September 9, 2005—The Department of Labor (DOL) is encouraging businesses across the country to participate in the 16th National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month in September.
DOL notes that achieving recovery from alcoholism and drug addiction is a collective effort requiring participation of all sectors of society, including the workplace, and that a safe workplace is one in which all workers understand that the abuse of alcohol and other drugs poses a significant, but avoidable, threat to their and others’ safety.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) offers a free Recovery Month Kit to assist businesses and other organizations in supporting and planning Recovery Month activities in their communities. Included in this toolkit is a fact sheet specifically targeted to employers, titled “Helping Workers with Substance Use Disorders Start a Path to Recovery: A Guide for Employers,” that provides ideas for how employers can contribute to Recovery Month and strategies for providing affordable treatment options for workers struggling with alcohol and drug problems.
Also available from CSAT is a new brochure, titled “Substance Use Disorders in the Workplace: A Guide to Recovery for Employees,” that offers a free and easy way for employers to educate employees about substance use disorders and sources of help for those who may have them. Employers can order copies by calling the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information (NCADI) at 800/729-6686 and asking for publication number PHD1081.
In addition, the DOL’s Working Partners for an Alcohol- and Drug-Free Workplace program recommends a number of steps employers can take to ensure their workplace is recovery friendly-during Recovery Month and all year round.
Working Partners offers numerous resources, such as brochures, presentation materials, articles and fact sheets, and posters, to help employers provide drug and alcohol education in the workplace.
