IN THIS ISSUE

SUMMER ● 2015

Summertime and the Living is… ........... P. 1

Staff Profile ........................................... P. 2

Your Financial Wellness Part 2: Credit Cards ......................................... P. 3

Online Contact ...................................... P. 4

Innovative Solutions

for Progressive

Organizations

To contact your

Employee Assistance Program, call:

1-800-825-5327

EAP Locations: Altoona

Downtown Pittsburgh Greensburg Grove City

Monroeville New Kensington

Robinson Township/Airport Area Shadyside

Upper St. Clair

Summertime and the Living is... By Amy Wineman, LCSW and Randi Ippolito, MSW Intern

School will soon be out, summer will be upon us, and the longer daylight hours will invite more activity. Millions of American parents are now faced with a challenging question: What am I going to do with my child for the next 2 and ½ months? Some parents utilize close family friends or family members to help with childcare over the summer. It can be helpful to clarify the rules you would like the child to follow and whom your child is permitted to play with to insure safety.

The following are some ideas that may help, especially single parent and dual career families with children, wile away the summer months:

Summer Camps There are a variety of camps for every interest and age group. The camp focus may be music, gymnastics, sports, the zoo, computers, reading, horseback riding, and scouting. There are also camps geared towards kids with asthma, diabetes, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. You should factor in your child’s age, interests, and

maturity level when making a selection. Adolescents who have had camp experience may be able to transition into a counselor role. This enhances their self-esteem and provides wholesome structure. Other options that may be less expensive than camp include vacation bible school and day programs run by your school district.

Chores and Employment Chores and jobs also often help teens gain a greater sense of self worth and maturity. Actually, chores that match their age and ability are good for any child.

Volunteering Teens who are too young to qualify for or are unable to find a summer job can gain valuable experience volunteering. Your school district may have some good suggestions. Often hospitals, nursing homes, museums, camps, the Humane Society, and most non-profit organizations utilize volunteers.

(Continued on page 2)

The Newsletter of 21st Century Employee Assistance Partners

Newsletter Editor: Bob Mason, LCSW, CEAP, Director of EAP Services

Free or Low Cost Options There are many activities that you can plan that do not cost a thing. These activities may include: fishing, playing inside at a local mall, visiting different community parks and playgrounds, swimming, having a picnic inside your home on a rainy day, and visiting the local library to participate in the summer reading programs for all age groups. Join an online community such as Pinterest ( address in website list at end of article) to see new ideas and inspire future activities. There are also free movies on Flagstaff Hill in Oakland and free concerts at Hartwood Acres. The parks in Allegheny County all have free or low-cost nature programming in their Nature Centers.

Play Dates “Play dates,” where parents of young children schedule a time for the children to meet and play while the parents visit with one another, are also a nice option for parents and children. This has the added advantage of giving parents a chance to spend time with other adults. These can also expand your child’s circle of friends.

Bazaars, Festivals, and Fairs Church bazaars and county fairs remind many of us of our youth in small town America. Many groups and communities have ethnic, cultural, or arts festivals planned all over the city and surrounding neighborhoods. They are plentiful throughout the summer months and can be a great source of offbeat fun, interesting exhibits, and new experiences. Down Time While summer can be a fun time for children and parents, it can also be a very busy time. Keep in mind the age of your children. Younger kids often require some quiet or “down” time to recharge their batteries and often need a routine to follow even if it is less structured than during the school year. Reading a book, taking a walk, laying down for a nap, or watching TV help some children settle down. Pre-teens and teens can tend to

(Continued from page 1) spend too much time on video and computer games. It is a good idea to screen the content of the games and limit playing time to no more than 2 hours per day. Following are links to helpful websites with a variety of activates for singles, couples, parents, and children:

www.alleghenycounty.us/parks/index.aspx

www.pittsburghmommyblog.com

www.kidsburgh.org

www.bikepgh.org

www.pittsburgh.about.com

www.pittsburghmom.com

www.ventureoutdoors.org

www.pump.org

www.volunteermatch.org (Search for your zip code)

www.pinterest.com For additional ideas, visit: www.21stcenturyear.com.

Obtain the user name from your Human Resources Department and click on Life Cycle Connect.

Wishing you and your family a safe, healthy, and fun summer!▄

Summertime is always the

best of what might be.

...Charles Bowden Author, Journalist, Essayist

Staff Profile Randi Ippolito Randi joined 21st Century EAP as a Master’s Level Student Intern in January 2015. She is a member of our Initial Contact Team and responds to callers’ requests for information and services. She has begun to assist staff in conducting EAP trainings and as a co-therapist. Randi is a second year student in Boston University’s Online School of Social Work. She graduated from Slippery Rock University with a Bachelor of the Arts degree in Psychology and Theatre in 2007. Between obtaining her Bachelor degree and entering the Masters program, Randi worked with children, adolescents, and their families. She has specialized in serving clients with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

In the last newsletter, suggestions and

ideas were offered about maintaining a

household budget. If you have tried to

establish a budget but are having

difficulty, please call the EAP so we can

help you.

This chapter discusses the use of credit

cards. Prior to 1950, there was not a

widespread use of credit cards.

Introduced in 1950 and coined the

Diners Club Card, it claims the title of the

first credit card in widespread use and

was used mainly for travel and

entertainment purposes. Today we have

been conditioned to carry a variety of

“plastic cards.” Not only credit cards,

but healthcare cards, auto membership

cards, and those massive numbers of gift

and “reward” cards. Using plastic is now

widespread and acceptable. However,

there is no need to carry a large number

of credit cards in your purse or wallet. If

you carry a lot of cards, you then have to

keep track of the balances and rates for

each, and worry about the growing

frequency of theft of credit cards or

credit card account information. Being

thoughtful and practical about how many

cards you need and for what reasons is

an important first step in assessing your

use of credit cards.

It is no surprise that credit card

companies are out to make money. The

financial marketplace relies on the profit

potential for credit card companies.

Today, because the economy has

recovered from a deep recession, credit

card companies are being aggressive in

seeking new customers by offering low

or no interest rate offers. So, right now,

it is fairly easy to get a credit card if you

are doing a reasonable job of managing

your finances. Therein lies the danger.

Each credit card offer includes a sheet

that lists their charges. Sometimes they

will use a title like “Pricing Information,”

or “Disclosures.” These are the sheets

that spell out the rules, conditions,

exceptions, and penalties associated with

the credit card that you are considering.

Keep in mind that whatever offer the

credit card company gives you, they are

counting on the fact that you will not

payoff that balance before the offer

expires. When looking at the pricing

information provided, pay close attention

to the following:

Annual Percentage Rate

It is usually between 12.9% and over 20%.

This is what they will charge you for your

balance when the low percent offer

expires.

Cash Advance

This is the worst place in the world for

getting cash if you can possibly avoid it.

The interest rates are typically 20% or

higher.

Overdraft Advance

This is where you charge more than the

maximum allowed for your credit card

account. If this happens to you, make a

payment as soon as possible so the

balance on the account will be lower than

the maximum amount. The interest rates

are typically 20 to 25% or higher.

Your Financial Wellness, Part 2: Credit Cards By James R. Long, Ph.D.

Annual Membership Fee

This is a fee charged to you for using the

card. There are many credit card

companies that do not charge an annual

fee. If you are eligible for a credit card

without an annual fee, you should

pursue that option and avoid any cards

with annual membership fees.

Remember, nothing is free. All the

rewards and incentives are designed to

give you something and then take it

away in interest and charges when you

don’t pay off your balance before the

offer ends. Here is an example of how a

credit card company benefits from

issuing credit cards:

At the end of your low rate offer, you

have a balance of $3000.00. Your

interest rate is now 17% and your

minimum payment each month is

$25.00. If you pay the minimum

payment on time each month, it will take

you 126 months to pay off the balance

which will have included $2241.14 in

additional interest charges.

Credit cards can be useful tools if you are

careful about how you use them. If you

generally are able to pay off the balance

that you charged thE month when the

credit card bill comes, you avoid interest

charges. If your credit card interest rate

is low, you may be able to charge a

larger more expensive item and pay it off

during an offer period or even a little

beyond. Using credit cards in this

manner minimizes the amount of

interest that you pay and avoids the trap

of high interest rates on old balances.▄

EAPLIFE TIPS Innovative Solutions for Progressive Organizations SUMMER 2015

Use Our Online Contact

It’s easy!

Go to www.21stcenturyeap.com

Click on “CONTACT US” from the menu at the top of the page

Then select “REQUEST SERVICES”

Free, Professional, Confidential

The Employee Assistance Program is provided to employees and their dependents (where applicable) through

21st Century Employee Assistance Partners.

EAP counselors can help with family, marital and job stress, substance abuse and emotional problems, and many other issues.

All contacts with the EAP are confidential to the extent permitted by law. Information about your call, or your visit,

is not available to anyone unless you decide it is something you wish to share.

Initial assessments or counseling sessions are provided at no cost to you. Any subsequent services needed will be arranged in

accordance with your health insurance benefit or ability to pay.

2540 Monroeville Blvd. Monroeville, PA 15146

Phone: 1-800-825-5327 (1-800-TALK-EAP) Fax: 412-823-8262

www.21stCenturyEAP.com

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