HomeMy WebLinkAbout1979 02-28 Drug abuse program made available to city employees THE REVIEW ,ceha8,j9
Drug abuse program made
available to city employees
Many corporations and businesses are individuals suffering from the disease of
beginning to offer drug and alcoholism alcoholism and chemical dependency.
programs for their employees.The city of IT STATES that alcoholism and drug
Maplewood has joined their ranks. abuse is a medical illness, and the in-
Recognition is being made of the fact dividual's best interests are served when
that employees may have a problem and it is recognized and treated promptly.
need treatment After investing a lot of Only when job performance and-at
training time and salaries to employees. tendance is hampered by problem
employers aren't anxious to merely drinking and drug abuse will it be
terminate employment because of drug regarded as a company problem.
related problems; they would rather Employees seeking the treatment will
spend the effort to rehabilitate someone. not jeopardize their job security. If an
The Maplewood City Council Feb. 20 employee does not cooperate and is in-
approved an alcoholism and drug abuse different to the rehabilitation—and the
program for city employees. "The job performance is affected — then
hospital(St.John's Hospital) offered this normal disciplinary action will be taken.
referral service,so it made sense to take Once an employee feels they may have
it,"Eric Blank,acting city manager said. a problem, they are encouraged to con-
"The hospital and I have met several tact the management. All treatment will
times to discuss this.Now,if a supervisor be handled confidentially.
feels there is a problem, there is an But, management has authority to
avenue to treat the problem." determine whether the alcohol-drug
LLOYD SODERBERG, community dependent employee is kept or fired. The
industrial coordinator at St. John's, in- consultants and medical personnel are
dicated to the council that he would im- advisors.They would be contacted before
plement the program for Maplewood at no final action is taken,but will not take part
charge; this included training of super- in the decision making process.
visory personnel and assisting in writing "I don't know of any problems
of the city's policy and procedures. currently, but that is not to say there
Diagnostic and referral services will also aren't any," Blank said.
be provided at no charge. Any treatment cost will be the em-
According to the statement of policy, ployees responsibility,and in many cases
the primary objective of the program is to benefits are available through health
provide assistance and treatment to those insurance policies for such treatment.