Fortunately, there are a few key best practices and several resources available to assist employers with addressing substance abuse in the workplace. One best practice is for employers to collaborate with their vendor partners to provide targeted support to employees who may be dealing with new substance use conditions. Potential solutions or programs can include:

• Work with your wellness vendor to analyze the anonymized data from Health Risk Assessments to identify what substances employees may be misusing and determine which employees are high risk.
• Engage your employee assistance provider (EAP) to offer dedicated educational programs for employees who are at a risk for substance use and to communicate available EAP services for substance use and addiction.
• Ensure your workers’ compensation vendor has programs in place to identify and address potential overuse of prescription opioid pain medications among injured workers, including as part of a post-injury management program.
• Confirm your health insurance plan covers Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) for addictions, has enough substance use treatment providers in the network, and that substance use treatment providers are accessible to all employees.
• Verify that your pharmacy benefits management vendor includes all FDA-approved, anti-addiction medications in their drug formulary and has enough pharmacies in the network to fill those prescriptions if needed and are accessible to all employees.
• Partner with your disability insurance vendor to design and implement comprehensive stay-at-work and return-to-work programs for employees with substance use issues.

Another best practice is for employers to provide substance abuse training and education. Employers should train managers and supervisors on how to recognize the signs and symptoms of substance use conditions, as well as educate them on how to talk with employees who may be experiencing a substance abuse issue.

Employers should also educate all employees about their drug-free workplace, alcohol, and drug policies. Finally, an additional best practice is for employers to create a stigma-free workplace. For example, a company-wide, anti-stigma campaign can help to encourage employees to seek appropriate treatment and support for substance use conditions.