UPMC's LifeSolutions Purchases Northwest Beacon EAP

ERIE, Pa., Feb. 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- LifeSolutions, a non-profit organization specializing in employee assistance programs (EAP), is purchasing certain assets of Northwest Beacon EAP, including the customer contracts, and will provide Northwest's EAP customers in the Erie region with continued service as well as additional benefits.

As part of the purchase agreement between the two companies, Northwest Beacon's EAP staff will migrate to LifeSolutions and will continue to serve current customers and businesses in Northwest Pennsylvania from their office on West Ridge Road in Erie. 

"While the decision to sell Northwest Beacon was difficult, I wanted to find a partner with the experience and resources to take the EAP program to the next level. Clearly, we have found that partner in LifeSolutions," said Jonathan Evans, President and CEO of Safe Harbor, Northwest Beacon's parent company. "I am happy to be bringing LifeSolutions to the Erie community and I look forward to the additional services and support LifeSolutions will bring to our customers in the Erie region."  

LifeSolutions, which has over 35 years of experience in serving employers in Pennsylvania, is part of the UPMC WorkPartners suite of health and productivity solutions and is an affiliated company of the UPMC Insurance Services Division.

"Because they are part of UPMC they are able to bring the latest research and program solutions to their EAP customers," said Evans.   

LifeSolutions works with employers and employees to address challenges impacting health and productivity. As a pre-paid benefit to employees of its contracted organizations, the EAP provides confidential assessment, referral, and short-term counseling services to help deal with problems that might adversely impact their work performance, health and well-being. Household members are also covered.

The LifeSolutions staff also utilizes its expertise in human behavior in the workplace to provide consultation to managers, human resources departments, and other company leaders to ensure best practice service delivery and goal achievement. LifeSolutions works to nurture resilience in individuals and the organizations they work with.

Under this new arrangement, LifeSolutions will provide Northwest Beacon's clients additional benefits at no extra cost. This includes access to 24-hour telephone support for employees and manager consultation to address a workplace situation; unlimited telephone manager consultation; and "Beating the BluesUS," a world-renowned computerized self-help program designed to assist persons with mild depression and anxiety. LifeSolutions is the first EAP to offer Beating the BluesUS to its clients.    

"We're very excited that LifeSolutions is expanding to serve Northwest Pennsylvania," said David Weir, President of UPMC WorkPartners. "We are equally excited that LifeSolutions will be able to enhance the services Northwest Beacon currently provides. This is yet another example of our commitment to provide quality service and benefits to our members in Northwest Pennsylvania."

About LifeSolutions
LifeSolutions is part of the UPMC WorkPartners' suite of health and productivity solutions and is an affiliated partner of the UPMC Insurance Services Division. LifeSolutions provides strategic analysis, recommendations and consultation to enhance an organization's performance and business success. LifeSolutions leverages the value of a company's investment in human capital by increasing engagement and productivity in the workplace, developing leadership competencies and nurturing resilience in individuals and organizations. LifeSolutions has been providing employee assistance programs and services to employers for over 30 years.  For more information about LifeSolutions, visit www.lifesolutionsforyou.com.

About UPMC WorkPartners
UPMC WorkPartners is part of the world-renowned UPMC global health enterprise. UPMC WorkPartners provides health and productivity solutions to high-performing companies throughout the United States. Its products and services are designed to identify an organization's health and productivity needs, build better strategies, effectively manage programs, and continually monitor and measure to drive the outcomes needed to control organizational costs and improve employee productivity.  UPMC WorkPartners experts deliver both tactical services that align with a company's existing health and productivity programs, and fully integrated comprehensive solutions designed to provide an organization with even greater results. For more information about UPMC WorkPartners, visit www.workpartners.com.

About the UPMC Insurance Services Division
The integrated partner companies of the UPMC Insurance Services Division include UPMC Health Plan, UPMC for Life, UPMC for You, UPMC Community Care, UPMC for Kids, Community Care Behavioral Health, UPMC WorkPartners, LifeSolutions, EBenefits Solutions, and Askesis Development Group.  The UPMC Insurance Services Division offers a full range of insurance programs and products to more than 2 million members. 

About Northwest Beacon Group
Northwest Beacon Group's Employee Assistance Program provides confidential assessment, referral and short-term counseling services as a pre-paid benefit to the employees (and their household members) of its contracted organizations. Counseling services are provided by professional counselors, social workers, or marriage and family therapists. All clinicians have a master's degree and are licensed in the state.  Specialists are available for specific concerns such as alcohol abuse, children/parenting concerns, and couples issues.

SOURCE UPMC WorkPartners