Johnson & Johnson Wins North American Corporate Excellence Award for EAP; A ValueOptions(R) Supported Program Wins for Fourth Time Since 2005

NORFOLK, Va., May 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Johnson & Johnson has won the Employee Assistance Society of North America's (EASNA) 2010 U.S. Corporate Award of Excellence for its EAP program. Norfolk, Va.-based ValueOptions® provides EAP services to 40,000 J&J employees in the United States and supports its global EAP initiative as the health products giant's strategic partner.

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Johnson & Johnson's decision in 2004 to globalize EAP has resulted in 90 percent of its 120,000 world-wide employees having access to EAP services now. The company's goal is to make EAP services available to 100 percent of its employees by the end of this year. J&J will receive the Corporate Excellence Award on Wednesday at EASNA's annual institute in Montreal.

"Never before has the expertise of employee assistance professionals been more relevant to the viability of individuals or to the workplace than during this period of economic challenge and reorganizing of business operations around global and technical imperatives that unfold at the speed of light," said J&J's Janice Lenehan, Director, Worldwide Employee Assistance.  "Our knowledge base allows us to turn down the volume so that people, and corporations, can make choices that are based on authenticity and integrity."

Representatives from numerous J&J departments worked with ValueOptions® to develop an EAP program that taps into the company's holistic approach to health and wellness. Services include 24-hour counseling, online mental health screenings, and multi-pronged outreach programming such as resilience and stress management training. ValueOptions® has also provided J&J with a "return-on-investment" tool that demonstrates improvements in absence and productivity as a result of accessing EAP.  Strict quality controls also govern the management of the EAP programs and practices around the world.

"We have been thrilled to partner with J&J for the last 15 years to shape a truly innovative, holistic employee assistance program for the company," said Rich Paul, Vice President of Health and Performance Solutions, at ValueOptions®. "This is a company that has always been very forward-thinking in considering how to offer the best customized health and productivity solutions to their workforce, and this recognition from EASNA is a well-deserved honor."

The EASNA award comes amid stiff competition every year. EASNA only acknowledges one U.S. and one Canadian company each year; companies with ValueOptions® as their EAP partner have won four times since 2005. Nominations are reviewed by an independent panel of judges seeking to identify companies that have worked in partnership with EAP providers to design and integrate a program that enhances employee well-being and enables the company to work toward a healthy and productive workplace.

About ValueOptions®, Inc.

ValueOptions®, Inc., the nation's largest independent behavioral health and wellness company, provides services to more than 22 million individuals through a variety of contracts with state and county agencies and, additionally, with health plans and employers. ValueOptions® is a national behavioral health and wellness company that specializes in management for all behavioral health issues and promotes health and wellness through innovative programs. The mission of ValueOptions is to improve the health and wellness for the people it serves.

SOURCE ValueOptions