THE EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM: A Story About the Founding and Impact of The Employee Assistance Society of North America (EASNA) tracks a remarkable development that transformed the world of work from simply a system to generate profit to one that could also attend to the personal issues of employees that threatened both their well-being and the bottom line of their employers. It is a must-read for anyone associated with Employee Assistance Programs. Although the original intention of this book was to memorialize the founding and impact of an upstart professional association, The Employee Assistance Society of North America, it goes far beyond that as it delves into the background of EAP from its Occupational Alcoholism Program roots through its triumphs, challenges, and setbacks. At its core, it is a history of Employee Assistance Programs starting well before that phrase was first used in 1974 and describes the forces, both positive and negative, affecting the programs over the last 50 years. Starting in the 1940s, it takes the reader on a journey through the heyday of EAPs in the 1970s and 1980s, detailing the impact of the: Critical role of the federal government (NIAAA) in creating the “Original Thundering 100” and jumpstarting the EAP movement and the formation of ALMACA/EAPA - Founding of EASNA as it complemented and competed with EAPA over the following 35 years to establish standards and credentialing and serve providers - “War on Drugs” with its “Just say no!” campaign - Managed Behavioral Health Care system, which often denied care to alcoholics - Ever-evolving and excessively expensive US health care system contrasted with Canadian health care delivery - Addiction treatment industry that largely shot itself in the foot - Significant contribution of the Canadian influence on EAP - General failure of key US professional establishments in medicine and social work to educate students so they can properly serve the 20 to 30 percent of their patients afflicted with alcoholism and other Substance Use Disorders As the book weaves a tapestry of forces that shaped the EAPs of today, it profiles the contributions of several key parties from the US and Canada. Numerous research studies are cited from 1960 through the present day that attest to the efficacy of “authentic” EAPs, addiction treatment, and Alcoholics Anonymous. This is a much-needed history of the EAP profession. Whether you are a student, a practitioner, an academician, an HR manager, a benefits manager, or a labor leader, this book will provide insight and knowledge not generally known and not found before in the content of a single work.