USAID Staff Care Program Summary

USAID is striving for a 21st Century work environment where its total workforce feels valued, and where employee resilience, wellness and work-life balance are integral parts of the corporate culture. To achieve this, the Agency has let an Employee Assistance/Resiliency Program contract and a Child Care Subsidy contract, and is implementing a range of Wellness and Work-Life Programs through an Inter-Agency Agreement with the Federal Occupation and Health (FOH) Service, as follows:

1. The USAID Child Care Subsidy Program, a family friendly initiative, is designed to support qualified lower income USAID employees. As this is a pilot Program, the participants will be selected on a first-come/first-serve basis. The subsidies will be available to USAID Washington-based, full time employees whose total adjusted gross family/household income is $75,000 or less, and whose children are age 13 or younger (or disabled child is under 18). By law, the Subsidy is available to only United States Direct Hire (USDH) employees whose children are in licensed and/or regulated child care facilities. The Subsidy is paid directly to the child care provider;

2. The USAID Staff Care Program provides traditional Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and Employee Resiliency Program (ERP) services. The EAP component will focus on coaching supervisors and managers; employee counseling; legal assistance, financial counseling; stress management interventions; training; organizational strengthening; family support; etc. The ERP component will focus on building employee, supervisory and organizational resiliency; facilitating the Agency staff's ability to cope and recover from operating in permissive, high threat and difficult transitional environments; large scale critical incidents; profound life changing events; severe and/or chronic stress; post-traumatic stress disorder; etc. The EAP/ERP is experienced in working across cultures; in providing self-care training and professional counseling; in facilitating organizational resiliency and strengthening; in coaching supervisors, managers and executives; and in providing employee counseling and family support;

3. The USAID Staff Care Program has a Staff Care Center that provides support to the Agency's entire workforce - domestic and international -- with a range of individual, managerial, organizational and administrative services. The program is designed to enhance USAID management and staff in navigating a range of work place issues. The USAID Staff Care Center will be accessible 24/7/365 via toll-free telephone, instant messaging, e-mail, Skype, video teleconferencing, SMS text. It provides confidential face-to-face, telephonic and on-line assistance, support and referrals, an accessible physical location in Washington (with extended hours), and a global affiliated network of providers to address counseling and referral needs worldwide;

4. The USAID Staff Care's Wellness Program provides programs that offer a comprehensive menu of services to help employees address health management goals such as identifying health risks, disease prevention and self-care. It also assists employees with making educated health decisions that lead to more informed health choices, healthier lifestyles, and better management of health conditions. This program offers a variety of health education classes and seminars, and a healthy lifestyle website, including a customizable "Coach's Corner".

5. The USAID Staff Care's Work-Life Program provides expert consultations, pre-screened referrals to local resources, and comprehensive educational materials to help employees and their dependents manage day-to-day responsibilities and life events. These services address dependent care needs (childcare and eldercare) which play a significant role in managing work/life balance and productivity.