A supervisor may request an employee to contact a coordinator as an alternative, or in addition, to discipline for poor job performance. The immediate family members of faculty and staff may also call coordinators in regard to their personal problems. Successful coordinators must have specific attributes and interpersonal skills. They must be empathetic to employees who have problems and they must uphold the strict confidentiality of the program. Coordinators listen to problems and do not react in a judgmental way, even if they have opposing views concerning the situation.
Coordinators have a genuine interest in helping other people.
To provide participants with an understanding of the progressive deterioration which takes place in families who live with major dysfunctions. To provide participants with an understanding of the complex process of interventions, treatments, and recovery for all family members. To provide participants with an understanding of the essential components of employee assistance programs, i.e. the relationship of the Employee Assistance Coordinator with the troubled faculty or staff member, program manager, community resources, confidentiality matters, etc.