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Why Business May Be Overlooking Problem Drinking

Identifying and treating alcohol problems can produce dramatic benefits for both employees and employers. In addition to restoring the health and productivity of valuable workers, identifying and treating alcohol problems soon pays for itself in reduced health care costs, studies have proven time and again. These reductions begin as soon as treatment is initiated. Alcoholism treatment also helps reduce health care costs among all family members.

Yet employers are spending less than ever on treating alcohol and drug addiction. Over the last decade, private and independent sector spending on addiction treatment has declined by an average of 0.6 percent annually while health care costs in general increased by 5.4 percent. Streamlining under managed care is partly responsible for this trend, but the fact remains that few American workers use their job's health insurance benefits to access alcoholism treatment.

Why? Anecdotal evidence suggests several reasons. Since alcohol treatment represents such a tiny fraction of their overall health care costs — most estimates suggest less than 0.1 percent — employers may not be paying it much attention, especially if they fail to consider the additional costs associated with absenteeism and decreased productivity.

If companies have a well-established Employee Assistance Program (EAP), they may believe they are doing everything that they can. Focus group research conducted by Ensuring Solutions to Alcohol Problems indicates that many business leaders believe that an EAP is sufficient to address alcoholism in the workplace.

A strong EAP is a good start but the services it can provide often are underutilized. One study indicated that just 1.5 percent of workers use their EAP for an alcohol or drug problem. Unless an employer fosters a culture that supports identification and treatment and reduces stigma and fear of retribution — such as being passed over for a raise or a promotion — many workers can be discouraged from seeking help.