Substance Abuse When it Affects the Workplace

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Substance Abuse When it Affects the Workplace
Information provided by the Maine Office of
Substance Abuse
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Objectives

• Effects of substance abuse on the workplace
• Prevention strategies for employers to address
  substance abuse issues
• Roles of Local Coalitions, Prevention and
  Treatment Providers
• Future Possibilities for Businesses and
  Communities to Address This and Other Health
  Issues

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What are S.A. Effects?

• Personal Experience
• Statistics what does research tell us?
• Cost to Society
• Cost to Businesses

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Prevalence

• Nationally, 73 of all illicit drug users (11.4
  million) aged 18 and older (8.3 million adults)
  were employed in 1997. This includes 6.7 million
  full-time workers and 1.6 million part-time
  workers.
• National Household Survey on Drug Abuse,
  August 1998

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• Of the 16.6 million illicit drug users aged 18 or
  older in 2002, 12.4 million (74.6 ) were
  employed either full or part time.

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• 2004 Maine General Population Drug and Alcohol
  Survey

• Among recent binge drinkers (those who have
  participated in binge drinking in the past
  month), male respondents in the 18 to 20 year old
  group had the highest binge drinking rate of
  74.1
• 68.3 21-24, 64.5 25 to 29, 54.4 30
  to 49, and 45.1 50 to 64).

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• Of respondents who have worked in the past 12
  months, the highest prevalence rates of
  respondents feeling the effects or after-effects
  of alcohol while at work occurred in the 21 to 24
  year old group (13.8) and the 18 to 20 year old
  group (10.8). Rates for the other age groups
  decreased with age (7.5 25 to 29, 3.9 30 to
  49, and 1.8 50 to 64).

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Cost To Society

• National Institutes of Health reported that
  alcohol and drug abuse cost the economy 246
  billion in 1992.
• In 2000, the total estimated annual cost of
  substance abuse in Maine was 618 million. Based
  on 2000 Census, that's 484 for every man, woman,
  and child in Maine.

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• 2000 total costs related to lost productivity
  were an estimated 97.4 million, representing 16
  of the total cost of substance abuse in Maine.

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Cost to Business

• Alcohol / drug abuse has been estimated to cost
  American businesses 81 billion dollars in lost
  productivity per year37 billion to premature
  death 44 billion to illness of these combined
  costs, 86 are attributed to drinking.

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• 1 in 5 workers report that they have had to work
  harder, redo work or cover for a co-worker or
  have been put in danger or injured as a result of
  a fellow employees drinking.

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• Up to 40 of industrial fatalities and 47 of
  industrial injuries can be linked to alcohol
  consumption and alcoholism.
• Workers who reported using illicit drugs were 2 x
  as likely to have had 3 or more employers in the
  past year and had 2 or more illnesses or injury
  related days out of work.

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• Workers with past month illicit drug use were
  also 2.5 x more likely to have skipped 2 or more
  work days in the past month, compared to those
  who did not use.

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2005 Hazelden "Making Recovery America's
Business" Survey

• 57 percent of employees dealing with addiction in
  their family - missed a deadline or had their
  attendance suffer as a result
• 46 percent said they had made errors in judgment
  they would not have otherwise made
• 14 percent said they had been so distracted that
  they forgot safety or security procedures at work

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Maine Treatment Data System (TDS)

• A computer data system that tracks the publicly
  funded substance abuse treatment services in
  Maine (17,500 clients/year),www.maineosa.org or
• http//www.maine.gov/dhhs/osa/data/tds/index.htm

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• The Maine Treatment Data System (TDS) 2000 2005
• 4.5 increase in the number people being treated.
• 23 were employed full time, 7 part-time, and 2
  irregularly employed (less than 17 hours).
• Treatment increased 10 for full-time and 7 for
  parttime and irregular employees.
• EAPs Referrals for full time employees, 40 were
  for drug treatment and 60 for alcohol
• Employer referrals of fulltime employees, 54
  were for drug treatment and 46 for alcohol.

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• TDS confirms
• Alcohol is the most prevalent substance being
  treated for
• Opiates - 2nd
• Marijuana - 3rd
• Heroin/Morphine - 4th
• Cocaine/Crack - 5th

• 10 decrease in those seeking treatment for
  alcohol and increases for treatment of
• Marijuana (25),
• Cocaine/crack (49)
• Heroin/morphine (44)
• Oxycontin (98)
• Methamphetamine / speed (50).

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• Maines Workforce AttitudesAbout Worksite Drug
  Testing

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• 2004 ME General Population Survey
• When asked would you want to work for an
  employer that tests its employees for drug or
  alcohol usage following a work-related accident
  
• 44.7 would be more likely
• 45.5 would make no difference
• 7.9 and 1.9 indicated that they were less
  likely and didnt know / refused respectively.

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• When asked would you want to work for an
  employer that tests its employees for drug or
  alcohol usage on a random basis
• 33.4 would be more likely
• 52.6 that it would make no difference
• 12.6 and 1.5 indicated that they were
  less likely and didnt know / refused
  respectively.

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• Workforce Access to Employee Assistance Programs

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• 98 of Maine businesses have 99 or fewer
  employees and employ 44 (214,177) of Maines
  working population
• 45 of the employees (96,380) do not have access
  to an EAP or counseling program for employees
  with an AOD related problem through their
  workplace.
• Another 16 of the employees (34,268) dont
  know if they have access to an EAP or
  counseling program for employees

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• 2 of Maine businesses have 100 or more employees
  and employ 56 (272,589) of Maines working
  population.

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Workplace Prevention Strategies to Address
Substance Abuse Issues
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Drug Free Workplace Act

• The Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 requires some
  Federal contractors and all Federal grantees to
  agree that they will provide drug-free workplaces
  as a precondition of receiving a contract or
  grant from a Federal agency.

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Drug Free Workplace Program

• A comprehensive drug-free workplace program
  includes
• a clear Policy
• Employee Education
• Supervisor Training
• an Employee Assistance Program
• and Drug Testing.

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• Although employers may choose not to include all
  five components, it is recommended that all be
  explored when developing a drug-free workplace
  program. Research shows that more components may
  lead to a more effective program.

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Maine Requirements

• Maine DOL requirements of employers who wish
  to conduct drug testing of employees (non-CDL)
• Maine DOL BLS approved Drug Testing Policy
• Maine Licensed EAP services
• Use Maine DHHS Licensed Drug Testing Labs

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Good Work! Resource KIT

• The Bottom Line Impact
• How Does Substance Abuse Affect A Companys
  Bottom Line?
• Creating a Drug Free Workplace
• Creating a Policy
• Employee Assistance Program
• How does an EAP support a Drug Free Workplace
  Program?
• FEE-FOR-SERVICE EAP How Small Employers Can
  Afford an Employee Assistance Program
• Real Strategies used by Maine Employers
• The Need and Development of a Drug Free Workplace
  Policy - Maine Veterinary Clinic Success Story
• Creating a Drug Free Workplace Program -
  Mid-State Machine Products
• Employees Benefit from a Community Assistance
  Program Bucksport Bay
• Resources
• Education Training
• Additional Resources

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DFWP Employee Education and Supervisor Training

• Employer may set work time aside, if not work
  around the work day
• Employee Orientation
• Pre-Work Breakfast Trainings
• Morning Breaks
• Lunch and Learns
• After-Work Dinner Trainings

• Creative Education
• Pamphlets in break room, with pay checks
• In newsletters
• Links on business website
• Potty Press information posted in bathroom
  stalls
• Incentives raffles with entry being quiz

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How Local Coalitions, Prevention and Treatment
Providers Can Assist Employers and Employees
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• Provide training and materials
• Fee for Service - EAP
• Referral for out-patient treatment
• Provide parent education programs
• Provide / support prevention programs for
  community
• For list of Prevention and Treatment providers
• www.maineosa.org
• Or call OSA IRC 1-800-499-0027

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Future Possibilities for Businesses and
Communities to Address This and Other Health
Issues
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Fee for Service EAPs

• Micro Businesses have 10 or less employees,
  make up 76 of Maines businesses
• Work with private providers clinical counselors,
  clinical social workers, substance abuse
  counselors, psychiatric nurses, and
  psychologists
• Negotiate costs Consultation of Policies and
  procedures, retainer fee, employee
  education/training, fee per individual service.

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• Initial Set-Up
• 900.00 10 hours of consultation, EAP
  Policies and Procedures (One
  Time Cost)
• 360.00 2 Two-Hour Prevention Education
  Programs
• 300.00 Retainer
• Services (90/hour)
• 270.00 3 EAP sessions, Employee 1
• 180.00 2 EAP sessions, Employee 2
• 90.00 1 EAP session, Employee 3
• First Year Cost
• 2,100.00 Total

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• So what is the Bottom Line?
• On average 1 of 10 employees of Maine
  construction
• company will have an alcohol problem if
  unaddressed
• total costs
  4163
• The average cost of replacing an employee
  7000
• National Safety Council estimate average cost of
  a
• lost-time injury
  33,000
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  Potential Total Cost 44,163
• Cost of Fee for Service EAP
  2,100
  Potential Cost Savings 42,063
• A potential cost savings ratio of 1 to 20, for
  every dollar put into prevention, there is a 20
  savings in potential costs.

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• Bucksport Bay Healthy Community Coalition
  (Bucksport area) The coalition will establish
  a Community Assistance Program in conjunction
  with the Bucksport Bay Area Chamber of Commerce,
  based on the SAMHSA Model Program Healthy
  Workplace and the Bureau of Healths Good Work
  program. In addition, the coalition will
  continue implementing Communities Mobilizing for
  Change on Alcohol, including development of a new
  juvenile diversion program in partnership with
  the Bucksport Police Department and work on
  athletic policies.

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• Youth and Family Services Skowhegan
• Healthy Workplace is a SAMHSA model program
  that will be delivered in western Somerset County
  in workplaces with a special emphasis on young
  adults ages 18-24. Program would provide
  materials and training and support to two pilot
  projectsinvolving the Madison and Skowhegan
  Chambers of Commerce.
• Reduce inadequate skills to reduce alcohol
  and drug abuse, acceptance of excessive alcohol
  use and drug abuse and lack of confidence in
  ability to reduce alcohol and drug use.

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Maine Resources

• DOL BLS Wage and Hour Division
  www.maine.gov/labor/bls/wagehour.htm
• Good Work! Resource KIT www.healthymainepartn
  erships.org
• Office of Substance Abuse Workplace
  Websitewww.maineosa.org

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Federal Resources

• SAMSHA Division of Workplace Programs
• http//workplace.samhsa.gov
• SAMSHA Get Fit http//getfit.samhsa.gov/

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• U.S. DOL Working Partners
• www.dol.gov/workingpartners
• The NationalYouth Anti-Drug Media Campaign
• Parents. The Antidrug
• http//theantidrug.com/atwork/