Oct 1, 2014 | Culture, Employee Retention, Organizational Development, Prevention, Substance Free Workplace Blog |
Imagine a school where the students are only told what is going to be on the test and then given the test. They aren’t taught about the material, there isn’t anybody who intervenes if they are struggling with it, and they don’t know where to go for extra help. Would you be surprised if many of them failed the test? This scenario is analogous to a business with a stand-alone drug testing program, and yet many of these businesses are surprised when they aren’t achieving the desired results. Here are a few of the reasons why just implementing drug testing is not a solution. Drug testing may keep drugs out, but it won’t keep employees in. Even if drug testing alone could keep substance abusers out of the workplace, it won’t help keep good employees in. If your drug testing program consists entirely of testing employees and then terminating those who do not pass, you might as well install a revolving door. A zero tolerance drug testing program shuffles off good employees who may have benefited from prevention or early intervention. It’s a disservice to your employees to focus your efforts on catching them when they fail. If an employee fails a drug test, you may have missed the boat, especially if it is a post-accident or reasonable suspicion drug test. Once the accident has happened, or an individual is showing up to work impaired, the safety of the workplace has already been compromised. An effective substance free workplace program will give employees the ability to self-refer and give supervisors the ability to intervene before substance use escalates to...
Sep 2, 2014 | Health Care, Prescription Drug Abuse, Substance Free Workplace Blog |
If I were addicted to pills, I would work in home healthcare. I’m sure I’m not the only one who has had this realization. There are many reasons that home healthcare is the perfect job for anybody with an addiction to prescription medication: Access to Prescription Medications: Most individuals who need homecare also need various types of medication. The individuals providing their care often have direct access to those medications. When a care provider takes the medication (either for their own use or to sell), it is called diversion. Vulnerable Population: The victims of drug diversion may not realize that their medications are being stolen or they may not be able to advocate for themselves. Lack of Supervision: Homecare providers generally lack direct supervision. Lots of “Traffic” in the Home: An individual receiving home health services typically has lots of different service providers coming in and out of their home: personal attendants, visiting nurses, hospice counselors, cleaning services, meal delivery, caseworkers, etc. When drug diversion is recognized, it is very difficult to determine who is responsible. Abundant Entry Level Work: Many homecare positions are entry level and may require little to no training. Additionally, most areas have a multitude of homecare providers to work for. If a provider gets caught by one company, she can simply move to a different one. Most types of homecare providers are not subject to any formal tracking system. If I Were a Home Healthcare Provider, I Would Protect my Clients from Prescription Diversion Any employer providing any type of homecare or home healthcare should take extra precautions to ensure the safety of...
Jul 29, 2014 | Health Care, Resources, Substance Free Workplace Blog |
DISCLAIMER: This post is not political in nature, but simply a discussion of how changes mandated by the ACA affect access to substance abuse treatment. There are many employers who, out of compassion, allow substance abusers to continue to work without intervention. They want to do what’s best for the employee, but can’t afford to pay for their treatment. As a result, the problem remains unaddressed which is unfortunate for both the employee and the business. The employee’s addiction progresses and the quality of their work and their quality of life deteriorate. The Affordable Care Act has mandated changes to health insurance that will provide employers with more options for addressing substance abuse. Access to substance abuse treatment will increase on three levels: Increased Health Insurance Coverage: More employees will have access to health insurance either through the individual market or through small group coverage. According to HHS.gov, approximately 48,000 individuals have enrolled in health insurance coverage through the individual marketplace or the expanded Medicaid system. In addition, businesses with fewer than 25 employees qualify for a 50% tax credit for providing health insurance coverage to their employees. Once an individual is covered by a health insurance plan, an employer is able to intervene and refer them for treatment. Substance Abuse Treatment Covered at Parity: The ACA expands the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 which requires mental health and substance abuse disorder coverage to be comparable to coverage provided for other medical issues. Not only does this parity increase coverage for substance abuse disorders, but it recognizes addiction as a disease (as opposed to a...
Jun 3, 2014 | Culture, Organizational Development, Prevention, Substance Free Workplace Blog |
Almost all workplaces have some type of substance free workplace policy, but there is frequently a huge gap between the policy on paper and the policy in practice. In the absence of a deliberate workplace culture centered around effectively addressing substance abuse, the default culture supports a “head in the sand” approach. Here are some workplace Culture Red Flags to watch for: Lack of Big Picture Thinking Employees must be trained and encouraged to see the big picture, especially as it pertains to substance abuse. Nobody hesitates to take action if they see somebody about to back a forklift into a large stack of finished product, because the big picture is immediately apparent: injury to the driver, injury to nearby employees, loss of thousands of dollars worth of product, loss of hundreds of man hours. Do all employees know that lack of action regarding substance abuse has the same big picture consequences and requires the same urgent action? Perception of Gray Areas In order for policies and procedures to be utilized effectively, there cannot be any “gray areas.” These opportunities for subjectivity may be written directly into the policy (with phrases such as “up to and including” or “on a case by case basis”) or be generated by selective application. Regardless of their origin, any perceived gray areas will push employees towards inaction. After all, nobody wants to make the effort to report a problem and see nothing happen as a result. Likewise, a supervisor doesn’t want to address an issue if he fears he may lose a valuable employee. It is very difficult to take action if the...
Mar 30, 2014 | EAP (Employee Assistance Program), Employee Retention, Prevention, Resources, Return to Work Agreements, Substance Free Workplace Blog |
Business owners often hesitate to implement substance free workplace and drug testing programs because they fear they will have to fire valuable employees. While this fear is understandable, we never recommend firing as the best course of action. Some of the main goals of a Substance Free Workplace program are to hire are retain quality employees and reduce the costs associated with turnover. Firing employees with substance abuse issues is in direct opposition to these goals. An effective Substance Free Workplace program employs the following tools to avoid having to fire an employee for substance use. Prevention, Prevention, Prevention Prevention. Prevention is the number one most effective tool in any substance free workplace program. Substance abuse prevention in the workplace can take many forms. Here are a few examples: Supervisor Training – Supervisors should be trained on recognizing and addressing the earliest signs of a substance abuse issue. There are indicators that an employee is struggling long before he is abusing substances on the job. There are also specific steps that supervisors can take to prevent the progression of addiction to the stage where firing the employee is considered. Employee Education – Employees should have a full understanding of the substance free workplace program, particularly its rationale, consequences and potential benefits to them. Employees with a solid understanding of the policy and program are much more likely to comply. They should also have an understanding of how substance abuse can affect the workplace, their health, and their families. In addition, employees should be educated on the self-referral process, including when and how to seek assistance. Many businesses post a self-referral...
