Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in Construction · Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in...

©2019 The Associated General Contractors of America, Inc.

Kathy Freitas, SCP, SPHRDirector of People StrategiesBOND BrothersAGC MA Human Resources Committee Chair

October 9, 2019

Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in Construction

Construction HR & Training Professionals Conference

Brendan Carter, Esq.Director of Labor Relations & Employment Policy AGC MA


Presented by:

Kathy Freitas, SCP, SPHRDirector of People StrategiesBOND BrothersMedford, MAAGC MA Human Resources Committee Chair

Brendan Carter, Esq.Director of Labor Relations & Employment Policy AGC MAWellesley, MA

Building the Path to Recovery


MA Department of Public Health 2018 Study

▪A construction worker in Massachusetts is

six times more likely to die an

opioid-related death.

▪Construction workers in Massachusetts

account for a quarter of all

opioid-related deaths.

Source: https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2018/p0329-drug-overdose-deaths.html


Shaun Carvalho – V.P. of Safety, Shawmut Design and Construction

Michael Botticelli – Executive Director, Boston Medical Center’s Grayken Center for Addiction

Lisa Kelly-Croswell – Senior V.P. and Chief Human Resources Officer, Boston Medical Center

How Can AGC MA Help?


What Does the Data Say?

▪ Employees in every industry are grappling with substance use disorders – as individuals, family

members, and friends – and the construction industry has been especially hard hit. To demonstrate

the breadth of this problem, the Grayken Center for Addiction at Boston Medical Center compiled

data from multiple different sources. Key findings are shared here.

▪ Substance use disorders (SUDs) are a pervasive national problem

– Nearly 22 million Americans aged 12 or older have an SUD

– Only 1 in 10 people with SUD receive any form of treatment in a given year

– Misuse of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs costs the US more than $740 billion as a result of

SUD-related crime, lost work productivity, and avoidable healthcare utilization


Data has demonstrated that the US overdose epidemic is spreading geographically and increasing across all demographic groups

According to the CDC:

▪ Drug overdoses killed

63,632 Americans in 2016

and nearly two-thirds of

deaths (66%) involved a

prescription or illicit

opioid

▪ Overdose deaths increased

in all categories of drugs

examined for men and

women, people ages 15 and

older, all races and

ethnicities, and across all

levels of urbanization

Source: https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2018/p0329-drug-overdose-deaths.html

https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2018/p0329-drug-overdose-deaths.html


The economic impact of SUDs cannot be overstated

◦ The economic costs of SUDs are estimated at $504B or 2.8% of GDP – over 6x larger than the most recent cost estimates

◦ 73% of costs are attributed to nonfatal consequences, including: healthcare spending, criminal justice costs, and lost productivity due to addiction and incarceration

◦ 27% of costs are attributed to lost potential earnings due to death

◦ Princeton Economist, Alan Kruger, suggests that the epidemic accounts for a 20% decline in labor force participation among men

https://www.bmc.org/sites/default/files/addiction/1-meeting-presentation-state-of-the-epidemic.pptx

2.8% of

GDP

Lost

Potential

Non-Fatal

Consequences

https://www.bmc.org/sites/default/files/addiction/1-meeting-presentation-state-of-the-epidemic.pptx•Source: White House Council of Economic Advisers November 2017 – The Underestimated Cost of the Opioid Crisis

https://www.bmc.org/sites/default/files/addiction/1-meeting-presentation-state-of-the-epidemic.pptx


AGC MA Initiatives - Commercial Construction Industry Opioid Summit

Representatives from Medicine, Insurance, Labor, General Contractors, and Subcontractors


AGC MA Initiatives – AGC MA Opioid Stand-down

Building a Path to Recovery - Together We Can Stop this Deadly Epidemic


Roadmap

13

Develop policies and practices.

Engage your organization.Empower and educate

managers.

Complete the Benefits Coverage Questionnaire to ensure your plan

is providingappropriate levels of coverage

Adapt the sample Drug and Alcohol Policy and Employee

Guide for Absence Management to your organization.

Adapt the Sample CEO Letter to your organization and send out to

employees.

Use the Sample Presentation, Communicating the State of the Epidemic, to educate employees

and./or senior leaders..

Develop a cross-functional advisory team, using the Guiding Principles and Additional Steps.

Review the Manager FAQ, Scenarios/Tip Sheet, and SAMHSA s Guidelines for

Supervisors and adapt to your organization.

Distribute these materials to managers, ideally alongside

training.

Support and encourage employees.

Review the Employee FAQ, Scenarios/Tip Sheet, and

Employee Resource Guide and adapt to your organization.

Distribute materials to employees. If possible, post these materials,

alongside other policies/resources to a location where employees

can easily access.Adapt and distribute Words Matter materials, 10 Words

Stories Campaign video, and/or Open Enrollment materials.

Start


Roadmap

14



managers.






employees.







training.








StartDevelop policies and

practices.Engage your organization.

Empower and educate managers.






employees.







training.








Start


Benefits Coverage Questionnaire

▪ Ensure employees and their family

members are receiving comprehensive

and affordable health insurance coverage

for the treatment of SUDs

▪ Partner with your unions to determine the

resources for union employees.

▪ 4 things to look for:

▪ Mental health parity

▪ Medication coverage

▪ Ease of access

▪ Reporting

15


Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs)

▪ An EAP can provide employees and their families with confidential counseling and referral services

for a wide range of concerns including metal health, alcohol/substance use disorder, smoking

cessation, anxiety and more. They are generally available 24/7.

▪ Make sure you know what your EAP offers to employees because there are different levels of

service

▪ Often, they can provide on-site training for your employees on a variety of topics

▪ Unions may also have separate EAP services for their members

16


Employee Guide for Absence Management

17

▪ Understand state-specific and national leaves


Sample Drug & Alcohol Policy

18

▪ Include support and resources – not just “don’t do drugs”


Roadmap

19



managers.






employees.







training.
















employees.







training.








Start


Sample CEO Letter

20

▪ Shift the culture of your organization to destigmatize SUDs

▪ Involve executive management


Words Matter Campaign

21


Rethinking Drinking Open Enrollment Materials

22


Rethinking Drinking Open Enrollment Materials

23


24


Roadmap

25



managers.






employees.







training.
















employees.







training.








Start


Frequently Asked Questions by Managers

26

▪ HR must work with managers to make sure they have knowledge around SUDs and resources to provide to employees


Manager Tip Sheet Sample Scenarios

27



28



29


The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Guidelines for Supervisors

30


Roadmap

31



managers.






employees.







training.
















employees.







training.








Start


Frequently Asked Questions by Employees

32

▪ Employees usually go their managers if they have an issue. Likewise, managers are more likely than HR to notice their employees are dealing with an issue. HR should work with managers to provide resources to employees.


Employee Tip Sheet Sample Scenarios

33



34



35


Mental Health & Addiction Resource Guide

36


▪ Work in conjunction with your Safety Department because they’re more likely to be your eyes and ears out

on the site.

▪ If you don’t already do training on how to spot substance use on the job sites, we recommend you at least

train your supervisors and managers

▪ Safety can help with this

▪ Reasonable Suspicion Training

▪ EAPs often have training available

Safety Department

37


Case Study 1:

38

HR receives a call from Jake, a Superintendent, saying that used hypodermic needles were found in and around the site. He wants to know what he should do because he can’t prove where they came from. There are lots of subs on the job and the public has access to the area as well.

What should HR tell him to do?


Case Study 1: Suggestions

39

HR should suggest that Jake:1. Talk with the Safety Manager2. Plan a short toolbox talk about available medical benefits and EAP resources for employees3. Stress that this was a big deal

The intent is to both offer help and encourage action to deal with this sensitive issue.

The leads from the subs should also be asked to talk with their respective teams about the concerns and stress that while this was unacceptable, help is available. In addition, ask the leads, Safety, and Superintendents to keep an eye out for performance related issues that could possibly be a result of a substance use disorder. However, keep in mind that any performance conversations should not pass judgement or accuse, but instead deal with the issues head on and pro-actively.


Case Study 2:

40

Paul, a Senior Project Manager, comes forward to ask for some time off to deal with his young adult daughter who needs help/treatment for a substance use disorder.

What should HR do?


Case Study 1: Suggestions

41

If possible, through company, local, or state policies, give him paid time off to go with his daughter to a treatment facility.

Make sure he is up to speed on the benefits and EAP services that are available.

Bottom line: treat this instance the same way you would if the employee had a daughter with cancer or any other illness. Keep the specific circumstances quiet and do not share details with staff other than that the employee needed time off to deal with a family illness.

Result: Paul was grateful for HR’s understanding and appreciated the support. He was able to deal with the issue in a timely and effective manner.

©2019 The Associated General Contractors of America, Inc.42 |

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