A coordinating council composed of administrative, licensed, and classified employees involved with the implementation of the Program shall be appointed annually by the Superintendent and will be responsible for the operation of the Program. The president of the Upper Arlington Education Association and the president of Local 201 of the Ohio Association of Public School Employees/AFSME Local 4/AFL-CIO also will appoint representatives to the council. A program coordinator will be appointed annually by the Superintendent and compensation for that person’s services will be recommended to the Board. The program coordinator will be the chairperson of the council.

The council will establish a written description of the scope of the program and services available, written procedures for the operation of the program and written descriptions of the roles, functions and qualifications of individuals providing services that facilitate the implementation of the program and a written selection procedures for the aforementioned individuals. The council annually will recommend to the Superintendent specialists and/or agencies that will provide prevention, identification, and short-term treatment services and that will recommend resources for long-term treatment services. The Superintendent will be responsible for recommending to the Board contracts for the aforementioned specialists or agencies. Each year the council will review the effectiveness of the program and recommend to the Superintendent any suggested changes.

During each school year for employees or members of their immediate family, the Board of Education will pay the cost of no more than three (3) counseling sessions with the approved specialists or agencies that provide identification, short-term treatment, or referral services.

Confidentiality is to be maintained at all times unless the employee authorizes that information be given to others. Only two (2) types of comments relative to participation in the Employee Assistance Program may be made in the employee’s personnel record.

The above comments may be made only if substandard work performance does not improve. The employee may add other information about the situation to his/her personnel file. Anytime that substandard work performance does not improve, the supervisor may take appropriate disciplinary action.

For program evaluation purposes, information concerning numbers of individuals, types of problems, length and type of help given, and other information shall be provided to the program coordinator by those involved in implementing the program and by approved specialists or agencies only if the information given does not identify any individuals involved in the program.

At times, a structured intervention may be needed to confront an employee with the need for help in dealing with problems. Prior to any structured intervention, a copy of the following statement shall be given to an employee:

"We are meeting today because we have some concerns about you and would like to share them. This is a part of the Employee Assistance Program and any information shared here will be held in confidence. You are free to leave now or stay and listen to what we have to say. After our discussion, you are still free to leave or you may choose to participate in our Assistance Program."