EAP evaluations need to assess program structure, cost, and outcomes. (Employee Assistance Programs)(adapted from the Journal of Drug Issues, 25,2:451-470, 1995)

Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) represent a relatively new fringe benefit for workers; the number of these programs has been increasing steadily in worksites of all sizes. Despite this surge in the growth of EAPS, few studies have estimated their costs or benefits.

To guide future economic evaluations of EAPS, the authors have developed a methodology that has four components: 1) a process description to understand the structure, operating environment, and goals of the EAP; 2) a cost analysis to identify and estimate the full range of EAP costs; 3) outcomes analysis to estimate …