NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Reno County Substance Misuse Health Educator Seth Dewey gave a presentation earlier this month to the Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce luncheon and he believed it was important to let business owners know that it is likely they are already employing someone with substance use issues.
"Forty million individuals in the United States have a diagnosed substance use disorder, that means the actual medical condition, what some would call an addiction," Dewey said. "As far as those go, 75% of those individuals are actually employed."
Having a policy for substances in the workplace is not optional, given the potential loss of productivity.
"This is one of those things," Dewey said. "Even alcohol, that we don't always view as a diagnosed substance use disorder, this is one of those things. Individuals who engage in alcohol or substance use cost employers $7000 annually in lost productivity."
It's important to be clear about expectations right away.
"If you have a drug policy in place and you start talking about it right off the bat, right when an individual gets hired and you talk about how you are a recovery supportive workplace, it lets the individual know exactly where you stand," Dewey said. "Hey, we're not going to tolerate X, Y, and Z, because of X, Y and Z. Here's what it costs, and therefore it costs you. But, you also let them know that you support recovery, so that if something does happen, you go in for a surgery or a dentist's appointment and they prescribe a narcotic, it just opens up that door for honest and open communication and it just sets the tone for a better environment."
Workers with untreated substance use disorders miss an average of 24.6 work days a year.
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