Working Partners: For the first time in state history, treatment/prevention providers and businesses collaborate in 17 communities to create a drug-free workforce

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Sept. 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, employers, community leaders and Community Behavioral Health Boards from 17 Ohio communities gathered to celebrate a first-of-its-kind initiative that brought them together to work toward a drug-free workforce in Ohio.

The Drug-Free Workforce Community Initiative (DFWCI), a public-private partnership between the state of Ohio and Working Partners® to address the economic threat of substance abuse by employees and job seekers in Ohio, began in October 2016. This is the first time a collaboration of this magnitude has taken place, and the results are noteworthy:

• 270 stakeholders representing 200 organizations participated in the Initiative and created sustainability plans to continue the Initiative efforts.
• 70 businesses attended a free, 14-hour technical assistance course and received in-depth education and guidance to develop (or refine) a state-of-the-art and legally-sound drug-free workplace policy and program, impacting more than 10,000 employees and their families.
• A first-of-its-kind, statewide survey was conducted, with 1,484 community leaders and 3,229 businesses participating, assessing perceptions, attitudes, knowledge and practices related to preventing and addressing the harmful use of substances in the workplace.

Of note, the survey found that 40 percent of Ohio employers do not have a professional resource identified when an employee needs help with an alcohol or other drug problem, and one in three Ohio employers are not familiar with the taxpayer-funded alcohol/drug services in their communities.

These findings underscore the Initiative's importance, with participants noting that it has bridged the gap between businesses and service providers and changed how they work together.

"Our behavioral health system has been motivated to engage the business community in a different conversation. I've seen an awakening happen in our community as a result of this Initiative," said Tammy Nicholl, Director of Service Systems, MHD&AS Board of Logan & Champaign Counties.

"We are proud of what these communities have accomplished. Within every participating community, there are countless businesses who will have the resources they need and these communities will be better equipped to support a safer, healthier and more productive local workforce," said Dee Mason, founder and CEO of Working Partners®.  

Working Partners® is a consulting and training firm offering full-service drug-free workplace (DFWP) consultation, training and support services to individual companies and system leaders. With more than 28 years of experience in developing drug-free workplace policies, procedures and products, Working Partners® is the acknowledged industry leader, endorsed and recognized by the state of Ohio, prominent employer associations, businesses and community leaders across the state.  For more information, visit: www.WorkingPartners.com.

SOURCE Working Partners

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