Peer Volunteer Responsibilities

1. The volunteer is an alternative route to help, independent from but a resource to the Employee Assistance Professional.
   
   
2. A volunteer is available to talk to any PG&E employee who has any level of concern regarding his/her misuse or abuse of alcohol or drugs or concern over the misuse or abuse of alcohol or drugs by another person.
   
   
3. A volunteer is expected to be available via cell phone to respond to those who call seeking information, direction, or help for alcohol and drug problems.
   
   
4. A volunteer will at times find himself/herself in the position of making independent judgments about how to proceed when contacted by a fellow employee seeking help. A volunteer who is unsure of how to proceed is encouraged to call the Peer Volunteer Administrator, Peer Volunteer Clinical Consultant, or the PG&E/ValueOptions Employee Assistance Hotline for assistance.
   
   
5. A volunteer will be expected to hold as confidential their interactions with employees who speak to them, except if an employee poses a safety threat to self or others. In such an event, immediately call 911. The PG&E/ValueOptions Employee Assistance hotline (888-445-4436) is also available 24 hours a day/seven days a week for guidance and support.
   
   a. Harm to self
   i. Verbalizing suicidal thoughts or intent to kill him/herself
   ii. Access to a weapon
   iii. Describing a specific plan to kill him/herself
   iv. Potential for overdose
   
   b. Harm to others
   i. Verbalizing a threat to harm a specific individual
   
   
6. A volunteer may find himself/herself in the position of accompanying an employee to a treatment facility. In doing so, the volunteer should be familiar with the options available to all employees. (Be familiar with the yellow list of chemical dependency facilities and the list of Kaiser facilities.)
   
   
7. A volunteer may determine that an individual needs immediate transportation to a treatment facility, and as such, may find it necessary to leave his/her job. A volunteer may talk to the Peer Volunteer Coordinator or an EAP counselor prior to assisting the employee. It is expected that the peer volunteer will:
   
   a. Obtain permission from his/her supervisor to leave work
   
   or
   
   b. Leave a voicemail to inform his/her supervisor of his/her departure from the workplace.
   
   Such decisions require the volunteer to exercise good judgment and consideration of the facts known at that moment.
   
   
8. A volunteer will provide support to employees who are returning to work from alcohol/drug treatment or involvement in a 12 step program.
   
   
9. A volunteer is NOT an alcohol/drug treatment therapist or EAP counselor, and should NOT attempt to direct or advise a fellow employee beyond the boundaries of acting in the capacity of a Peer Volunteer.
   
   Call the Peer Volunteer Coordinator, an EAP counselor or the PG&E/ValueOptions Employee Assistance hotline to discuss any questions, thoughts or concerns.

CONTACTS:
If you're interested in being a Peer Volunteer, please contact:

Bridget McKenna, Ph.D.
Peer Volunteer Clinical Consultant
415/973-3911

Camille Aguilar
Peer Volunteer Program Analyst
415/973-1147

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