UPDATED March 23, 2021: Find a recording of the March 23 Zoom information session below.
ATHENS, OHIO, March 1, 2021 – The Athens-Hocking-Vinton Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Board (317 Board) has announced a new partnership with the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) that will allow employers to be reimbursed for expenses related to workplace policy revisions and employee training on the topic of substance use.
The BWC Substance Use Recovery and Workplace Safety Program will cover expenses such as:
Development or review of an employer’s substance use policies, including a legal review
Trainings to teach employees about their workplace’s substance use policies
Trainings to enable supervisors to better manage employees in recovery
Drug testing for prospective or existing employees in recovery
“Meaningful employment is integral to recovery in the way that it provides individuals with structure, purpose, community, and financial self-sufficiency,” says Deputy Director of the 317 Board Svea Maxwell. “We are excited to offer these resources from the BWC to local employers, which will support both area business and people in recovery.”
Business owners in Athens, Hocking, and Vinton counties are invited to attend an online information session via Zoom on Tuesday, March 23 at 2 p.m. at this link (Meeting ID: 982 6209 4465 | Passcode: 006332).
“We are pleased to partner with the Athens-Hocking-Vinton ADAMHS Board to bring this benefit to local employers,” says BWC Regional Business Development Manager Bob Braun. “Our goal is to equip employers with tools that help their staff effectively manage substance use issues in the workplace. Substance use has worsened during the pandemic, so providing these resources will create healthier, safer, and more inclusive workplaces.”
Participating businesses and their employees will also have access to BWC’s Better You, Better Ohio!® a free health and wellness benefit designed to encourage healthy lifestyles.
Interested employers can learn more about the Substance Use Recovery and Workplace Safety Program and enroll online on the BWC website at bit.ly/SURWSP.
About the Athens-Hocking-Vinton 317 Board
The Athens-Hocking-Vinton Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Board (317 Board) is one of 50 boards across Ohio that plan, fund, and evaluate a community-based system of care for individuals in need of behavioral health or substance use disorder recovery services. For more than 50 years, the 317 Board has ensured a quality, comprehensive network of care that includes prevention, treatment, and recovery services. Learn more at www.317Board.org.
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