About PAP

001 aboutThe Physician Assistance Program is a branch of Employee Assistance of the Pacific, LLC   Hawaii's largest EAP — serving over 250 corporate customers.

Our statewide network of Physician Assistance Professionals supports our statewide customers. In addition to a strong, experienced staff in our Honolulu corporate office, we have a diverse proprietary network of clinicians across the Hawaiian islands.

This network of providers gives covered physicians and healthcare workers an unmatched breadth of CONFIDENTIAL behavioral health expertise, and gives them (and their family members) more choices and convenient locations.

And all it takes is one simple phone call to our central office. We know our providers and their specialties – they’re not just names on a list to us. We will make sure we find the right provider for you — whether you are looking for someone to help you with a personal or work-related issue or someone who can work with your family — we have the expertise to help!

 


 Who We Are

General Partners

 

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David W. Mitchell, MA, LMHC (WA), CEAP, SAP

>>> Dave's kuleana has been Employee Assistance and Physician Assistance work for many years, having served over a thousand businesses. Before joining Employee Assistance of the Pacific, he ran WorkLife Hawaii as well as a large, regional EAP and PAP based in Seattle with national contracts and global employees -- First Choice Health EAP and PAP. He is active and well-respected in the EAP field, was elected President of the Hawaii Chapter and of the Pacific Northwest Chapter of EAPA. He has advanced critical incident training and experience, and has helped hundreds of businesses across Hawaii and the U.S. stay resilient following traumatic events. In addition, he has responded to large-scale events as a supervisor of clinicians, including the World Trade Center attack. He is a skilled trainer, a clinician with decades of experience, and oversees all administrative functions at this organization. He also is a Certified Employee Assistance Professional (CEAP) and a DOT-Qualified Substance Abuse Professional (SAP). He spends most of his time providing management consultations to our corporate clients across the Hawaiian islands and is ready to help you — as well as your small, local business or large, global business — access positive, proactive, robust EAP and PAP services that help you, your family, and your bottom line.
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about dave mitchell
 
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Dr. Vali Hawkins-Mitchell, PhD, LMHC, REAT, CEAP

>>> Vali brings a wealth of experience to Employee Assistance of the Pacific. In addition to her work as a counselor and executive coach, she is a well-published author. Four of her books, Your Guide to Workplace Violence, The Manager's Guide to Bullies in the WorkplaceThe Cost of Emotions in the Workplace, and Emotional Terrors in the Workplace, directly relate to EAP work in helping businesses as well as employees recognize how to work with emotions as well as challenging people. In addition to her work here, she runs ImproVizion Consulting, where she provides Expressive Arts Therapy and coaching. She is also an advanced-level critical incident responder, having responded to incidents ranging from small corporate incidents to the World Trade Center attack. Her expertise on Resilience demonstrates her ho'ohana in the EAP field. Vali is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Hawaii as well as Washington, and a Certified Employee Assistance Professional. She spends most of her time here doing coaching and trainings ("edutainment") across the islands. Her "52 Weeks of Well-Being" book premiered to our customers (as a free service!), teaching reslience through self-care and artmaking. She is an experienced Physician Coach and has consulted at hospitals, medical practices, and medical schools across Hawaii and the Pacific Northwest.
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about vali hawkins mitchell
 

 Meet our team

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Laura Schlesinger, MS, MAC, SAP, CEAP

>>> Laura is a counselor with Employee Assistance of the Pacific. She has over thirty years of post-master's clinical experience working with clients of all ages in community mental health, substance abuse, and private non-profit settings. She has worked exclusively in the employee assistance field since 1990, providing counseling to employees and their family members, consultation to supervisors and management, and training and education on various workplace issues. Laura has a master's degree in clinical psychology, holds state and national certifications as a substance abuse counselor, and is a certified employee assistance professional. Laura was born and raised in Hawai'i.

 
 
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Greg Tanida, LCSW, CSAC, SAP

>>>Greg is a licensed clinical social worker and certified substance abuse counselor who has been working in the mental health and substance abuse field for over 25 years. He was born and raised on Oahu and credits his local experiences with shaping his counseling and communication style. Greg is certified in EMDR and enjoys his work with individuals and couples. His experience in the Employee Assistance and Physician Assistance field includes work with Straub and Kaiser Permanente. Greg also enjoys being a part-time lecturer at Honolulu Community College and UH Manoa.

 
 
 


Our Affiliate Providers

We have EAP Providers Across the Islands

75 providers

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Additional providers are also available on the U.S. Mainland and Internationally for those companies who choose to cover those employees.


Our Growth

We have come a long way from those first two contracts that Straub signed to become the largest EAP in Hawaii! Serving all industries across all Hawaiian islands, we continue to grow and look forward to serving even more employers.

Number Organizations We Serve 2020


Our History

EAP Timeline 2020 

 

Oct. 1, 1989 >>>

Straub signs two EAP contracts. [HC&D, LLC (formerly Island Ready Mix and Ameron) is still with us today!!]

Sept. 1992 >>>

Straub signs the 25th contract – with Punahou School [Still with us today!]

January 1995 >>> SAP services begin to support corporate clients compliance with the Omnibus Transportation Act’s requirements for drug testing in the workplace
Jan. 1998 >>>

Straub signs the 50th contract – with Queen Liliokalani Trust [Still with us today!]

July 2004 >>> Our Founders, Cheryl Prince and Carey Brown, acquire the book of business from Straub and incorporate as Employee Assistance of the Pacific, LLC
Jan. 1, 2005 >>>

The 100th EAP contract is signed

April 2009 >>> We partner with Ho’okele to offer free Healthcare Navigation and Eldercare Consultation to our clients
May 2010 >>> We move to our current location – 1221 Kapiolani Blvd, Suite 730 after customizing the space for confidentiality and privacy!
2013 >>>

Employee Assistance of the Pacific has grown to serving over 150 businesses across Hawaii!

2015 >>>

Employee Assistance of the Pacific has grown to serving over 160 businesses across Hawaii!

October 2015 >>>

David and Vali Mitchell take over ownership of Employee Assistance of the Pacific, LLC with Cheryl and Carey continuing to serve as Founders

March 2016 >>> We start rolling out free Legal and Financial Consultation to all our clients – robust Work/Life services at no extra fee!
April 2017 >>> Employee Assistance of the Pacific has grown to serving over 170 businesses across Hawaii!
July 2017 >>> Our new and improved website launches, as well as our 52 Weeks of Well-Being, available to all our clients at no extra fee!
January 2018
>>> Employee Assistance of the Pacific has grown to serving over 180 businesses across Hawaii!
September 2018 >>> We launch our Physisican Assistance Program (PAP) and website!
December 2018 >>> We sign our 200th Contract!!!
January 2019 >>> Our Provider Network grows to over 60 Hawaii-based counselors
March 2019 >>> We now have 15 DOT-SAP providers across Oahu, Maui, Big Island, Kauai, Molokai, and Lanai!
July 2019 >>> We start serving all Department of Education employees across the State!
March 2020 >>>  To support those dealing with the Coronavirus, we transition all services to Telehealth and add new Resources and Training Videos to our website.
September 2020  >>> We partner with all five nonprofit Hawaii Mediation Centers to offer free Mediation Intakes to over 200,000 Hawaii residents!
November 2020  >>> We begin rolling out free Identity Theft Recovery services! (Once again, another added service we cover without raising rates to all our capitated clients!)
2021 to 2023  >>> We respond to the global COVID-19 pandemic, changing all our services to Telehealth to keep clients and EAP staff safe. We provide dozens of trainings across the state on dealing with the fear and anxiety and job implications, morphing into pandemic fatigue and burnout as time passed. We supported a growning number of healthcare organizations and providers with their unique challenges.
July 2023  >>> We move our offices to the Pan Am building!

 


Our Value

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