Even though I was born in Texas, I have spent the majority of my life in Indiana. Therefore, I have a vested interest in making sure it is a place where people can have happy, healthy, and productive lives. Even the most skilled and educated individuals can have their aspirations derailed by drug misuse. There are several other prominent issues, such as smoking, obesity, and diseases. However, these issues do not carry the stigma drug misuse does, and there are fewer resources available in the workplace for those struggling with addiction.
The Indiana Workforce Recovery program made progress in 2018 to educate employers and support prevention, early identification, treatment, and recovery. In other words, employers and the community benefit when they help resolve these issues instead of terminating the employee who has a drug problem. This effort is ongoing, with a 2019 state survey reporting that employers still underestimate drug abuse’s impact on their company. Unfortunately, COVID-19 has diverted some of these resources, even though substance abuse has worsened during the pandemic. “The early months of the pandemic brought an 18% increase in overdoses compared to those same months in 2019,” according to the American Psychological Organization. The numbers are even worse in Indiana. The reaction has been to distribute more naloxone for emergency treatment of overdose situations, but ideally, we would prevent them from occurring in the first place. My next post will detail some specific actions employers can take to assist their employees.
Sources:
Brice Rider 