Substance Abuse Prevention and Education
Substance abuse is one of the most pressing issues facing the public today. In order to protect public safety, the Department of Transportation has a zero-tolerance policy for drug and/or alcohol use. Employers of safety-sensitive, DOT-mandated employees are required to make their employees aware about substance abuse prevention and education.
Education on substance abuse prevention is the first step that can help achieve a drug-free workplace. The workplace is an important place to address these issues, especially within environments that employ DOT-mandated, safety-sensitive employees.
Tips for Substance Abuse Prevention and Education
Creation of programs focusing on improving employee’s health is an essential factor of consideration in workplaces. When employees are in good health (physical and mental) their well-being is greatly increased. Alcohol and drug abuse risk may lessen when focus is put on maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Establishment of assistance programs for employees is a significant consideration. This is found to be an effective way to deal with drug or alcohol abuse in workplaces. These types of programs may offer short-term counseling, assessment of employees’ current situation, referral for employees with drug and alcohol problems, issues with mental health, or other personal issues that can affect the work of the employee.
Putting clear substance abuse policies into place is vital. While DOT-mandated employees are held to the strict requirements of the DOT drug and alcohol policy, it is useful to address drug and alcohol abuse within a non-regulated workplace. In addition to testing, it is beneficial to offer comprehensive healthcare coverage for substance abuse disorders including counseling and aftercare, should an employee problem arise.
Employee education relating to poor productivity and health hazards of substance abuse is an important step to take. Through company wellness programs and programs aiming to reduce stigma in the workplaces, employee education both uncovers the negative affects of addiction as well as reduces the shame associated with getting help.
Employer Actions for Employee Referrals
If you are an employer to DOT-mandated, safety-sensitive, or non-mandated employees, you may want to consider partnering with SAP Referral Services for employee referrals. Providing your employees with a service agent to refer them to qualified SAPs in their area sets them up for success in getting through the SAP process. For more information on partnering with SRS, click here to fill out our request for employer information, or call 410-668-8110 today.
SAP Referral Services (SRS) is the leading facilitator for mandated substance abuse evaluations. SRS maintains an extensive network of qualified providers in more than 3,000 locations nationwide for testing violations that originate from any of the DOT’s modes including FMCSA, FAA, FRA, FTA, USCG and PHMSA, or a company’s internal drug and alcohol testing policy.