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EAPs have their roots in identifying and supporting workers with alcohol problems. It is estimated that only about one out of every 20 seriously impaired worker contacts the EAP. Alcohol problems that cause lost productivity, absenteeism, excess emergency department and hospital use by those that are not engaged by EAPs (the other 19 out of 20 workers) - add $61 billion to the nation's health care bill every year. The workplace remains a logical focal point for help, since approximately 77% of individuals with a substance use disorder are employed. It is important to identify employees in trouble and refer them to the EAP to tap into recovery resources. When employees abuse drugs or alcohol they are three and a half times more likely to be involved in a workplace accident, resulting in increased workers' compensation and disability claims, say George Washington University researchers. Further one in five workers report being injured or put in danger on the job because of a colleague's drinking, or having to work harder, redo work, or cover for a coworker as a result of a fellow employee's drinking. Adult workers with substance abuse problems also miss more work, an average of 43% more days per year, than employees without a substance abuse disorder. They are also more likely to jump from job to job. They seek emergency room attention 25% more often than their peers. In addition, they have health care costs more than twice that of the rest of the population. More employers are implementing EAPs to deal with alcohol related problems among their employee population. In the past 15 years the proportion of businesses with EAPs has more than doubled, from about 33% in 1995 to 75% in 2009, according to surveys from the Society for Human Resource Management. LMA-EAP helps organizations reduce the business and human costs associated with unaddressed alcohol problems by providing training to help supervisors identify the signs to make referrals, and counseling resources to help the individual. Holly Gardner Socolow, MHS, is Manager of Employee Assistance Services at Life Management Associates. You can contact Holly at 717.394.6688 / 800.327.7770 or via email hsocolow@lifemanagement.cc
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LMA-EAP | LMA Consulting Group | Life Management Associates | LMA Systems Group, Inc. |
