Communication Committee
The communications committee is focused on educating professionals in the region about what EAP is and does; and, serving the membership of the Northern Illinois chapter, which is the largest in the country.  We look for opportunities to increase awareness of our own educational events as well as others that may be of professional interest and that offer CEUs.  We function as a hub for community connections as well as facilitate the process of identifying the right industry resources.

Volunteers help make these connections through development of our website as a central source for the community and our participation in social media.

Conference Committee
The Chair and the Co-Chair are responsible for recruiting, vetting and assigning the best candidates to the various program areas.  In addition, the Chair and Co-Chair provide support wherever necessary in order to accomplish the tasks/goals  of the entire Conference Committee.  

The 2020 Conference Chairperson is Sara Tigay.

Credentialing Committee
The Credentialing Committee supports the Program and Conference Committees work. The members of the Credentialing Committee are responsible for applying for all CEUs and PDHs for the chapter presentations and the conference. The two main bodies that provide the CEUs and PDHs are IAODAPCA and EAPA. The Credentialing Committee members are responsible for gathering resumes/vitas for presenters, goals and objectives of a presentation for EAPA from the Program Committee. The same items are required for IAODAPCA along with sample evaluation forms and sample certificates.

Applications must be submitted a month before the planned presentation to both organizations with the aforementioned documents and all related fees. In addition, the state of Illinois IDPR may request updated information on presentations in order to allow NIEAPA to remain as an approved provider of training for licensed individuals. Records of all training events and attendees must be kept for auditing purposes for a minimum of six years. 

Diversity Committee
The NIEAPA Diversity Committee is committed to increasing multicultural membership and active participation in the NIEAPA organization and board, and meeting the leadership challenges of our multicultural community.  Identified tasks include outreach and education. 

The head of this department is Carole Hoffman.

For more information regarding Cultural Competency please visit the following pages:
Cultural Competence

NASW Cultural Competency Standards

Limited English Proficiency

EAP Peer Consultation Forum
The NIEAPA Peer Consultation Forum provides a discussion format for EAPs engaged in providing clinical services directly to clients. Discussions revolve around issues affecting EAPs’ work and clients. 

The head of this department is Paul Fitzgerald.

The NIEAPA Ethics Committee was formed to provide a resource for sharing knowledge and fosteringdiscussion about the ethical practice of Employee Assistance. EA work, by its nature, presents challenges in the areas of responsibility to clients and to organizations, with differing challenges for internal, external, and hybrid Employee Assistance models. While not a substitute for legal counsel, the availability of peer consultation and the opportunity to process ethical questions with fellow professionals is an important component of helping EA professionals and clinicians uphold the highest level of ethical practice and faithfully carry out our mission to assist employees, their families, and the organizations where they work.

In 2015, the Ethics Committee began working with the NIEAPA Peer Consultation Forum to provide ethical consultation as part of the peer consultation process. Additionally the Committee seeks input from NIEAPA members and other stakeholders concerning current ethical issues and challenges of interest, which may present continuing professional education and training opportunities in collaboration with the NIEAPA Program Committee. Members are invited to contact the Chair to initiate a discussion/consultation with the Committee around ethical questions.

Chair: Paul Fitzgerald, Adler University Department of Counseling.

Illinois Consortium of Assistance Programs for Professionals (ICAPP)
The Illinois Consortium of Assistance Programs for Professionals (ICAPP) is an Interdisciplinary  forum for purposeful collaboration in the support and development of professional assistance  programs in order to provide consistency and stability to Professionals in need. 

The head of this committee is Carole Hoffman.

Labor Committee
Our mission is twofold. First, we are dedicated to obtaining comprehensive alcohol and drug treatment, and all other mental health services for our members and their dependents at a reasonable and fair cost. Second, we are advocating for member assistance program development within Labor, and for recognition of the key role that Labor plays from the field’s professional organization, and by its treatment providers.

The Labor Committee shall be composed of those members of trade/industrial union/management joint programs who are involved in the actual provision or administration of member’s assistance services with special emphasis on chemical abuse or dependency issues and mental health issues

Membership on the committee shall be limited to only those who are currently active or retired dues paying members in good standing in a recognized union and those who provide services. A company that services union members and who is supportive to the causes of labor. Management/Company members must currently be active or retired from a Union/Company Joint Program.) The majority of the committee must be members of organized labor. It is preferred, but not required, that members also be members of NIEAPA.  No one should be denied membership on the Labor Committee on the basis of sex, race, religion, national origin, or sexual orientation.

Please view past presentations from the Labor Committee Seminars:

The Interplay of Addiction, Mental Health and Trauma in the LGBTQI Community by Jeff Zacharias, ACSW, LCSW, CSAT, CAADC

Why Obesity is not the problem, Fat is not the enemy, & Diet is not the solution! The Challenge of Treating BED by Ralph E Carson, RD, PhD 

Membership Committee
The NIEAPA Membership committee serves the NIEAPA membership by continuously evaluating the value of a NIEAPA membership and looking at ways to develop value added features for our members. Our committee members also reach out directly to those that have let their memberships lapse. This contact serves as a reminder to renew, if so inclined, and as an opportunity to gather feedback on how we can serve our members better from those that choose not to renew. 

The chairperson of this committee is Ann Cerney, ERC Insight Behavioral Health.