Transcript Slide 1

Reenergizing the Roots of
Employee Assistance:
Tapping Into Federal Workplace
Substance Abuse Efforts
Tad Davis,
White House Office of
National Drug Control Policy
Elena Carr,
U.S. Department
of Labor
Current Trends in Drug Use
• Research indicates a decline in
youth drug use, but less progress
among adults
• From 2002-2004:
– Non-medical use of prescription
medications among young
adults increased
– Adult methamphetamine use
remained steady
A Workplace Concern:
Current Illicit Drug Use
• Of 16.4 million current illicit
drug users aged 18 or older in
2004, 12.3 million (75.2
percent) were employed
–8.0% of full-time workers
–10.3% of part-time workers
A Workplace Concern:
Alcohol Abuse
• Of 51.9 million adult binge
drinkers in 2004, 41.2 (79.3%)
million were employed either full
or part time
• Of 16.0 million adult heavy
drinkers, 12.7 (79.5%) were
employed either full or part time
A Workplace Concern:
Substance Dependence or Abuse
• Of 20.3 million adults classified
with substance dependence or
abuse in 2004, 15.7 million
were employed
–10.5% of full-time workers
–11.9% of part-time workers
Workplace as
the Solution
• The Federal government is reviving
efforts to promote DFWPs as a means
to address this problem
– The workplace is one of the most
effective venues for reaching adults
with alcohol and drug problems
– Offers opportunity for education as
well as meaningful incentives to
stop use
History of Related Efforts
• Executive Order 12564/AgencySpecific Fitness-for-Duty
Regulations
• Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988
• Omnibus Transportation
Employee Testing Act of 1991
• Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1998
Current Initiatives
• Office of National Drug Control Policy
(ONDCP)
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Services Administration/ Center for
Substance Abuse Prevention
(SAMHSA/CSAP)
• Small Business Administration (SBA)
• U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)
Renewed ONDCP
Workplace Efforts
• Gather data to demonstrate
effectiveness of workplace drug testing
• Focus on small businesses
• Improved coordination between Federal
agencies (DOL, SAMSHA, SBA)
• Engage DFWP industry organizations
(EAPA, DATIA, SAPAA)
• Director visits to drug-free workplaces
as part of Major Cities Initiative
Office of National Drug Control
Policy (ONDCP)
Major Cities Initiative
• Engages officials and citizens in about 25
of the nation’s largest cities
• Encourages cities to use proven
techniques in expanding efforts to reduce
drug use
• Promotes coordination among all
segments of the community
• Assists in gathering accurate data on
each city’s current state of drug use
ONDCP Major Cities
Initiative
Office of National Drug Control
Policy (ONDCP)
Parents @Work Program
• Component of “The Anti-Drug” national
media campaign
• Allows employers to provide working
parents with resources to help them talk
to their children about drug issues
 Web resources and e-newsletter
 Articles for employee newsletters
 Brochures, posters and other
resources for distribution
Department of Labor
Approach
• Non-regulatory
• Promotes five-pronged programs that
include support for workers with
alcohol and drug problems
• Addresses workplace substance
abuse; not just illicit drug use
• Respects rights of workers and
employers
• Targets small businesses
DOL’s Working Partners
Program
Public education and outreach
campaign to:
• Raise awareness about the impact of
substance abuse on the workplace
• Equip work organizations to implement
drug-free workplace programs that protect
worker safety and health
• Assist DOL internal agencies in addressing
substance abuse as it impacts their
missions
What is a
Drug-Free Workplace?
• Confusion abounds! DFWP means
different things to different people
• Not synonymous with drug testing
(despite widespread belief)
• Not synonymous with EAP
• No specific Federal law governs
most private sector programs
What is a
Drug-Free Workplace?
A work environment where:
•
All employees understand that
illicit use of drugs and abuse of
alcohol while working is not
acceptable; and
•
Policies and programs discourage
alcohol or other drug abuse
and facilitate treatment and
recovery
Five-Step Approach to a
Drug-Free Workplace
• Policy and procedures
• Employee awareness and education
• Supervisor training
• Employee assistance program
• Drug testing
Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA)
Substance Abuse Initiative
• Formalizes OSHA’s support for drug-free
workplace programs
• Educates that drug-free workplace
programs add value to safety and health
plans
• Targets high-hazard industries, including
construction (industries with the highest
rates of substance abuse are construction
and mining)
Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA)
Recent activities
• Multi-Union Drug-Free Workplace
Alliance
• NFIB Alliance that includes the goal of
drug-free workplaces
• OSHA Substance Abuse Web page
• Presentations at safety and health
conferences and articles in publications
Mine Safety and Health
Administration (MSHA)
“Keeping America’s Mines Drug and
Alcohol Free” campaign
• Educates the mining community about the
dangers of drug and alcohol use in mines
• Encourages collaborative, communitybased strategies for addressing the issue
• Launched at Dec. 2004 Tri-State
Summit (KY, VA, WV)
• Participates in Tri-State Substance
Abuse Task Force
The EAP Challenge
• Re-assert capacity and
expertise to address
workplace substance abuse
• Learn to co-exist with drug
testing
Tips for Maximizing EAP
Influence
• Embrace EAPs role both within
and beyond a drug-free
workplace
• Reinforce drug-free workplace
message
• Capitalize on drug testing to
identify and intervene early
Tips for Maximizing EAP
Influence
• Learn about drug-testing
policies, procedures and
technology
• Partner with drug-testing to
provide appropriate training to
employees and supervisors
• Leverage available resources to
expand available services
EAP Opportunities
• Utilize free resources available from
DOL and other Federal agencies
• Target high-hazard industries
• Reach out to:
– Union groups
– Local or state NFIB chapters
– OSHA Consultants
– SAMHSA YIW grantees
• Get involved in ONDCP Major Cities
Initiative
Working Partners
Web Site
www.dol.gov/workingpartners
• Drug-Free Workplace Advisor - policy
development tool
• Training presentations, articles and fact
sheets
• Directories of state resources and laws
• Newsroom with information about DOL
agency drug-free workplace initiatives
and PSAs (print and radio)
• E-mail alert service
www.dol.gov/workingpartners