Addiction curtails health of many Bucyrus businesses

Ann was able to balance her addictions with her work life for 15 years.

Sure, she often switched jobs, but like 70 percent of drug abusers in America, the 40-year-old kept finding somewhere to work. Ann is a pseudonym, as she asked to remain anonymous due to concerns about her current job.

Ann had managed her addiction to pills and alcohol until three years ago when her drug use shifted to shooting up heroin while living in Pennsylvania. She began prostituting to feed her habit and became homeless, spurring her to get help and eventually move near family in Mansfield.

"You can't really get the help you need until you're ready yourself," she said.

Her longtime use while working isn't unique. According to a recent online survey of 500 people by Mashable via SurveyMonkey, nearly 10 percent reported smoking marijuana before work and 28 percent said they had used prescription medication.

"The drug problem really exacerbates the employers' ability to find good workers; good being skilled with a work ethic and safe," said Dave Williamson, Crawford County Partnership for Education & Economic Development director.

Dave Garner, plant manager at Bucyrus Precision Technology, said he could hire 100 people right now if only people could pass and continue to pass drug tests.

"We lose on a regular basis 20 percent or more on pre-employment drug screens and they know (they're going to be tested) … For a long time, I thought it was us, but it's us as a society," Garner said, adding as a result he has to rely on temporary workers more than he would like.

Williams said anyone he's talked to in economic development in Ohio and across the nation has expressed similar challenges in their communities.

Finding the right response is difficult, said Dee Mason, founder of Reynoldsburg-based Working Partners, a drug-free workplace consulting firm. Unlike the past where marijuana was the primary drug abused, the prevalence of heroin, pain pills, and methamphetamine also is a concern for businesses.

"We have got a quagmire going on that us in the field don't know what to attack first," Mason said. "You can't focus resources when you don't know where to attack."

Scope of the problem

In 2013, the National Survey on Drug Use reported nearly 22 million people (8.2 percent of Americans) 12 and older had a substance abuse disorder and 70 percent of them were working. And since most are working, they cost employers an estimated $81 billion each year for a variety of issues from increased medical costs to decreased productivity.

Nationally, there was a 5.7 percent increase in positive workplace drug tests in 2013, the first increase Quicken Diagnostics had reported since 2003.

Although Quicken hasn't released state-level data, Adena Occupational Health in Chillicothe, whose medical review officer reviews drug test results for companies across the nation, reported that 3.5 percent of more than 4,000 tests each year come back positive. Marijuana, opiates and Oxycodone are the most common drugs found.

"We've had people go through hiring steps, send for a drug test and they failed it. They say, 'I thought I stopped long enough ago that I would pass,'" said Brad Hutchinson, co-owner of Carroll-based Company Wrench.

Not all businesses screen for drugs and even those that do, don't after hiring someone. A 2011 survey of more than 1,000 human resources professionals revealed that although 57 percent worked for businesses that did pre-employment drug testing, 64 percent responded there was no post-employment drug testing, according to the Society for Human Resource Management.

And the issue with drugs is being cited across industries from restaurants to even law enforcement.

"Even we're having difficulties finding applicants without a drug history," said Mansfield Police Chief Ken Coontz.

According to CDC behavioral risk surveys for 2006 to 2012, more than a quarter of Crawford County residents reported excessive drinking, which is two or more drinks daily for men and one or more for women, compared to 18 percent statewide.

The county's drug overdose rate of 15.1 deaths per 100,000 residents from 2008 to 2013 is slightly higher than the state rate of 15 deaths.

What's a business to do?

In response, more than half of American employers are conducting pre-employment drug testing, according to a 2011 survey by the Society for Human Resource Management.

"Most employers think they are doing something about (providing a) drug-free workplace," Mason said.

What that looks like can vary, but Mason feels the most effective program has not only drug testing, but a written policy and annual education sessions for employees. Another important component is an employee assistance plan, which employees can consult anonymously to get connected to drug treatment and other resources to cope with life issues.

Ohio's Bureau of Workers Compensation encourages businesses to have an extensive drug-free workplace program by offering a premium rebate up to 7 percent. The requirements include a written policy, drug testing, education, and employee assistance.

Between 2008 and 2012, 81 percent of full-time workers reported their employer had a written policy; 45 percent received educational materials; and 60 percent had access to an employee assistance plan, according to a 2014 report from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

Workforce priority

In January, state officials kicked off Start Talking! BIZ in an effort to pool resources for Ohio businesses looking for ways to combat drug issues. Mason's company was tapped to spearhead the development of the program, which includes an email program with tips geared toward businesses.

"It's started some phenomenal discussions," Mason said.

It has also started a pilot project in the Marion-Crawford county area focused on bringing the treatment and business community together to connect users with information. The idea is when someone fails a pre-employment drug test, the business will provide information on where to get treatment.

"Obviously, you're not going to hire them, but you turn them onto (getting treatment) … (This pilot) is really about workforce development," Mason said.

The program is modeled after an initiative Working Partners did in the Allen, Auglaize and Hardin county area.

Crawford County officials have been attempting to address the issue in other ways, especially after identifying drugs as a priority issue in its 20/20 Vision plan five years ago.

"Employers have been asking police to come in and help them talk with employers about the issues," Williamson said.

More businesses also are beginning to hold jobs for employees who admit they have a problem and successfully get help, he added.

"I think it indicates a real awareness of the problem and an awareness that these are human beings that can be productive … It's been a lot more open than it's ever been before and that's how you fix the problem," Williamson said.

Second chances

Many times a positive drug test results in termination, especially for federally regulated industries such as transportation and businesses that are very safety-sensitive.

At Kenworth, a heavy truck manufacturer in Chillicothe, plant manager Judy McTigue said they can't risk bringing someone back not only because of plant safety, but because they need to ensure their product is safe on the highway.

"The best thing for an employee is to ask for help either from our human resources department or from the assistance program. Once it becomes an employment issue, it's going to end in termination," McTigue said, noting they've been boosting awareness of those options.

Promoting assistance programs was a recommendation in a 2014 report from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health where they found full-time workers ages 18 to 25 were less likely to know about the program despite having a higher substance abuse rate than older adults.

At Bucyrus Precision Technology, Garner said they also fire someone when they have a positive test and consistently have problems with high turnover due to their random drug testing. However, if the employee admits to having a problem before their name is pulled to be tested, he said they try to help.

"If you have a problem, come to us and we hope to get you to where you can get some help," Garner said.

While there have been employees who have taken them up on the offer, Garner said they haven't seen anyone remain clean of drugs long-term.

The value for second chances to employers is not only possibly salvaging training investment in an employee, but it also can engender loyalty, Mason said.

"You've saved their life," she said.

For Ann, it's the vocational rehabilitation at Progress Industries in Mansfield that helps keep her inspired despite lapses in her recovery. Aside from employment, they've helped connect her with other resources and she recently moved into her own home.

"I didn't think it was possible. I pictured myself dying from addiction … I would not have gotten the job I have now had I not had the opportunity to work with (Progress Industries)," Ann said.

Jessie Balmert contributed to this report.

jison@Gannett.com

Twitter: @JonaIson

Past month illicit drug use

Source: National Survey on Drug Use and Health 2013

Start Talking! BIZ

Have a business and want tips to stay on top of drug issues and new free resources for employers? Signup for emailed BIZ Tips at starttalking.ohio.gov/Business.

Employees on drugs

Studies show there are many signs of employee substance abuse. Some clues to look for include:

•Change jobs frequently.

•Be late to or absent from work.

•Be less productive.

•Be involved in a workplace accident and potentially harm others.

•File a workers' compensation claim.

Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse

Five to thrive

This package is a part of our year-long look into the five most pressing issues for Crawford County. It details the struggles businesses face with employees battling addiction, and the efforts communities across Ohio are taking to help.

Other installments of this series are:

• Closing the skills gap (from March)

• Developing the next generation of leaders

• Increasing education as a priority

• Making the community primed for success

Find all of our content for this series at BucyrusTelegraphForum.com/future.

Coming Monday

How the legalization of marijuana is affecting company drug testing.