov.

USAID Staff Care ensures the wellbeing and work-life balance of USAID’s total workforce (all hiring categories) and their dependents through a range of programs and services. USAID has partnered with Federal Occupational Health (FOH) to deliver a secure, confidential Staff Care website that provides a central location to access the Employee Assistance / Employee Resilience Program (EAP/ERP), Wellness, Work-Life, and Child Subsidy Programs. Services are available 24/7. Contact **support@usaidstaffcarecenter.net** or 877-988-7243 (877-98USAID).

### Resources for Youth

**The Foreign Service Youth Foundation (FSYF)******is a non-profit organization dedicated exclusively to the support of children of employees of the U.S. foreign affairs agencies. Through publications, contests, workshops, and regular family events, they help young people adapt to their transitions between posts worldwide. FSYF’s Youth Mental Health page has an extensive list of mental health resources and providers for both overseas and in the U.S. For more information, visit FSYF’s website or email fsyf@fsyf.org

**Parents of Addicted Loved Ones (PAL)** is a non-profit organization that provides education and support through free, weekly support group meetings for parents of loved ones who struggle with Substance Use Disorder.

**The Science of Well-Being for Teens Course** was developed by cognitive scientist and Professor of Psychology at Yale University, Dr. Laurie Santos.  Dr. Santos created a 6-week course that is available for free on Coursera that aims to curb teen mental health crises by bringing together the best insights from her Yale course Psychology and the Good Life. In this course, participants will explore what the field of psychology teaches about how to be happier, how to feel less stressed, and how to thrive in high school and beyond. The lessons along with short weekly ‘happiness homework’ assignments will help prepare participants to put these scientific findings into practice.  Videos of the Science of Well-Being for Teens Course are also available on YouTube.

### Additional Resources

**Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Helpline**is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders. Call at **1-800-662-HELP (4357)**or visit  **SAMHSA’s website.**

**988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline** provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States. Call **988** or **1-800-273-8255**or visit the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s website.

**Suicide Awareness Voices of Education (SAVE) – International Suicide Prevention Resource**works to prevent suicide through public awareness, education and serve as a resource for suicide survivors. To find international resources for suicide prevention visit **SAVE’s website.**

**Befrienders Worldwide – International Suicide Prevention Helplines and Resources** provides an open space for those in distress to talk and be heard. They provide assistance and support via telephone helplines, SMS messaging, face to face, internet chat, outreach and local partnerships. For more information and assistance, visit **Befrienders Worldwide’s website.**

### Disclaimer

Listings of private entities on this page are provided as a convenience and should not be construed as an endorsement by the U.S. Department State or the U.S. government of the entity, its views or the products or services it provides. The order in which names appear has no significance, and the links may be removed at any time at the discretion of the Department.

Tags

Foreign Service LifeGlobal Community Liaison OfficeGlobal Community Liaison Office

## Related Articles

-  					February 13, 2019								Foreign Service Life			
Read more
 
-  											 													Realities of Foreign Service Life			
Read more
 

Back to Top