SPOTLIGHT ON MENTAL HEALTH


benefits and offerings plus other local and national programs should also be included.


 Engaging the Organization Communicate the State of SUDs in the Industry. To combat the stigma around SUDs, conveying to the organization the national scope of the problem and how individuals and organizations are grappling with it can break down barriers and start internal conversations.


Create and Send a CEO Letter. It is imperative that the CEO and senior leadership communicate their buy-in on any SUD programs to make employees feel comfortable going to their managers and HR to request time off or utilize benefits.


Provide SUD Materials During Open Enrollment. Take advantage of employees’ attention and include information on SUDs and mental health and treatment benefit offerings.


Produce Guiding Principles and Cross-Functional Advisory Teams. Creating a cross-functional SUD advisory team that draws repre- sentatives from all departments will further show an organization’s commitment to SUD awareness.


Managers  Empower and Educate Managers Provide SAMHSA’s Guidelines for Supervisors. Te Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) has created a more formal document that educates, trains, and provides tools to managers to hasten a mentality shift in an organization around SUDs.


Review Frequently Asked Questions by Managers. As the organi- zation begins to roll out its SUDs initiative, mangers will most likely have questions on their roles and responsibilities. Reviewing FAQ


www.AGC-CA.org


with them can set a baseline of legal and corporate responsibilities plus frame the correct non-judgmental language around SUDs.


Review Scenarios and Manager Tip Sheet. With SUDS being pervasive, managers will probably run into situations where employees either come to them, or they need to address a SUD related matter. Creating a document or utilizing other resources to prep managers on these conversations can make an uncomfortable conservation empathetic and productive.


Employees  Supporting Employees Review Frequently Asked Questions by Employees. With the organi- zation paying greater attention SUDs, employees will have questions for managers and HR. An FAQ should be provided that answers baseline questions.


Review Scenarios and Employee Tip Sheet. Tis document will educate on the signs of SUDs so they can recognize them in themselves and others, as well as provide infor- mation on the available resources.


Create a Check List. HR should create a checklist that aggregates all the above and encourages managers to be advocate for the new SUD initiative through continuing education, creating open forums, utilizing the proper language, and creating a non-judgmental environment.


Supporting Unionized Field Employees


HR practitioners can feel distanced


from unionized field employees because the basic HR function of hiring and benefit administration is the responsi- bility of the unions. Despite this, HR departments should reach out to the field and have unionized craft workers and field management experience the organizational shifts on SUDs.


One way to support union


employees is for an HR department to have the necessary contact information available for the Member Assistant Programs (MAP). HR departments can contact each signatory union to secure MAP contact information and from there should give this information to field safety mangers and superin- tendents to post in every site trailer. Having basic program and contact information available can be the difference between seeking help or not. Additionally, the organization


should reach out to their signatory unions and see if there are any programs for SUDs beyond the MAP. Some unions have developed programs where union members act as peer recovery specialists and recovery coaches full time. Utilizing materials like a CEO


letter, SUD-related material, toolbox talks, safety meetings, and stand downs on SUDs and related topics can be important in showing the field the organization takes SUDs seriously. Te construction industry is made


up of hardworking men and women working in a ‘tough-guy’ culture of keeping your head down and getting the job done. Tese attitudes have begun to shift for the better, but they still exist when it comes to SUDs and mental health. But by working to create an


environment around SUDs that is non-judgmental and encourages employees to utilize the available resources for themselves and their families, HR departments can lead the industry to address these issues in real practical matters and ensure their employees are safe, healthy, focused, and productive. 


Te preceding was adapted from


Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in Construction presented by Kathy Freitas, SCP, SPHR and Brendan Carter, Esq. at the AGC of America 2019 Construction HR and Training Professionals Conference.


Associated General Contractors of California 21


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