©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
Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in Construction
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
Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in Construction
Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in Construction
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
Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in Construction
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?
Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in Construction
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
Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in Construction
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
Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in Construction
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
Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in Construction
AGC MA Initiatives - Commercial Construction Industry Opioid Summit
Representatives from Medicine, Insurance, Labor, General Contractors, and Subcontractors
Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in Construction
AGC MA Initiatives – AGC MA Opioid Stand-down
Building a Path to Recovery - Together We Can Stop this Deadly Epidemic
Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in Construction
AGC MA Initiatives – AGC MA Opioid Stand-down
Building a Path to Recovery - Together We Can Stop this Deadly Epidemic
Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in Construction
AGC MA Initiatives – AGC MA Opioid Stand-down
Building a Path to Recovery - Together We Can Stop this Deadly Epidemic
Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in Construction
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
Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in Construction
Roadmap
14
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.
StartDevelop 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
Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in Construction
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
Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in Construction
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
Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in Construction
Employee Guide for Absence Management
17
▪ Understand state-specific and national leaves
Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in Construction
Sample Drug & Alcohol Policy
18
▪ Include support and resources – not just “don’t do drugs”
Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in Construction
Roadmap
19
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.
StartDevelop 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
Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in Construction
Sample CEO Letter
20
▪ Shift the culture of your organization to destigmatize SUDs
▪ Involve executive management
Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in Construction
Words Matter Campaign
21
Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in Construction
Rethinking Drinking Open Enrollment Materials
22
Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in Construction
Rethinking Drinking Open Enrollment Materials
23
Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in Construction
24
Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in Construction
Roadmap
25
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.
StartDevelop 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
Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in Construction
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
Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in Construction
Manager Tip Sheet Sample Scenarios
27
Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in Construction
Manager Tip Sheet Sample Scenarios
28
Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in Construction
Manager Tip Sheet Sample Scenarios
29
Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in Construction
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Guidelines for Supervisors
30
Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in Construction
Roadmap
31
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.
StartDevelop 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
Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in Construction
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.
Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in Construction
Employee Tip Sheet Sample Scenarios
33
Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in Construction
Employee Tip Sheet Sample Scenarios
34
Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in Construction
Employee Tip Sheet Sample Scenarios
35
Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in Construction
Mental Health & Addiction Resource Guide
36
Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in Construction
▪ 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
Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in Construction
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?
Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in Construction
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.
Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in Construction
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?
Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in Construction
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 |
Questions?
Construction HR & Training Professionals Conference