There is a new type of drug user entering corporate (and non-profit) America, reshaping the image of addiction: abusers of prescription medications.
Drug screening, clear and updated employee handbooks outlining policies on substance abuse, background checks, and criminal records are tools for reducing risks to your school. However, these tools and methods for protecting your school and your students aren’t enough to combat the growing number of people addicted to prescription medications. Researchers are urging companies to remember the positive impact Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) programs can have.
Studies have revealed that about seven million Americans abuse prescription medications—surpassing the number of Americans addicted to illegal street drugs such as cocaine, heroin, and ecstasy.
It is estimated that 20% of those living in the US aged 12 and older have used prescription drugs for nonmedical reasons. Of those who reported non-medical prescription drug use, 14% met criteria for abuse of or dependence. These statistics are followed by research indicating that since 1990, prescriptions for habit-forming drugs, such as opioid painkillers, has risen considerably. This has contributed to a rise (quadrupled counts since 1999) in unintentional drug overdoses.
In a 2010 study, substance abuse centers reported a 400% increase over a 10-year period of patients seeking treatment for non-medical use of prescription pain relievers. A recent publication by Workforce.com cites Norvus, a Medical Detox Clinic in Florida, as seeing a 12–15% increase in business professionals seeking treatment for addiction.
These findings increase the odds that your school will have to manage the delicate situation of addiction. Managing an employee who has become chemically dependent is every HR Manager’s keep-me-up-at-night trigger. However, if your school has an EAP, the situation can be somewhat easier.
What is an EAP program?
EAP programs are voluntary, confidential programs that offer counseling, referrals, and references for both employees and managers about work place relations; legal and financial issues; behavioral problems; and substance abuse. These programs are classified as employee benefits—even if employees have opted not to participate in your offered health care plan. And, most EAP programs have several communications platforms—telephone, website, and in-person—to accommodate personnel.
EAPs were created by the Yale Center of Alcohol Studies in the 1940s as an occupational alcohol program. In the 1950s, EAPs expanded to include mental health issues. In the 1970s, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism was established and further promoted EAPs. In this same decade, private EAP firms began to offer services for companies. Since then, the popularity of EAPs has grown. They have continued to evolve over the years to include resources for employers and employees faced with differing struggles.
The United States Office of Personnel Management lists the ways EAPs can benefit your employees by:
- improving productivity and employee engagement;
- improving employees’ and dependents’ abilities to successfully respond to challenges;
- developing employee and manager competencies in managing workplace stress;
- reducing workplace absenteeism and unplanned absences;
- supporting employees and managers during workforce restructuring, reduction-in-forces, or other workforce change events;
- reducing workplace accidents;
- reducing the likelihood of workplace violence or other safety risks;
- supporting disaster and emergency preparedness;
- managing the effect of disruptive incidents, such as workplace injuries and other crises;
- facilitating safe, timely, and effective return-to-work for employees' short-term and extended absences;
- reducing healthcare costs associated with stress, depression, and other mental health issues; and
- reducing employee turnover and related replacement costs.
How EAPs help combat drug addiction
Addictions often lead to loss of productivity and increased liability for your school. Offering EAP programs won’t reduce your school’s odds of encountering a situation. However, what they can offer is peace of mind that when members of your faculty and staff are faced with an addiction problem, they will have resources available to them.
If your school doesn’t currently have an accessible EAP program, contact your broker. As mentioned, most health insurance policies have EAPs attached to the plan as a benefit. However, even if you don’t offer employees health coverage, you can offer an EAP program. If you’re broker-less, give us a call; we’ll help steer you in the right direction.
Additional ISM resources:
The Source for Business Managers Vol. 12 No.1 Employee Benefits You Might Not Think of as Benefits
The Source for School Heads Vol. 12 No.10 Prescription Drug Abuse Is Still a Problem in Private Schools
The Source for Business Managers Vol. 13 No. 5 Drug Testing: The Basics
