National Recovery Month is a national observance that educates Americans on the fact that addiction treatment and mental health services can enable those with a mental and/or substance use disorder to live a healthy and rewarding life. The observance’s main focus is to laud the gains made by those in recovery from these conditions, just as we would those who are managing other health conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, asthma, and heart disease. Recovery Month spreads the positive message that behavioral health is essential to overall health, prevention works, treatment is effective, and people can and do recover.
Employers with EAPs are in a good position to help employees find a path to recovery by noting behavior and performance changes and pointing an employee to help resources. Supervisors and managers don’t need to diagnose – simply watch for changes in behavior and performance, focus on the performance changes, and make referrals to the EAP based on those behavioral or performance issues.
Another way that employers can help is to provide employees access to materials on substance abuse and mental health issues – via the newsletter, via the organization’s intranet, via bulletin boards – however you would normally communicate about health and safety issues. Remind employees about the availability of your EAP for free, confidential services to help all employees resolve personal and workplace problems, such as substance abuse.
Here are some inspirational stories of recovery that you might share with your employees.
When complex employee issues arise, ESI EAP offers member employers direct access to Certified Senior Professionals in Human Resources (SPHR) and senior clinical counselors. If you need an Employee Assistance Program give us a call: 800-535-4841.