Substance Abuse Solutions Workshop Content

Most workplaces have problems with substance abuse. The typical user is not who you would see living in the street. The media has given us an image as the drug abuser and alcoholic as someone who has lost all and is living in a cardboard box. Some unfortunate people are like this but they are a small percentage of the total problem. You are more likely to find addiction problems in your neighbours, your friends, your family members or your co-worker. People around others who have addiction problems often find themselves frustrated, worried and irritable trying to deal with substance abuse and addiction. If you are trying to help someone like this it is a very hard job unless you have the right tools.  One necessary tool and the place to start is education. You need to know exactly what you are dealing with and what to expect. That way you can change your thinking about the problem in a way that will help you act. I start with the workplace in mind and ask them to pick from a list of topics I am prepared to help them with. (Please see list below) The workshop can individualized for the particular workplace or training. It may be a group of nurses I am speaking to or a group of managers that want to concentrate on particular topics.  I also have a full day session that can be an expansion of these topics and for managers or supervisors people totally unfamiliar with addiction and substance abuse issues. 

Two-hour session

This session is a quick version of addiction in the workplace. It is an ideal introduction into this topic for workplaces that need some basic information It is not as involved as the other sessions but provides helpful information. 

Half-Day Session

This is a good length for this material. Most of the topics can be covered and there is time for discussion as well. This is the most popular.

Full Day Session

This is a more expanded version of the half-day session with more group activities.

Substance Abuse Solutions Topics 

1. Dealing with Addiction and Substance Abuse-Start with the proper attitude, what are we dealing with here?

-Human resource issues, how far can I go with an addict?
-Confidentiality, how important is it?
-How to help a person with an alcohol or drug problem that does not want help.
-When enough is enough, when you can do no more with the addicted employee.
-What you must know about the addictive personality.  
-Documentation of performance, it’s importance and how to do it. 

What constitutes reasonable suspicion of drug or alcohol use?
-Responsibility, what is my responsibility as a supervisor?

-Common mistakes in helping, what not to do
-How to recognize the signs and symptoms of abuse and addiction.  
-The various drugs, what they do and how to spot their influence.
-The most dangerous drug of all
-Case scenarios of cases in the workplace.
-Things that may happen to be prepared for.
 The mandatory referral process and how that is supposed to work.

-Why EAP may not solve all your problems.

2. An Employee’s Recovery- How do I know that my employee is on the right track?
-Denial, what is denial and why addicts exhibit this trait.
-Relapse, what do I do when my employee relapses into abuse again?
-Treatment, what goes on in treatment, how are people referred, how long does it last?
-Resources in the community, what is out there to help the addicted person?
-Intervention, what is it and how does it work?

3.Drug Testing -Drug testing process and current Canadian legislation
 -Pros and cons of drug testing
 -The Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) and why you would use one. 
 -Are their alternatives to drug testing?