The UAB Employee Assistance & Counseling Center has partnered with Senior Care Authority to meet the needs of UAB employees with caregiving responsibilities at home. SCA’s senior advisors offer personalized assistance in finding local care for an aging parent or loved one and help clients determine which direct and referral services may be appropriate and available to them. Direct services provided by SCA include no-cost placement assistance for assisted living, independent living, and memory care, as well as discounted eldercare consulting and driver self-assessments, and more. Fees may apply for some services.
To schedule your free initial consultation, visit the SCA site for UAB employees below. See program flyer for more information.
Senior Care Authority for UAB and School System EmployeesOpens an external link.
Upcoming Events
Home for the Holidays: Combining Joy & Concern on Visits with Seniors
Tuesday, December 9, noon to 1:15 p.m., via Zoom
Be prepared for holiday visits with aging loved ones. Join Senior Care Authority Coordinator Linda Needham and learn how to identify signs that indicate your loved ones need care and how to discuss the options available. Plus, get a look at what the holiday season looks like in senior living communities.
Click here to register.
Eldercare Resources
Select a topic below to learn more.
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Community Resources for Caregivers
Alabama Ageline
201 Monroe Street, Suite 350, Montgomery | 800-243-5463
The Alabama Department of Senior Services administers statewide programs on topics including disaster preparedness, elder abuse prevention, long-term care, medicaid, nutrition and more.United Way Area Agency on Aging
3600 8th Ave. South, Birmingham | 1-800-AGE-LINE (1-800-243-5463)
Under the direction of the Alabama Department of Senior Services, the United Way Area Agency on Aging (UWAAA) of Jefferson County assesses the needs of older persons, distributes funds for the provision of services, implements a wide range of programs and provides counseling and information about available resources to senior citizens, people with disabilities and caregivers. Through a comprehensive and coordinated system, UWAAA is enhancing lives in meaningful ways — from providing hot, nutritious meals and monitoring long-term care facilities to training caregivers and helping individuals take full advantage of their Medicare benefits.Senior Talk Line
205-328-8255
A free telephone reassurance service for senior citizens, their caregivers, retirees and widowed persons, grandparents and others who might find comfort in having a counselor call them on a regular basis to talk, provided by the Crisis Center of Birmingham. The primary service area is central Alabama, which includes Blount, Jefferson, St. Clair, Shelby and Walker counties.Alzheimer’s of Central Alabama
300 Office Park Drive, Suite 225, Birmingham | 205-871-7970
ACA serves 21 counties across central Alabama and 100 percent of the money raised stays in Alabama. Each year over 400 patients and their families benefit from services such as scholarships to attend adult day care centers or to receive continence products, Project Lifesaver bracelets to diminish the risk of wandering, education through support groups, a newsletter, website, community awareness/education programs, and telephone helpline.VIVA Medicare
1-888-830-VIVA (8482)
VIVA Medicare offers online Medicare education and benefit guides, and provides consultations on providers, appropriate plans to fit your budget, health and wellness resources and more.Senior Placement Services
205-913-3902
A free service that helps find the right retirement community, assisted living or memory care service for you or your loved one. Placement specialists will consult with you and identify the best communities for your budget and desired location, arrange facility tours with prospective communities, and assist you in locating any additional information or resources you need to make your decision.UAB Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics & Palliative Care
933 19th St. South (CH19 201), Birmingham | 205-934-9261
The Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care serves older adults and patients with advanced or life-threatening illness by providing leadership and core faculty for innovative models of clinical care, teaching and instructing students, fellows, and residents, and conducting research that generates new knowledge contributing to the advancement of science and the quality of life. Research faculty focus primarily on cognition, continence, mobility, and palliative care. Fellowships are offered in both Geriatric Medicine and Palliative Care. The department also provides primary care and specialty services that meet the needs of older adults and patients with advanced or life-threatening illness.Senior Care Authority
205-576-0962
Senior Care Authority can help you sort through the daunting number of options for residential care for an older adult who requires assistance with activities of daily living or medical care. Assisted Living, Memory Care, Skilled Nursing, Independent Living – which one is the best fit for your loved one? Your personal advisor will help you choose based on current and future care needs, budget, location, and what matters most to your family. Services also include Eldercare Consulting and Driving with Dignity. -
COVID-19 Resources for Older Adults
Government Information
- Coronavirus.gov: Get the facts about Coronavirus and take steps to care for yourself and help protect others in your home and community. Here you can also review resources for daily activities and staying safe when you go out.
- Medicare: The source for your Medicare questions about COVID19. This site has resources on how to slow the spread of Coronavirus, coping with stress, medicare related needs, and how to stay safe as our states reopen.
Benefits and Services
- Benefits Checkup (National Council on Aging): Here you can search your benefit programs to get relevant program information about benefits available in your state. Search for information on medication, healthcare, income assistance, transportation, and many more.
Caregiving
- Family Caregiver Alliance: The Family Caregiver Alliance is committed to supporting caregivers through the evolving situation associated with the Coronavirus. During this time of heightened awareness about public health and reducing risk of exposure for ourselves and those we care for, it is very important to gather updated information from trusted sources.
Finances
- Protect yourself financially from the impact of the Coronavirus: Protect yourself financially from the impact of the Coronavirus and review information on how to bills and other financial obligations, what to do if you experience loss of income, how to get more help with your money issues.
- COVID-19 Fraud: Financial scams related to the Coronavirus are becoming more prevalent. Use these resources to protect yourself from COVID19 scams and related Medicare fraud.
Mental Health & Social Isolation
- The Coalition to End Social Isolation: & Loneliness is monitoring the situation closely and has put together a compilation of resources on the physical, behavioral, and mental health effects of physical distancing and how to stay connected with others while intentionally isolating oneself.
Veterans
- Department of Veterans Affairs — Public Health: The Department of Veterans Affairs has implemented an aggressive public health response to protect and care for Veterans, their families, health care providers, and staff in the face of this emerging health risk. The VA is working directly with the CDC and other federal partners to monitor the outbreak of the virus.
The UAB Employee Assistance & Counseling Center is helping you take control of your mental health by offering you an online introduction to mental health and human service agencies from UAB and the Birmingham area. Explore the community services and resources below to learn more about available program offerings.
Note: This listing is a collection of some, not all, mental health and other health-related resources. UAB neither vets, nor formally endorses, third-party resources listed.
Local and Regional Resources
UAB Arts in Medicine
UAB Arts in Medicine (AIM), a partnership between UAB Visual and Performing Arts and UAB Medicine, brings an integrated approach to the healing process that addresses the needs of the whole person — mind, body and spirit. AIM strives to enhance wellness in the healthcare setting through creative arts experiences for patients, families and healthcare staff. AIM provides services across UAB Hospital, Children's of Alabama, and St. Vincent's East, and works in community settings to support adults and children living with disabilities, chronic conditions, and mental health disorders, and support healthy aging in older adults.
Resources
Video
Contact
uabmedicine.org/arts or alysstephens.org/connect/arts-in-medicine
Psychiatric Intake Response Center
The Psychiatric Intake Response Center (PIRC), located in the Emergency Department at Children’s of Alabama, is a free, confidential phone response center which helps caregivers navigate the mental health care system and provide appropriate resources in their communities.
Resources
- What is the Psychiatric Intake Response Center? (English & Spanish)
- Psychiatric Emergencies (English)
- Psychiatric Emergencies (Spanish)
Video
Contact
Hand in Paw
Hand in Paw's professionally-trained volunteers and their animals help improve people's day to day lives in many facilities throughout North Central Alabama. Hand in Paw focuses on 4 main program areas: health, education, violence prevention, and trauma and grief response. In the wake of COVID-19, Hand in Paw has been providing virtual visits.
Resources
- Hand In Paw Program Information (PDF)
- How Therapy Animals Differ From Other Support Animals (PDF)
- Animal-Assisted Therapy Research (PDF)
Video
Contact
Addiction Prevention Coaltion
The Addiction Prevention Coalition (APC) is a non-profit community resource that aims to eliminate addiction in Central Alabama. Through our in-school prevention programs, educational events, and our collection of support services, APC aims to be a convener of organizations united to prevent addiction and relapse.
Resources
Video
Contact
Employee Emergency Assistance Program
When employees experience a loss of income due to a medical situation or has a spouse of loved one that has a medical condition that causes loss of income in the household and/or a financial hardship, or a loss due to a natural disaster, or fleeing domestic violence, they are eligible to apply for financial assistance through the UAB Benevolent Fund's Employee Emergency Assistance Program.
Resources
Video
Contact
Office of Psychiatric Clinical Research
The Office of Psychiatric Clinical Research provides clinical research opportunities for those experiencing mental health concerns such as Major Depressive Disorder, Treatment Resistant Depression, Bipolar Disorder, and trauma. We also see healthy participants who participate in our studies as healthy controls. We have both treatment studies and non-treatment studies available for participants.
Resources
Video
Contact
AWARE Program
The AWARE Program provides advocacy for retention and recruitment of individuals with disabilities and veterans at UAB; retention and other support services for UAB employees with impairments or mental conditions impacting their employment; diverse recruitment efforts targeting individuals with disabilities and veterans.
Resources
Contact
205-975-9973 (TTY)
Mitchell's Place
The comprehensive autism center and preschool offers psychological services, psychiatry services, ABA therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, feeding therapy, reverse inclusion preschool and school consultations.
Contact
Children's Aid Society
Children's Aid Society of Alabama provides counseling services for adoptive families or any member of the adoptive triad (adults who were adopted, adoptive parent, birth parent). Programs include CAS Adoption Support for adults who were adopted and birth parents, EPIC Parenting instruction course, Family Partners in-home counseling, Project Independence for young mothers, and more. We also provide a wide array of free training courses for families struggling with their children.
Resources
Contact
American Art Therapy Association
Art therapy is an integrative mental health and human services profession that enriches the lives of individuals, families, and communities through active art-making, creative process, applied psychological theory, and human experience within a psychotherapeutic relationship.
Art therapy, facilitated by a professional art therapist, effectively supports personal and relational treatment goals as well as community concerns. Art therapy is used to improve cognitive and sensorimotor functions, foster self-esteem and self-awareness, cultivate emotional resilience, promote insight, enhance social skills, reduce and resolve conflicts and distress, and advance societal and ecological change.
Contact
Pastoral Care
UAB Pastoral Care provides emotional and spiritual support for patients, families and employees whether at home, in the hospital, or in outpatient clinics. Our team of chaplains are available in UAB Hospital 24/7 to patients, family members and employees. Ask any nurse to page the chaplain on call.
Resources
Contact
NAMI Birmingham
NAMI Birmingham is an affiliate of the nation’s leading advocacy organization that is dedicated to improving the lives of persons with mental illness through education, advocacy, research and support.
Contact
Jefferson County Senior Services
The mission of the Senior Services Division of Community Services and Workforce Development is to provide health and education awareness, transportation services and other resources to enhance the lives of senior citizens throughout Jefferson County.
Contact
Alabama Suicide Prevention & Resources Coalition
Alabama Suicide Prevention & Resources Coalition offers QPR training for all audiences. QPR teaches people how to recognize the warning signs of suicide in others, persuade them to get help and refer them to appropriate resources. Suicide prevention is everyone's business, and anyone can become a certified QPR Gatekeeper.
Resources
Contact
Al-Anon & Alateen
Al-Anon has but one purpose: to help families of alcoholics. We do this by practicing the Twelve Steps, by welcoming and giving comfort to families of alcoholics, and by giving understanding and encouragement to the alcoholic.
Similarly, Alateen is our recovery program for young people. Alateen groups are sponsored by Al-Anon members. The only requirement for membership is that there be a problem of alcoholism in a relative or friend.
Contact
Disability Support Services
UAB Disability Support Services works with students with disabilities who are eligible under the ADA and section 504 to determine reasonable accommodations for their classes, programs and activities at UAB. The primary goal of DSS is to ensure an accessible university environment through collaboration with students, faculty, staff, and community agencies. DSS provides institution-wide advisement, consultation and training on disability-related topics which include legal and regulatory compliance and universal design.
Resources
Contact
205-934-4205 (TDD)
Oasis Counseling
Oasis Counseling provides individual counseling for women and adolescent girls, play therapy for all genders ages 3-12, dialectical behavioral therapy, child-parent relationship therapy, couple and family therapy, groups, outreach and education.
Resources
Contact
Employee Wellness
UAB Employee Wellness provides resources and opportunities to help employees live well — from a dynamic schedule of wellness programs and initiatives, to online health programs that empower employees to live well both in and out of the workplace. UAB Employee Wellness strives to cultivate, innovate and nurture a collaborative approach for the individual and corporate health of UAB employees with a focus on five major areas: tobacco cessation, nutrition, physical activity & recreation, prevention & health management and wellbeing.
Resources
Contact
Alzheimer's of Central Alabama
Alzheimer's of Central Alabama offers telephone counseling, webinars, and other forms of education for families caring for a loved one at home. Programs include scholarships to attend adult day care, scholarships to receive home delivery of continence products and the nutritional supplement Ensure, robotic pets, activity packets, Project Lifesaver Bracelets, a weekly dementia educational email, and Zoom support groups. Please call today as one on one telephone information is a great source of initial information and support.
Resources
- Dementia is not a Diagnosis (PDF)
- The brainH.E.A.L.T.H. Intervention (PDF)
- Compassionate Communication with the Alzheimer’s Disease Patient (PDF)
Contact
Student Counseling Services
Student Counseling Services supports students in achieving personal, academic, and lifelong goals by providing individual and group mental health services, prevention and outreach programming, crisis and emergency support, and consultation services. Student Counseling Services advocates for safe and inclusive learning environments in the university community.
Resources
- UABwell Mental Health App
- Togetherall Peer Chat
- New Client Guide
- What to Expect from Counseling
- Information about Distance Counseling Services
- Self-Care Ideas
- TAO (Therapy Assistance Online)
Contact
UAB Medicine Addiction Recovery
The UAB Medicine Addiction Recovery Program offers an individualized approach to the assessment and treatment of alcohol and substance abuse. Services include inpatient detox and outpatient treatment for adults and their families.
Resources
Contact
UAB Ombudsperson's Office
The University Ombudsperson's Office is a confidential, neutral, informed and independent service for the UAB community to provide conflict resolution and reduction options.
Contact
Family Guidance Center
Family Guidance Center of Alabama offers free counseling for adults and adolescents by appointment. Counselors see individual, couples and families to assist with stress management, parenting, conflict resolution, assertiveness and other coping skills.
Resources
Contact
The Amelia Center
The Amelia Center provides professional counseling for children and teens grieving the death of a parent, grandparent, sibling, close relative or friend. Counseling is also provided for parents grieving the death of a child of any age, ranging from pregnancy loss through adulthood.
Resources
Contact
BirthWell Partners
BirthWell Partners provides free and reduced-cost birth doula services to low-resource families in the Birmingham area. Birth doulas provide informational, emotional and physical support to pregnant people prenatally, during labor, and in the early weeks post-partum. BirthWell Partners also hosts birth doula trainings and features a need-based work-study option.
Resources
Contact
Exchange Club CAP Center
Exchange Club CAP Center works in homes, online, in schools and communities to break cycles and keep kids safe. Programs, including free positive parenting classes and no-wait in-home services, are designed to stregthen families by way of education and community support.
Resources
Contact
Love Out Loud
Love Out Loud Counseling provides individual, couples, family and group counseling to youth as young 2 years, as well as an academic success program led by certified teachers to aid students pre-K through 12th grade in need of academic assistance.
Resources
- Love Out Loud Services Handout
- Love Out Loud Academic Success Program
- Love Out Loud Introduction Video
Contact
JBS COVID Response Unit
JBS Mental Health Authority's Alabama COVID Response Unit offers free in-person and telehealth counseling services for adult Alabama residents to combat the increase in mental health and substance use issues since the onset of COVID-19.
Resources
- Alabama COVID Response Unit Brochure (PDF)
- Bham Now: Feeling lost in the pandemic? Learn how you can get free counseling in Alabama with JBS Mental Health Authority
Contact
Senior Care Authority
Senior Care Authority can help you sort through the daunting number of options for residential care for an older adult who requires assistance with activities of daily living or medical care. Assisted Living, Memory Care, Skilled Nursing, Independent Living – which one is the best fit for your loved one? Your personal advisor will help you choose based on current and future care needs, budget, location, and what matters most to your family. Services also include Eldercare Consulting and Driving with Dignity.
Contact
America Saves Week is an annual event that encourages you to check-in on your finances and make a commitment to save successfully. This year, the focus is on saving for what matters most.
Check this page each day during the week of April 8-12 for daily blog posts, videos and more.
- Save Automatically
- Save for the Unexpected
- Save For Major Milestones
- Paying Down Debt Is Saving
- Saving At Any Age
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Save Automatically
You’ve decided it’s time to start taking positive steps toward saving and working to turn some of your dreams into reality. Putting money aside is not always an easy task when there are bills to pay. The good news is that saving can be possible and made easy with regular contributions – no matter the amount you may have to set aside.Regularly contributing to a savings account is the best way to work toward your future goals, and the best way to make regular contributions is through saving automatically. Saving through automatic deposits or transfers is the most effective way to save and helps make it easy by allowing you to choose what and when you’ll save.
Read more in the America Saves Blog: Saving Automatically.
Tools to Help You Save -
Save for the Unexpected
How often have you heard that saving for life’s unexpected events is very important and a necessary part of being financially prepared? Most likely A LOT! Accompanying this message often is the statement that you need three to six months of expenses in your emergency savings account. Instead of focusing on what you haven’t accomplished, here are a few strategies to consider that may help you build your financial confidence and begin or continue on your path to saving for the unexpected.Read more in the America Saves Blog: Saving for the Unexpected.
Tools to Help You Save -
Save For Major Milestones
What do homes, education, and retirement all have in common? They are major life milestones that require advance planning and saving large amounts of money. That amount of advance planning and money saved that is needed may make you doubt your ability to reach these goals. Even if you don’t feel that way today, you may have in the past or may in the future.The good news is that there are ways to plan and save for these major milestones in a way that aligns with your values and current life situation and still sets you up for success.
Read more in the America Saves Blog: Saving For Major Milestones.
Tools to Help You Save -
Paying Down Debt Is Saving
The good news is that with planning and support almost anyone can reduce their debts and start to accumulate wealth through saving. But one quick thing you’ll need to understand, that many people often don’t consider is this: paying down your debt IS saving.In fact, that idea is a driving belief at America Saves, because when you reduce your debt you:
- Save money on interest and fees,
- Build and/or maintain your credit score, and
- Build your net worth by eliminating your debt.
Read more in the America Saves Blog: Paying Down Debt Is Saving.
Tools to Help You Save -
Saving At Any Age
Saving. Do you view it as an ongoing journey? Or do you consider saving as someplace you arrive at? At America Saves we are in the camp that saving is a habit, not a destination. And it’s a habit that can be formed at any age. Whether you are a parent trying to instill this habit in your children or you want to change your own saving behaviors, there are strategies that savers of all ages can develop. Read more in the America Saves Blog: Saving At Any Age.
Tools to Help You Save
HR Updates
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Deadlines and information on vacation accrual rollover for exempt monthly employee
Any vacation accrual balances in excess of the total maximum accrual for exempt monthly employees will rollover to sick accruals on January 1, 2026, in accordance with HR Policy 301: Vacation. The rollover will reflect approved time off requests...
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HR announces selection of Assistant Vice President, Benefits & Wellbeing
Lisa Meddock will join UAB Human Resources as Assistant Vice President, Benefits & Wellbeing, effective January 12, 2026. Meddock has more than 15 years of leadership experience, during which time she has gained a deep understanding of the design...
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2025 UAB Security & Fire Safety Report now available online
The 2025 UAB Annual Security & Fire Safety Report is now available online. To access it, you can go to the UAB Police Department website at uab.edu/police and click on “Read the 2025 UAB Annual Security & Fire Safety (Clery) Report” on the sidebar, or...
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Best practices for submitting time-off requests in CTA
UAB Human Resources has compiled a few tips and best practices for submitting a time-off request in Campus Time & Attendance (CTA). Whether you're planning a vacation, taking a personal day, or requesting partial time off, following these simple tips...
