An employee assistance program (EAP) or employee service support program (ESSP) is intended to help individuals deal with drug and substance abuse as well as other personal problems that might adversely impact their work performance, health and well-being. EAP counselors typically provide assessment, support, and if needed, referrals to additional resources such as Brighton Hospital for employee drug abuse, or other substance abuse problems.

Brighton Hospital has established partnerships with a number of EAP and ESSP representatives for employee substance abuse referrals. EAP and ESSP service is usually free to employees and household members, having been pre-paid by the employer, and can offer considerable help with employee drug abuse assessments and referrals for employee rehab.  "I saw a way to improve the referral experience through the establishment of a partnership between the employee assistance program representatives, the person being referred, and Brighton Hospital" says Larry Grezak, EAP and ESSP liasion.  "When I approached Brighton's President, Denise Bertin-Epp, with the idea of becoming the liaison person to work with the EAP and ESSP reps out in the field, she immediately agreed."   Larry and Brighton feel that employer benefits like these are particularly important in Michigan today because workplace challenges, caused by downsizing and layoffs, may be leading to employee substance abuse.

Larry Grezak, a former UAW employee assistance program representative for the last nine years of his 34 year employment at Detroit Diesel, and in recovery himself for 29 years, is quite familiar with Brighton and brings a unique perspective to his work with employee drug abuse referrals.  "It is so important that we at Brighton work together", he says, "the staff at Brighton need to know as much as possible about the person being referred, and when he or she is at Brighton, it is equally important that information be communicated back to the EAP representative concerning their referral."

For more information on how an EAP and ESSP can help with employee substance abuse problems, call Larry Grezak Sr. at 810-355-6215 or e-mail lgrezak@brightonhospital.org. Larry works with EAPs and ESSPs in the Metro Detroit, Lansing, Ann Arbor, and Flint areas of Michigan as well as surrounding areas inside and outside of MI, such as Grand Rapids and Chicago. He spends his time introducing assistance program representatives to Brighton's drug and substance abuse treatment services and following up with employee rehab referrals.