HR Partners

Wellness Resources in Times of Need

News from October 12, 2023

The war between Israel and Hamas and the ongoing atrocities that are taking place have caused a lot of anxiety, stress, and concern worldwide. Penn has many resources to help you navigate these turbulent and uncertain times. 

We want to remind you that the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is here for you and your families. Families can contact Penn’s EAP for help in navigating these difficult times. EAP can provide counseling and referral services to you and your loved ones, as well as connect you to resources to help you work through the grief these events can create. EAP offers materials for coping with traumatic experiences. 

Penn’s EAP

Penn’s EAP is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to assist you. Please feel free to contact the EAP at any time.

Call: 1-866-799-2329
Schedule an EAP appointment through Penn Cobalt
Email: EAPinfo@healthadvocate.com
Visit:  Penn Employee Assistance Program website 

Penn’s EAP provides eligible faculty and staff and immediate family members, including your spouse, and dependent children, access to free, confidential, 24/7 counseling and referral services for personal and professional life issues from any location. EAP resources for managers include coaching for team challenges, personal or professional, interpersonal issues in the office and critical incident debriefings following a traumatic incident for the organization.

EAP services are available by phone, email, webchat, and video sessions. Health Advocate EAP counselors will connect you with the right experts at the right time: masters level clinicians, work/life specialists, medical bill negotiators, and financial and legal professionals. In addition, Health Advocate offers multi-language capabilities.

Each eligible member can receive up to eight free counseling sessions per distinct problem, per year, from the time of your initial intake. If you exceed this limit, Health Advocate will make every effort to coordinate services with your existing health insurance. You may be referred to your insurance plan for services, where applicable, before your eight sessions are completed if it is determined that your clinical needs require treatment beyond the short-term scope of EAP.

EAP and other support resources are detailed in the MindWell at Penn digital guide.  

Virtual workshops are offered throughout the year on topics such as managing stress through uncertainty, navigating difficult conversations, and effective communication, among others.  Registration for upcoming workshops is easy through this webpage: Event Search Results (upenn.edu).

You can also visit the behavioral health coverage webpage for more information about behavioral health benefits available through Penn’s medical plans for eligible faculty and staff and enrolled dependents. 

Caring for Your Children

If you are a parent or a guardian, we also want to share the following materials to help you navigate discussions about violence and war with your children.