Hidden costs: substance abuse at work.

Taking the appropriate steps to understand the impact of alcohol and drug abuse in the workplace will help businesses eliminate unnecessary costs and other problems that result from substance abuse. Alcohol and drug abuse in the workplace is not a small problem, nor can it be ignored without a slew of negative consequences. The "2001 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse" (2002) reports that 76 percent of illicit drug users are employed either full- or part-time. This, in turn, creates a wide range of problems for businesses that fail to recognize the severity of substance abuse and the attention it ultimately requires.

It is a simple fact: substance abuse generates enormous and excessive costs for businesses. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates that alcohol and drug abuse costs American businesses roughly $81 billion in lost productivity in only one year, with $37 billion due to premature death and $44 billion due to illness (1995). Additionally, a study by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce revealed that workers with substance abuse problems function at merely two-thirds of their normal productivity level, and are five times more likely to file a workers' compensation claim. Absenteeism is yet another way in which businesses suffer from alcohol and drug abuse. In a report by The National Association of Treatment Providers (1991), alcoholism alone is estimated to cause 500 million lost workdays annually. You can visit Ensuring Solutions at http://www.ensuringsolutions.org to find valuable resources on alcohol abuse and to find out how much alcoholism may be costing your company.

It is also quite common for individuals with substance abuse problems to have higher health care costs. Although these costs are significantly reduced by appropriate methods of alcohol and drug treatment, they are rarely connected directly to substance abuse, and instead are attributed to other illnesses such as hypertension, HIV, liver disease, and co-occurring mental disorders.

There are, however, many options available to employers that can benefit both the business and its employees. Businesses should first set an appropriate example by taking the necessary steps to establish a drug-free work environment. Visit SAMHSA's (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) Workplace Resource Center at www.drugfreeworkplace.gov, which provides information on drug testing and substance abuse, along with other useful resources to assist any business interested in maintaining a drug-free workplace. Other resources are available as well. The Substance Abuse Information Database, for example, which can be found at http://said.dol.gov/, is an interactive database that provides extensive materials relating to issues of substance abuse in the workplace.

Businesses should then look to educate their entire staff in order to prevent substance abuse problems before they begin, or to at least recognize certain characteristics of substance abuse in its early stages. Supervisor training and employee education are two ways of shining a light on the detrimental effects of substance abuse that are either ignored or kept in secrecy by company staff. Tarzana Treatment Centers, for example, provides free, one-hour community seminars and management consultations that inform and educate businesses on substance abuse issues that thrive in the workplace. Upon gathering this information, businesses can demonstrate their understanding of substance abuse within the work environment, and thus generate a more comfortable work setting for those employees who do require treatment.

Providing an easy path for employees who do need help with substance abuse is the most efficient way for businesses to avoid hidden costs and increase productivity. Drug treatment is costly for most individuals, and, even with health insurance, people will find that some employers do not include substance abuse benefits within their coverage plans. The ideal situation would be for businesses to provide health care benefits that cover substance abuse treatment, counseling, and other behavioral health services. It is important for businesses to be aware of treatment options, even if those options are not covered by health care benefits. In these situations, management can still assist employees in locating reputable professionals and treatment facilities for substance abuse, as well as other co-occurring conditions such as mental disorders and medical problems. In the "Report to Congress on the Prevention and Treatment of Co-occurring Substance Abuse Disorders and Mental Disorders," the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (2002) asserts that people with co-occurring disorders can and do recover when they have access to appropriate treatment services.

With September designated National Alcohol & Drug Addiction Recovery Month, this is a perfect opportunity for businesses to promote the message set forth by Recovery Month: "that recovery from substance abuse in all its forms is possible." Recovery Month is sponsored by SAMHSA's Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT), which works with both public and private treatment organizations to expand the scope of substance abuse treatment services, and to educate the public on the national impact of substance abuse. More information on National Alcohol & Drug Addiction Recovery Month is available at www.tarzanatc.org.

Ken Bachrach, Ph.D. is Clinical Director for Tarzana Treatment Centers. His e-mail address is [e-mail] . If you would like to discuss the contents of this article in further detail, please contact Patti Moody in our Customer Service Department at 800 996 1051 or visit www.tarzanatc.org.