Employers play a pivotal role in supporting employees and their loved one’s journey in overcoming addiction. Explore the resources you can provide to address the ongoing opioid crisis.
In the shadow of the ongoing opioid crisis, your workplace is more than just a site of professional engagement; it is a hub where help and healing can begin. Employers have the power to support employees and their loved ones in the journey to overcome addiction and be prepared for the risks that come with it.
Through education about opioid misuse, comprehensive Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) and a plethora of health benefits to choose from, employers play a critical role in the fight against the opioid crisis.
Educating your employees is the first step. Even if they are not using opioids themselves, they may have loved ones in their life who are.
Providing impactful educational materials can help them to understand the opioid crisis and how to take action. Lasting reform can only happen when an individual takes charge of their situation.
When creating your employee education campaign, consider the following:
Discussing the tragic side effects of addiction can help employees realize the need to abstain from opioid abuse, misuse, or seek treatment for either themselves or others. Directly facing the consequences of certain actions can be powerful, especially when paired with other resources. Put up posters, send information directly and have in person meetings to call attention to the dangers of opioid misuse.
Sometimes people battling addiction avoid speaking to their doctor about opioid misuse. This could be because they are worried about losing their prescriptions or perhaps, they do not know how their doctor could help. Regardless, a doctor is more qualified to help with medical issues stemming from opioids.
Educate employees on the importance of speaking openly with their provider. Provide reassurance that doctors are there to help, not get someone in trouble for the misuse of opioids.
Establishing onsite safety programs is crucial. Organizations can provide training on the administration of naloxone nasal spray, a life-saving medication that can reverse an opioid overdose. Alongside naloxone, distributing fentanyl test strips can empower employees to detect this potent opioid, which has been a contributing factor in many overdose deaths. Equipping employees with this knowledge and these tools can foster a safer work environment.
Employee assistance programs (EAPs) can be extremely beneficial for your workforce. Traditionally, EAPs help with personal issues, such as relationship challenges or stress management. However, they can also help with opioid usage. Like any other EAP, a program geared specifically toward opioids can help employees or their loved ones deal with debilitating addiction and put energy back into their lives.
Because substance misuse and mental health issues can create a significant impact, many companies choose to offer EAPs. However, an EAP is only useful if it is tailored to the employees’ needs. In this case, resources are needed to fight opioid addictions.
Employee assistance programs supply professionals who provide counseling to employees and their families in a safe and private atmosphere. Utilizing an EAP will not jeopardize an employee’s job or chance for promotion, which are two repercussions many drug users fear. These factors lower barriers and can encourage more people to seek help.
EAPs allow a limited number of counseling sessions available to employees at no cost. Should an employee and their counselor decide that a referral to an outside provider is necessary, those costs will then be the employee’s responsibility.
EAPs and employee communication campaigns can be great for encouraging employees to get help for themselves or those in their life with an addiction. Integrating these methods with other benefits options can build a more comprehensive opioid combat strategy. Here are some additional benefits you can offer to bolster your efforts:
Many health plans include access to some mental health services, but there may be more you can offer. Services like behavioral treatment, mental health inpatient services and substance misuse programs can strengthen your health plan and add greater value for employees.
To ensure that no stigma surrounding mental health exists within your organization, it’s important to properly train management on recognizing the signs of mental illness, excessive workplace stress, workplace bullying and fatigue.
Wellness programs are a great way to encourage employees to live a healthier lifestyle and offer alternatives. Ways to incentivize participation include offering subsidized gym memberships, weight-loss programs with prizes for hitting milestones, coupons for local health food stores, onsite health screenings and discounted personal training.
Opioid addiction can lead individuals down a dark path. These wellness programs—and their perks—can help encourage healthy behaviors and provide guidance for those in need. Paired with other treatment programs, such as an EAP, wellness programs can help ensure those coping with addiction have a healthy mind and body.
There are several pain management classes that were created to combat the overreliance on prescription painkillers. These classes provide education about sustainable pain management. Typically, programs integrate with multiple health professionals such as doctors, pharmacists, nurses and therapists. The goal is to teach patients about their risk of addiction if they are taking high doses of opioids and to inform them about alternative pain management techniques. This resource can create lasting change for those in need.
Employers play a pivotal role when supporting employees and their loved ones through opioid addiction. By educating employees on the risks, encouraging open communication, creating a safe environment and bolstering support through EAPs and other health benefits, employers show that they care. For more information and tips on how to combat the opioid crisis contact a trusted advisor.
*This blog is not intended to serve as legal advice for individual fact-specific legal cases or as a legal basis for your employment practices.
Learn how naloxone can become a life-saving resource at your organization. Our panel discussed costs, training and the right policies to put into place in our webinar recap over Addressing The Opioid Crisis.
