ASHLAND – It was an event Ashland Area Chamber of Commerce President Barbie Lange wished she didn’t have to have.
A few dozen representatives of Ashland area businesses and organizations convened at a chamber event Thursday to hear an overview “A Dose of Reality,” Ohio Chamber of Commerce’s toolkit of resources to help employers respond to opioid problems in the workplace. The event was held in partnership with Ashland County Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse and Mental Health and Recovery Board of Ashland County.
“We wouldn’t get this kind of attendance if you weren’t seeing these issues in your workplaces,” MHRB Associate Director David Ross told attendees.
He was right.
Simonson Construction Safety Director Jason Chio recalled a time when an employee who had struggled for several years in his recovery from heroin suddenly stopped coming to work.
“Finally I got him on the phone and asked him what was going on,” Chio said. “He said, ‘I’m out of my prescription, and I’m afraid to leave the house. I’m afraid instead of driving to work I’ll drive to a dealer.'”
Hearing the desperation in the man’s voice, Chio stayed on the phone with the employee while the employee drove to his doctor’s office, where he was able to get help and stay in recovery.
“At the same time, if he showed up at work bombed out of his mind, I would have to follow my policy,” Chio said. “But the coaching you do up until that, that’s on the person, and it depends what kind of organization you want to be.”
Thursday’s talk was designed to point employers toward resources that will help them be prepared to navigate challenges like the one Chio described.
The “Dose of Reality” toolkit includes a five-module training program for employers as well as an hour-long course for employees, all available free online at ohiochamber.com/opioid-toolkit/.
“This toolkit is huge,” said Karen Alsop, Human Resources Director at Centerra. “It will help every employer understand how we can go back to our teams and help them understand the risks (of drug abuse) and how we can help. Our most important asset is our employees.”
Chio said he plans to send a link to the toolkit with his next weekly email to his company’s superintendents, offering them a $25 gift card as an incentive for them to complete the module.
The toolkit walks employers through best practices and options for creating and implementing drug-free workplace programs, crafting workplace policies and procedures, drug testing and responding to employee drug use.
Within the employee module are tips for how to talk to one’s doctor or pharmacist about treatment options and prescription drugs. Employees will also learn why and how to avoid problems by using drugs as directed and how to properly dispose of drugs. (In Ashland County, unwanted medications can be disposed of at prescription drug drop boxes Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Ashland County Sheriff’s Office and the Loudonville Police Department.)
In addition to going over the toolkit resources, Ross shared information about how employers should make referrals if they have an employee with a substance abuse problem. The best thing to do, he said, is to refer someone to ACCADA rather than to a specific treatment provider. Some private inpatient treatment programs can take advantage of patients and provide inadequate care or lack follow-up to prevent relapse, Ross said.
Ross also offered some guidance for employers as they navigate issues surrounding medical marijuana, which soon will be legal in Ohio. He referred employers to Working Partners or The Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities and urged them to talk with their trade and professional associations about developing policies and procedures.
A repeat of Thursday’s session will be offered for employers 3 to 4 p.m. Monday, June 11 at the Salvation Army Kroc Center. Registration is required and may be completed online at www.ashlandoh.com or by calling 419-281-4584.
