When Substance Abuse Hits at Work: Insights from an Accolade Nurse
Contrary to stereotype, 70 percent of people addicted to alcohol and other drugs are employed.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 25 million Americans suffer from drug addiction, but only about 10 percent of those who need treatment actually get it. Substance abuse costs employers an estimated $80 billion per year ($10 billion of it is due to opioid abuse), according to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse.
Research demonstrates that alcohol and drug treatment pays for itself in reduced healthcare costs that begin as soon as people start the recovery process. Treatment reduces absenteeism, sickness, injuries and accidents. It also improves productivity and reduces the cost of replacing employees who must be let go because of untreated drug and alcohol problems.
That makes ensuring employees and their families have access to effective drug abuse treatment both a human and a business imperative. As an on-demand healthcare concierge for employers, health plans and health systems, Accolade Health Assistants have a unique role in helping people with addiction and their families understand and navigate through this difficult journey.
Caryn Hartman, RN is on Accolade’s behavioral health team, which helps people negotiate a host of mental and behavioral health issues. “We play such an important role in filling a huge gap in people’s’ lives,” Hartman said. “Many people simply don’t have an objective, compassionate third party who is willing to work with them to get the care they need. We help those we serve get to a place of health and stability in the most compassionate, cost effective, supportive way possible.”
However, addiction is a unique health matter that requires a sophisticated approach. Here are five insights Accolade’s staff has learned from their work with employees struggling with addiction:
1. It takes a village. When dealing with addiction, many clients don’t realize the range of cross-cutting issues involved from mental health to physical ailments and disease. That’s why it can be important to draw on a team of professionals with different skills and experience in a range of mental health, clinical and social support issues. “It’s not just nurses — it’s addiction specialists, adolescent specialists, life coaches, dieticians and more,” Hartman said.
2. Treating the whole person. Accolade co-founder and COO Tom Spann encourages employers to recognize that one-size-fits-all approaches don’t work. “Every person is different. Each person has their own story, their own context, their own culture and background. You have to really tailor the plan for that unique individual.” Accolade focuses on getting to know people within the context of their full life to link people with the treatment and social support that matches the unique needs of each person.
3. Addiction is a family disease. “It is always important to consider the dynamics of a person’s relationships and to understand how they change when a person makes a strong recovery,” Hartman said. “We always encourage family members to get support and in some cases, professional help to understand how to battle the dysfunction that seeps into relationships and families.” This often means raising awareness about Employee Assistance Programs that many employees don’t know are available.
4. The denial hurdle. Getting people into treatment can be a delicate process because denial is a core symptom of addiction for both the addict and those who love them. It takes trust to break through the denial and barriers to seeking treatment. Accolade clinicians like Caryn earn trust by being there and helping with every healthcare issue and getting to know the person as a human being beyond the health issue they are facing.
Engaging with individuals in a personal, nonjudgmental way is particularly important when those addicted and their families may not be ready to admit they have a problem or to see that the source of their health issues may be addiction.
Gaining the trust of the individual is equally as important in helping them reach the “golden moment” when denial is low and motivation to get better and seek treatment is high.
5. Understanding benefits. Employees seeking addiction treatment need help determining what care is covered. For example, some levels of residential services require preauthorization and must meet medical necessity criteria. Hartman helps employees navigate coverage questions and follow through in seeking the care they need.
Often, the last thing people think about during their golden moment is what their benefits are covering. They walk out of treatment programs only to find themselves sober, but deeply in debt. Caryn tries to make sure that doesn’t happen.
Effective treatment and recovery offers individuals and their families a new life, health and hope for the future. That is a workplace benefit that will pay dividends for generations.
