DEALING WITH ADDICTION IN THE WORKPLACE Presented by: Natrishka - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
DEALING WITH ADDICTION IN THE WORKPLACE Presented by: Natrishka Naidoo Assisted Recovery Centres of Africa (ARCA) EAPA-SA PRESENTATION ADDICTION PREVALENCE It is estimated that 1 in 7 people over the age of 12 years abuse or are addicted to
Presented by: Natrishka Naidoo Assisted Recovery Centres of Africa (ARCA)
It is estimated that 1 in 7 people over the age of 12 years abuse or are addicted to alcohol, prescribed medications or other drugs
Addiction is a medical disease as defined by
the WHO, that affects the pleasure centre of the brain
Addiction is a continuation of a habit or
behaviour despite the negative consequences experienced
loss of control continued use despite serious consequences preoccupation with using failed attempts to quit tolerance and withdrawal
SCREENING FOR ALCOHOLISM: “It is estimated that at least 20 percent
had an alcohol problem at one time. In a survey of patients admitted to an inpatient service, 12 to 30 percent screened positively for alcoholism.”
Symptoms Causes
Fear of job loss Fear of stigmatization Fear of being passed over for promotion Fear of withdrawals and cravings Cost of treatment Financial Obligations
Vague around exact expectations for the employer Outlines the need for a substance abuse policy Outlines the employer’s need to offer support if the
employee is willing
Can be confusing for employers and employees to
understand their rights and expectations
Assist in structuring clear guidelines outlining company policy
regarding addiction
Standards for Employee Assistance Programmes in South Africa as
Advise the employer on best practices regarding addiction Advise employees on their rights Facilitate employees to be able to seek treatment in a
confidential manner
Provide support to employees after treatment
Prevention through information, education and training
programmes
Measures to control "substance abuse" in the workplace
through good employment practices
Restriction on alcohol, legal and illegal drugs in the workplace Implementing random drug tests – early detection minimizes
potential risk and improves treatment outcomes
Identification of a problem Intervention/disciplinary Providing referral and initial support Rehabilitation Assessment of employee after treatment
*All interactions must be documented **Confidentiality must be ensured
Line Managers are often best suited to identify early warning
signs as they deal with the employee daily and monitor job performance first hand
An employees has been found to be using alcohol or drugs
whilst at work
An employee has increased absenteeism An employee has been displaying poor performance Disciplinary rules regarding substance abuse should be
communicated to employees so that they are clear in terms
violation of such rules
1. Line Manager recommends EAP referral 2. Completes formal referral form 3. Employee sees EAP therapist 4. The therapist provides feedback and recommendations 5. Manager follows up on recommendations 6. In substance abuse situations, rehabilitation MUST form part of
the action plan
An effective treatment program should include:
Medical Detoxification Medicine Assisted Therapy (M.A.T) Individual Counselling Group Therapy Counselling Family Counselling Aftercare Support and Random Testing Support Structure
1.
Comfortable, humane, and as pain free as possible. No cold turkey
2.
Rehydration, vitamin replenishment and elimination of toxic substances (drugs, alcohol)
3.
Prevent DT’s
4.
Stabilization of imbalance of neurotransmitters
5.
Manifested by mood disorders, anxiety disorders, depression etc.
Medicine Assisted Therapy (M.A.T) means utilising
medications in the treatment of addiction
Addictive medication: Buprenorphine (Subutex & Suboxone),
Methadone
Non-addictive medication: Naltrexone
Rendered by qualified Social Workers and Psychologists
competent in the field
Daily individual and group therapy Can be delivered as in-patient and outpatient basis (to
accommodate work and study constraints)
Cognitive behavior therapy Weekly family/ caregiver sessions
Individual And Family
Medical Aid
Employer
from their salary
It can be a challenge for an employer to facilitate employees
entering long term treatment
Programs need to be tailored to the employer and employee
needs
EAP representative needs to work closely with the treatment
facility to see what they can offer
Absenteeism of employees with alcohol and drug problems was
three times higher than for other employees
Employees with chemical dependence problems claimed sick
benefits three times more than other employees and also made compensation claims five times more than other employees
20% to 25% of injuries in the workplace involved employees under
the influence of alcohol
Drugs and alcohol supplied at work amounts to 15% to 30% of all
accidents at work.
Cost of rehiring process Cost of retraining Time spent retraining Loss of the individuals skills Cost of holding a job position until a suitable candidate is found CCMA
This is often where the ball can be dropped* It is the responsibility of the line manager to follow up with the
employee after they complete their treatment program
The line manager must track progress or lack there of, ensure
random testing is performed and ensure the employee adheres to an aftercare program - compliance
Send Managers and HR staff on training courses to identify early
warning signs
Ensure managers and HR staff are trained on how to handle a
conversation around addiction and have an understanding of what addiction is
Train employees in management positions around the EAP policy Get advice from professionals in the addiction field before drafting
the policy
The employer can allow the employee time off for aftercare activities
(support groups, counselling), after their rehabilitation program, for a reasonable time period, with recommendations from the facility
The employer can endeavor to assist the employee to make any
feasible changes to their employment environment with recommendations from the facility
If an employee does have a relapse, consider factors such as clean
time, program attendance and job performance prior to relapse rather than a one strike policy
Ensure the Rehabilitation Facility is Licensed and Registered
with the Department of Heath and the Department of Social Development
Check that the facility has a good track record Over time observe the facilities success rates (employees
staying clean)
Work hand in hand with the facility to get regular feedback
This problem represents an important area which is often not
addressed
The employee/employees wishing to report this should be
able to confidentially approach HR or the EAP facilitator directly with the assurance of anonymity
The company EAP guidelines must include disciplinary
procedures for higher level management
Going to present huge challenges to EAP and HR Policy changes need to be immediate Most urine tests are at 50ng/mL Tests do not test THC but metabolites stored in fatty cells There is NO test to determine when a person ingested marijuana Companies are going to have to develop alternative testing
methods