September 2003 is the 14^th Annual National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month celebration, and businesses are encouraged to participate.  This month-long campaign highlights the significant strides made in substance abuse treatment and educates that addiction to alcohol and other drugs is a chronic, but treatable, public health problem that impacts all segments of society, including the workplace. 

According to the 2001 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, the vast majority—76 percent—of people who are addicted to alcohol or other drugs are employed, and more than 60 percent of adults know someone who has reported for work under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. 

This creates a number of problems for businesses, such as increased absenteeism, on-the-job accidents, errors in judgment, legal expenses, medical insurance claims and illness rates and decreased productivity, profitability and employee morale.  The good news, however, is that employers have enormous potential to protect their businesses from the negative impact of substance abuse by educating employees about its dangers and encouraging individuals with substance abuse problems to seek help.

This year’s Recovery Month theme is “Join the Voices for Recovery:  Celebrating Health.”  The Department of Labor’s Working Partners program recommends a number of steps employers can take to ensure their workplace is recovery friendly—during Recovery Month and all year round.  For instance, Recovery Month provides a great opportunity to launch a new drug-free workplace program or perhaps highlight already-existing efforts.  A core component of such a program is educating employees about substance abuse basics, such as the signs and symptoms of substance abuse, treatment options and the company’s policy related to supporting employees in recovery.

Also, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) offers a free Recovery Month toolkit to assist businesses and other organizations in supporting and planning related activities in their communities.