ACCESS Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a professional and independent service which assists workplace productivity by providing counselling to staff and families on personal, family and work related concerns. Centacare's ACCESS Program has a proven track record in providing quality services to both small and large organisations.

Centacare's ACCESS Program is a member of the State and National ACCESS networks, operating in over forty sites Australia wide. ACCESS EAP Program is currently one of a handful of EAP providers in the Asia-Pacific region to have accreditation as a quality endorsed company.

Program Aims

The ACCESS Program provides a comprehensive service aimed at maximising successful outcomes for Employers and Employees, not just minimising problems. Through provision of quality services such as counselling, educational workshops, mediation, corporate coaching and crisis intervention, the ACCESS Program promotes an approach that is focused on prevention, resolution of issues as they arise and supporting Employers and Employees to take a proactive approach to problem solving.

The ACCESS EAP provides professional and confidential short term counselling to employees who have either family, personal or work related problems.  Research has shown that Employees that do not successfully seek support to address personal or workplace issues can be vulnerable to suffering reduced productivity, loss of confidence, anxiety, stress, substance abuse and workplace conflict. 

Common issues presented to ACCESS counsellors are:
  • Personal relationship problems
  • Work conflict
  • Management and employee conflict
  • Drug and alcohol issues
  • Parenting
  • Adolescent and parent conflict
  • Victimisation
  • Bereavement
Other ACCESS Services:
  • Training and Workshops: Covering a broad range of topics such as stress management, team building, conflict resolution, Mental Health First Aid and many more. Training can vary from one hour sessions to full day seminars.
  • Critical Incident Stress Management Response: Debriefing and/or counselling of employees following a traumatic event in the workplace (i.e. fire, robbery, death) and 24 hour/7 days a week Critical Incident contact
  • Workplace Mediation: Appropriately qualified and skilled mediators can assist in resolving workplace disputes and conflict
  • Professional supervision
  • Corporate Coaching: Structured problem-focussed consultations with experienced professionals in order to enhance outcomes through people management.

Benefits to your organisation

ACCESS Employee Assistance Programs have a proven record for assisting employees and their immediate families with personal and work related issues.  Ultimately resulting in Employees who are better supported and able to focus and perform in their job.  

ACCESS Employee Assistance Programs can benefit organisations by:
  • Enhancing employee's work and personal life
  • Reducing sick leave, absenteeism, stress claims, staff turnover, recruitment costs and workplace conflict
  • Improving staff performance, morale and productivity
  • Increasing loyalty to the organisation
  • Reducing accidents in the workplace
  • Providing managers and supervisors with a means to fulfil their duty to ensure the health, safety and welfare of employees in the workplace
  • Providing management and supervisors with more time for their work rather than trying to resolve workplace conflict or support employees experiencing work or personal difficulties
  • Providing management and supervisors with support with raising their concerns and observations of an employee whilst assisting them in the development of a plan of action in order to affectively address their concerns with an employee

Benefits to employees

Employees who use the program typically find that they are able to handle problems more effectively, which improves their home and work lives. ACCESS helps employees to resolve or manage their problems so that they can be positive and productive in not only the workplace but in their home lives also.

What does it cost?

The ACCESS Program is cost-effective in that it provides early intervention to potential ongoing problems that cost your organisation time, money and personnel. Fees can be on a retainer basis, a fee-for-session basis, or some combination.  The cost is quickly recovered through increased morale and higher employee performance. A contract can be specifically tailored to your organisation.

Townsville office hours are:

Monday and Thursday 8.30am - 5.00pm
Tuesday and Wednesday 8.30am - 7.30pm
Friday 8.30am - 4.30pm

For further information about ACCESS, contract details and fee structures contact Centacare in Townsville on
(07) 4772 9000 or in Mount Isa on (07) 4743 4449 and request to speak with the ACCESS Team Leader.

Centacare is an approved agency under the Family Law Act 1975.