{"id":23111,"date":"2014-02-25T12:45:23","date_gmt":"2014-02-25T17:45:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.smart-union.org\/?p=23111"},"modified":"2014-02-25T12:45:23","modified_gmt":"2014-02-25T17:45:23","slug":"members-helping-members","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.smart-union.org\/members-helping-members\/","title":{"rendered":"Members Helping Members","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"
INTRODUCING THE UNION MEMBER ASSISTANCE COORDINATOR (UMAC) PROGRAM<\/strong><\/div>\n
On November 10, 2013, union representatives from twelve SMART local unions from around the country gathered together in Philadelphia, PA, to take part in a week-long training program. The training kicked off a pilot program designed to help union members and their families who are experiencing various forms of personal crisis. Once in place, the Union Member Assistance Coordinator, or UMAC, program will form a network of compassionate, respected, and competently trained union representatives who work together to assist our members and their families find assistance for struggles with depression, substance abuse and other mental health related issues.Union representatives assist members daily with issues such as travel pay or jurisdictional assignments, but these are relatively minor concerns when compared with a union member in personal crisis. The current recession that SMART members have been clawing out of has left an indelible mark on many of our members, and we thought: \u201cCouldn\u2019t we be doing more?\u201dMany SMART local unions have contracted with third party Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), which provide necessary professional help, but we needed to do more than just pass along an 800 number.
\nSMART Director of Education Chris Carlough put together a training program that was originally developed by Bobby Bonds, a specialist in the mental health profession from IQOL, LLC Consultants Philadelphia. Nationally recognized as a leader in crisis intervention, Bobby Bonds has trained more than 25,000 lay-professionals, volunteers, and mental health professionals in the United States and Europe to deal with workplace and family crisis interventions. \u201cBobby\u2019s association with the transportation industry and the transportation trade unions spans a period of over 25 years. The majority of those years, Bobby has dedicated his career to developing and administering helping programs dealing with all aspects of members\u2019 and their family\u2019s well-being,\u201d Carlough stated.
\nSMART predecessor organizations SMWIA and UTU have an impressive history with peer and member assistance programs. Today\u2019s Union Member Assistance Coordinator program offers assistance and support for every facet of crisis that our members face, living the true meaning of \u201cunion family.\u201d The coordinators in the UMAC program have close ties to members on and off the job. They see attitudes and behaviors as they develop and are therefore in a better position to detect a problem and take early action. As business agents, they have already earned the respect and trust of members and the union leadership. Their credibility, mixed with compassion and a deep understanding of a member\u2019s situation, makes for a powerful combination that cannot be offered by any other professional.
\nThe core components that comprise UMAC training are: Confidentiality, Communication, Interpersonal Skills, Introspection of Oneself, Assessment of Crisis, Ethical Responsibility, Relapse and Follow-up, and Navigating through Health Care Plans.
\nThe UMAC education program includes both theoretical knowledge and practice of basic skills necessary for crisis interventions. There are three distinct areas UMACs will play a vital role at SMART:
\n\u2022 Early Intervention<\/strong>\u2014The UMAC recognizes the signs and symptoms of a variety of substance abuse and mental health problems. The UMAC will offer \u201cemotional first aid\u201d and develop a proactive intervention to help members deal with the problem. UMACs are always searching for ways to help the member find the best solution. The UMACs remain visible and accessible, and will demonstrate their concern around quality of life issues when a member or a member\u2019s family is experiencing a crisis. The UMAC tries to help the local by helping the member identify a problem before it reaches a serious \u201ccrisis stage,\u201d decreasing the hardship, complexity and consequences associated with problems left unchecked. By advocating earlier for the member, the UMAC helps avoid employer discipline, family complications, and disassociation with other members in the local.
\n\u2022 Understanding Member Benefit Plans<\/strong>\u2014UMACs will be able to identify appropriate effective resources and direct members to help within the member\u2019s eligible health plan. UMACs will network and have the ability to augment a member\u2019s mental health plan with other supporting social services when necessary. Today\u2019s mental health benefit plans are confusing and often prove difficult to navigate. Finding the appropriate treatment provider can become frustrating and exacerbates an already difficult situation. Many health plans have restrictions and only offer access to limited in-network providers. By understanding these constraints, UMACs will help the member search for all available resources and determine the best option for their specific needs.
\n\u2022 Follow-up<\/strong>\u2014UMACs will be able to support the member when returning back to work and to assist in coordinating the member\u2019s continuing care plan for a successful continuation of their recovery. Once a member completes their initial treatment, their re-integration back into their home and work life can offer some steep obstacles. The therapeutic value of one union member understanding and helping another union member is without parallel. This important support is often times the difference between a successful recovery and relapse. The UMAC can direct members to additional resources and provide them with the positive support and reinforcement every member needs in the early stages of ongoing recovery.
\nCore Skill Sets for a UMAC<\/strong>
\n\u2022 High credibility within the local
\n\u2022 Strong interpersonal and attentive listening skills
\n\u2022 Natural desire to help others
\n\u2022 Preferred elected union officer or agent
\n\u2022 Willingness to learn and availability of time
\nProgram Goals<\/strong>
\n\u2022 Create direct access to union resources. \u201cPromoted by members for members.\u201d
\n\u2022 Establish a trusted gatekeeper for information\/support and resources. \u201cPeople don\u2019t care what you know, until they know that you care.\u201d
\n\u2022 Provide confidential nonjudgmental union services to members. \u201cMembers who judge don\u2019t matter, and members who matter don\u2019t judge.\u201d
\n\u2022 Heighten awareness and attention to health issues.
\n\u2022 Increase efficient utilization of eligible contracted benefit plans.
\n\u2022 Enhance the quality of life for SMART members.
\nUMAC Objectives <\/strong>
\n\u2022 Reduce relapse occurrences through case management, personal care, and follow-up.
\n\u2022 Provide broader access to member benefit plans through established relationships and trust.
\n\u2022 Inspire, incentivize, and motivate the member into positive lifestyle changes.
\n\u2022 Reduce the risk of a troubled member negatively impacting the workplace or home by creating a culture of positive and constructive intervention.
\nEvery day we are working to make life more prosperous for our members. To know that we will also be there when our members are experiencing personal difficulties is comforting and very much appreciated. I applaud our business agents\u2019 willingness to build for our organization this network of helpers. Their work will enhance our solidarity as a union and reflect our purpose as a caring organization in the truest spirit of unionism.\u00a0The main reason most people seek help from a professional is not because they have a \u201cproblem\u201d that has become insurmountable, but because the social supports in their social circles are no longer accessible or willing to provide the needed assistance.
\nCRISIS INTERVENTION IS NOT PSYCHOTHERAPY:<\/strong>
\nAn important element in crisis intervention is remembering that crisis intervention is NOT psychotherapy. While it certainly contains psychotherapeutic elements, it is not therapy as practiced by licensed mental health clinicians. It may be thought of as a form of emotional first-aid. Thus, as physical first-aid is to the practice of medicine, crisis intervention is to the practice of psychotherapy.
\n\u201cJust trying to get caught up after that intense week of training. It was a little overwhelming at times but worth every minute. I learned a lot and will be a better brother and agent because of it.\u201e
\nBob Greiner, Local 12 Business Representative<\/strong>
\n\u201cI think the UMAC program is very good and all business agents should take the training.\u201e
\nJohn Chase, Local 10 Business Representative<\/strong>
\n\u201cThe best potential benefit of the UMAC program is instructing the union leadership in how to get better at getting our members to take advantage of the resources that are already available.\u201e
\nBuck Paulsrud, Local 10 Metro Apprentice Coordinator \u201cThe UMAC program will help us help our members through difficult times. Agents are, a lot of times, the first and last lines of defense in helping out our members.\u201e
\nDave Holzer, Local 10 Business Representative<\/strong>
\n\u201cThe notion of union brotherhood implies a sense of family. A sense of family implies a group of people who watch out for and help each other. That is what the UMAC program is all about.”\n<\/div>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

INTRODUCING THE UNION MEMBER ASSISTANCE COORDINATOR (UMAC) PROGRAM On November 10, 2013, union representatives from twelve SMART local unions from around the country gathered together in Philadelphia, PA, to take part in a week-long training program. The training kicked off a pilot program designed to help union members and their families who are experiencing various […]<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"author":9,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"member_types":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nMembers Helping Members - SMART Union<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.smart-union.org\/members-helping-members\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Members Helping Members - SMART Union\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"INTRODUCING THE UNION MEMBER ASSISTANCE COORDINATOR (UMAC) PROGRAM On November 10, 2013, union representatives from twelve SMART local unions from around the country gathered together in Philadelphia, PA, to take part in a week-long training program. 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