Grants Pass Now

Denise Olson and Steven Monroe, Community Corrections employees, head up the Employer Recovery Support Solutions committee of the Josephine County Methamphetamine Task Force.

“If we keep doing what we’re doing, we’re going to keep getting what we’re getting.” — Stephen R. Covey

Chances are, your business has a drug problem.

In a study done by the Department of Health and Human Services*, it is found that nearly 1 in 5 full time workers between the ages of 18 and 25 have used illicit drugs in the past month. While the numbers drop with subsequent age groups, the total number of drug users remains surprisingly high and does not include marijuana or heavy alcohol use.

What does this mean for your business? To be blunt, it means less profit. It means more time and money spent on repeatedly hiring and training new employees, often without knowing why the previous employee failed to work out. It means a possible increase in losses due to theft and a greater likelihood of accidents occurring on the job site.

What does it mean for those recovering from addiction or struggling with it now? Most often, they are reluctant to share information. The task force has seen clients go out to the workforce where they’re very vulnerable, and they ask them to be successful. The problem continuously seen is that the employer has no idea that the employee is struggling with this condition…this addiction. For new people in recovery, this is the most stressful time for them. Therefore you have an employee coming to work stressed out, frustrated, going through withdrawal symptoms, and the employer is left to wonder what the problem is. When the worker is afraid to say he/she’s an ex drug addict (and sometimes the employer doesn’t even want to know), there is a tremendous conflict.

Steve Monroe, a Josephine County Corrections employee, is well aware of this problem. When Denise Olsen, a founding member of the Meth Task Force, asked him to become part of a group task force to come up with new ideas for combating the issue, Steve was quick to say yes. They broke off into sub groups, and the Employer Recovery Support Solutions (ERSS) program began to take shape and is still in the process of being molded.

ERSS wants to introduce ways for both employers and employees to cope with this issue in a way that will prove beneficial to both parties. They use the analogy of a copy machine. If the machine is giving you trouble, do you waste the money you invested in it and buy a new one? No. You try to figure out what is wrong, and if needed, a repair man is contacted. That isn’t a very helpful solution, but it is often what happens when an employee isn’t working out. They are often dismissed without much ado, and a new employee is brought in to take their place. What ERSS wants to do is offer employers more productive resolutions to retain their employees, which in turn will help troubled workers be supported on the job.

Because many business owners and managers may not have the time or ability to attend classes or meetings, the idea came about to assemble packets of information and present them to local businesses. The packets would also be available for employees to hand deliver to their bosses. ERSS believes this is a way to create avenues for employers and employees to meet and strip away the anonymity of drug addiction, allowing workers to be safe in telling their employees “I’m in recovery, and need to tell you some issues that are going on.” The information given will allow businesses to understand the medical aspects of addiction and be willing to understand and help support the person going through it. A website will be set up that talks about the 12 steps of narcotics/alcoholics anonymous and will answer questions such as the definition of a sponsor, along with listing resources for both employers and employees.

So why is this the time to introduce such a program? Mr. Monroe has seen the justice system first hand and realizes that just locking up drug users simply doesn’t work. Not only that, but our county is facing a budget crisis that reduces the number of officers on the streets and reduces the availability of jail space, with some jails being completely eliminated. What we’ve done isn’t working anymore. If we continue, we will get what we’ve always gotten, and right now we’re getting a high rate of drug use and those who return to that lifestyle. Employers are getting the short end of the deal, having to hire and retrain over and over and losing money in the process. Having an alternative plan isn’t just a good idea, it’s now become a necessity. It’s time to go head to head with this problem and find solutions instead of throwing it behind bars and hoping it will go away.

This will not only benefit those who fight with addiction, it will enable employers to retain those they hired and lead to a more compassionate and caring environment. It’s a way to fight drug use in our county in a logical and humane way. Right now, people in recovery are lost in that time frame between leaving treatment and going back to work. ERSS would like to fill that gap and have them know there are people out there who are concerned enough to ask them how their day is going and if they’ve been going to their meetings, and know there are people out there supporting their recovery.

While there will always be a degree of recidivism, it can be reduced. While this program is still in the planning stages, the Josephine County Meth Task Force Employee Recovery Support Solution program will be in operation quite soon. Steve Monroe and his fellow workers are excited to be bringing this fresh new perspective to Josephine County employers and employees, and hope that they will be able to assist you with any questions or concerns you may have.

While more information on this group will soon be available, those who have questions or need help now can contact the JoCo meth task force by visiting this link: http://www.josephinecountymethtaskforce.org/