Frequently Asked Questions

Inform caller that he/she has reached Crisis Line, not EAP.

For any request or inquiry on EAP services, ask them to:

• call the 24/7 EAP Helpline numbers provided by their company (if busy, try calling again after a few minutes)

• call the In Touch head office during office hours (Mon - Fri, 9 AM - 5 PM)

• go to the website and use the contact form to send their inquiry, request, or concern

• refer them back to their company HR for the correct numbers to call

EAP stands for Employee Assistance Program. It's also a service provided by In Touch but specific to a set of clients only. EAP has a helpline separate from the open-to-all Crisis Line as part of its benefits.

EAP calls are different from Crisis Line calls. The calls received by the EAP Helpline are from employees coming from various companies, and In Touch staff are legally obligated to abide by particular service standards and confidentiality policies. We are not even allowed to share the EAP Helpline numbers to non-EAP clients.

There are many different standards and requirements that responders are expected to follow so handling these kinds of calls require a different training. Failure to abide can get us into trouble.

To err on the safe side and keep away from conflicts, redirect EAP callers to the In Touch head office, the In Touch website, or back to their EAP Helplines. Accommodate them only if they are looking for emotional support at that very moment.

Politely instruct them to try calling again after a few minutes and explain that Crisis Line is a different helpline from EAP. Crisis Line is In Touch's volunteer-driven helpline that serves the general public, not employees under EAP.

If they need immediate emotional support, you can offer your assistance. But if they are calling for EAP requests or inquiries, politely tell them to try calling their EAP Helpline numbers again or suggest the other two options given above.

As politely and patiently as you can, explain to them that Crisis Line is a different service from EAP. Crisis Line responders cannot provide information about EAP or assist with its services.

For them to get their inquiry or request across, mention again the three options given above.

It's unavoidable for some EAP clients to mistakenly call Crisis Line as our numbers are available to the public after all. So in case you get any call that's related to EAP, here are a few safe answers you can say:

• "I'm sorry but you reached Crisis Line, not EAP. We're a different helpline and we do not handle EAP inquiries. Please call the 24/7 EAP Helpline numbers provided by your company, contact the In Touch head office during office hours or use the contact form on our website."

• "Apologies but please be informed that the number you dialed is for Crisis Line. We're In Touch's volunteer-driven helpline for the general public. Try calling your EAP numbers again after a few minutes as the lines may just be engaged or send your inquiry/request to In Touch using the contact form on our website."

• "I see that you're calling for EAP. Apologies but you reached a different helpline. This is Crisis Line, In Touch's volunteer-driven helpline for the masses needing emotional support. If that's what you need right now, I can offer my assistance. But in order for you to communicate your EAP inquiry or request, please call the 24/7 EAP Helpline numbers provided by your company, call the In Touch head office during office hours, or use the contact form on our website."

• "Thank you for contacting In Touch but it seems that you dialed the wrong number. EAP is a different helpline. I'm a volunteer responder at Crisis Line and if you're needing emotional support right now, I can help you with that."

Please try not to say or do more than these to prevent mismanaging caller's expectations. Politely make it clear to them that they dialed the wrong number.