M14: Substance Use Education & Services

(3 points)

INTENT

Increase availability and access to addiction support services, resources and care and prevent the development of substance abuse and addiction among occupants.

SUMMARY

This WELL feature requires projects to outline policies regarding drug and alcohol use in the workplace, provide education on substance use and addiction and support access to substance use services.

ISSUE

Alcohol and drug use contribute significantly to the global burden of premature death and disability. Harmful use of alcohol is a leading global risk factor, accounting for 3.3 million deaths per year (or 5.9% of all deaths) and 5.1% of the global burden of disease in 2014. Alcohol consumption has a causal relationship with over 200 health and injury conditions, including alcohol dependence, liver cirrhosis, cardiovascular disease, numerous cancers and intentional and unintentional injuries. Factors in the work environment such as work culture and stress increase the risk of alcohol use disorders. Within the workplace, alcohol use is a significant risk factor for absenteeism, presenteeism, accidents and employee turnover. Furthermore, it is estimated that approximately half of the overall social costs of alcohol are due to lost productivity. In addition to alcohol, illicit drug use remains a serious global public health concern: in 2013, 246 million people between 15 and 64 years of age used illicit drugs, of which one in ten suffered from a drug use disorder or dependency.

SOLUTIONS

Prevention programs that address substance use through education and workplace policy, as well as available and affordable screening and treatment offerings have been shown to be effective methods of preventing unhealthy substance use habits and supporting those struggling with substance abuse and addiction. Providing parity for mental health and substance use services substantially expands financial access to a wider array of necessary behavioral health services. The return on investment in offering substance use treatment and prevention services is known. For example, for each USD $1 invested in screening and brief counseling interventions saves approximately USD $4 in health care costs. Offering prevention, education and support services provides an opportunity to reduce the costs companies face as a result of undiagnosed and untreated substance abuse.  

IMPACT

Programs that seek to prevent substance abuse as well as policies that support individuals in accessing help and treatment are key strategies to help mitigate the health risks and social costs of alcohol and substance use and abuse.

REQUIREMENTS

Part 1

Promote Substance Abuse Prevention and Education (1 point)

Verified by Policy Document, Educational Materials

For All Spaces

Project policy:

The following requirement is met:

1. A policy is in place regarding the use of alcohol and drugs on-site and is clearly communicated to all employees. 

Substance use and addiction education:

All employees receive education addressing substance use and addiction, focused on increasing awareness of the following:

1. Management of personal substance use, covering, at minimum:

   1. Healthy substance use habits.
   2. Risks and signs of dependency or addiction.
   3. Short- and long-term health and productivity hazards of excessive substance use.

2. Prescription opioid education, covering, at minimum:

   1. Questions to ask at point of prescribing.
   2. Safe use (e.g., storage, disposal, driving while using).
   3. Signs of dependency or addiction.

3. How to appropriately respond to a peer struggling with substance use, covering, at minimum:

   1. How to support a peer's recovery efforts.
   2. What to do in the case of a substance use emergency (e.g., withdrawal, overdose).

 

Note: Education must be culturally appropriate and literacy level appropriate. Education can come in the form of trainings, brochures, videos, posters, pamphlets, newsletters and/or other written or online information.  

If the requirements of Part 1: Promote Substance Abuse Prevention are met through the provision of educational materials, then these can be counted toward Part 2: Promote Health and Wellness Education in Feature C01: Health and Wellness Awareness.

For WELL Core and MFR Certification, projects must make education available to all tenants.

Part 2

Provide Access to Substance Use Services (2 points)

Verified by Policy Document

For All Spaces

Substance use and addiction support services are made available to all eligible employees at no cost or subsidized by at least 50%, including the following:  

1. Ability to use sick time or take leave for substance use and addiction treatment or needs.

2. Materials or information for accessing substance use and addiction services and community resources, including clear information provided to employees about their benefits coverage and how to access care services. Resources must be made available to all employees in a confidential manner that can be independently accessed (e.g., via a health portal or employee website) so as to ease accessibility and minimize stress or fear of stigma in seeking information.

3. Insurance or employee assistance plans offering coverage for at least five of the services below:

   1. Confidential substance abuse screening and resource referral.
   2. Brief interventions (e.g., brief therapies).
   3. Outpatient and inpatient treatment.
   4. Medication-assisted treatment (e.g., methadone treatment).
   5. Peer support groups.
   6. Counseling services (e.g., behavioral therapies).
   7. Follow-up services during treatment and recovery.

4. Commitment to mental health parity, including substance use and addiction services.

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