History of EFR
1964
Employee & Family Resources® was founded under the name National Council on Alcoholism, Des Moines Area, serving as an alcoholism information and advocacy program. Over thirty years later, this private, not-for-profit organization merged with the Family Counseling Center (originally, the Charity Organization Society of Des Moines), extending EFR's roots to 1887.
While retaining its affiliate status with the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, the Des Moines chapter's name was officially changed to Employee & Family Resources in 1996.
1975
The development of an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) expanded the organization's mission into the area of mental health issues. As one of the first public/private EAPs in the nation, Employee & Family Resources' program pooled local government, United Way and private business funds for the sake of troubled employees and their family members. Parochial and public school systems were added to this venture in 1977, creating the Student Assistance Program (SAP) for students and their families.
1979
Employee & Family Resources assumed contractual responsibilities for substance abuse prevention services for residents of Polk County, under contract to the Iowa Department of Substance Abuse. In 1980, the Iowa Department of Substance Abuse began contracting with the organization for substance abuse assessment and referral services. A related service, known as Treatment Alternatives to Street Crimes (TASC), was added in 1986.
1989
High-risk youth, minority, and refugee populations became a focus of Employee & Family Resources' service design and delivery with the inception of Project Uplift, modified in 1991 from an outreach program to intensive case management program though a wrap-around service delivery model.
1996
Substance abuse intervention, assessment and referral services were taken on-site at juvenile corrections and court locations. The same year, the organization assumed a key role in an innovative "Drug Court" program in Polk County, Iowa. The Family Counseling Center merged with EFR in 1996, adding staff and expertise in services for the elderly and Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities. In 1996, Employee & Family Resources began incorporating strategic planning into its day-to-day operations. Specific effects of this are seen in the development of a five-year strategic plan, with annual business plan updates; a shift to performance outcomes for individual employees and programs; accreditation of the Employee Assistance Program by the Employee Assistance Society of North America; and a significant upgrade of the organization's information technology capacity and capabilities.
2000
The Centers for Disease Control awarded Employee & Family Resources a multi-year grant to develop a national Women's Tobacco Prevention Network, with an emphasis on blue-collar women in the workplace and on women of color. The network will eventually include numerous organizations throughout the country that will agree to disseminate research-based tobacco information to the target audiences.
2001
The federal Center for Substance Abuse Prevention awarded the organization a two-year Family Plus grant targeted to parents of middle-school-aged children, linked by researchers to high-risk behaviors. Peer support groups and parenting skills training are centerpieces of the program.
In a broad collaboration, Employee & Family Resources became the lead agent in a successful Polk County application for designation as one of only 16 national Demand Treatment! partnercommunities. Through strategic initiatives, the multi-year project will address the significant gap between the number of individuals in need of quality substance abuse treatment within Polk County and those able to access such treatment in a timely manner. Also, the Male ResponsibilityProject was intiated with funds from the Family Planning Council of Iowa.This project is designed to reach males between the ages of 13 and 17,with an emphasis to prevent unwanted pregnancies with teaching, promoting,and reinforcing healthy sexual behaviors.
2002
The organization is awarded a tobacco prevention cessation grant by the national Legacy Foundation. The project targets Iowa's Asian American/Pacific Islander populations. In addition, Employee & Family Resources was awarded an Action Planning Grant by the federal Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. The one-year project will build community support for implementation of a "best practices" wraparound case management model to address the mental health and substance abuse needs of Black adolescents involoved in Polk County's juvenile justice system.
In 2002, Employee & Family Resources also collaborated with United Community Services on a successful competitive application to establish substance abuse evaluation, treatment and case management services to inmates in the Polk County jail.
2003
Following a proven new business planning process, Employee & Family Resources commits to a major expansion of its workplace services. Companies greet very favorably the multiple offerings available within professional development training, organizational development, leadership and executive coaching, and retirement coaching. The organization also responds to unmet community need by developing Latino school dropout prevention services to assist Polk County, Iowa`s most rapidly growing minority population. Employee & Family Resources also collaborates with local substance abuse treatment providers to design and implement a wait list service. The award winning "Access and Retention Management Service" (ARMS) becomes a stellar example of successful community collaboration, attracting supportive funding from six separate entities.
2004
Employee & Family Resources celebrates 40 years of continuous service to the community. Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack proclaims an Employee & Family Resources Week in Iowa in recognition of the organization`s many accomplishments over the years. The organization adds a research-based methamphetamine prevention program to assist high-risk youth in targeted area schools.
Throughout its significant history, the board and staff of Employee & Family Resources have endeavored to be guided by, and fulfill, the mission to deliver "solution-focused resources . . . enhancing lives one person at a time."