ABINGDON, Va. – The opioid crisis is a major health issue, but it’s also a business issue. Addiction creates major problems in the workforce – including missed work time, greater personnel turnover, hiring difficulties, higher employer costs to treat those suffering from addiction, and greater risk and lower productivity due to people working under the influence.
SHARING SOLUTIONS TOUR
In an effort to help businesses combat the opioid crisis, the U.S. Chamber Foundation is hosting a 10-city Sharing Solutions Tour, visiting communities hit hardest by the opioid epidemic. The first stop was at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center in Abingdon in April.
The event hosted 138 leaders from across the region, including numerous Ballad Health team members. This tour builds on the work of the Foundation’s online resource hub, which allows businesses to share their solutions and learn from others working on this issue.
The Chamber Foundation partnered with Ballad Health and the Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia Accountable Care Community to host the event, spearheaded by the Ballad Health Department of Population Health.
KEY POINTS
- Employers in regions with high addiction rates say hiring new employees can be a problem because they can’t find people who can pass a drug test.
- Opioid addiction often starts through legitimate pain prescriptions, particularly in rural areas where farming, manufacturing and mining are prevalent industries and commonly cause more physical pain than many other types of jobs.
- Jason Pritchard, certified peer recovery specialist for Ballad Health, spoke about his addiction, three incarcerations, his recovery and his current passion for helping others overcome their addictions to lead successful lives. “It’s important to give people a second chance,” he said.
- Businesses can and should take a leadership role in battling opioids.
- Ballad Health, as the area’s largest health system, has taken a leadership role, using a collaborative approach that includes working with many regional partners.
- A major piece of the solution for this region is an RCORP-Planning grant Ballad Health received that will help fund a consortium of regional partners to reduce opioid addiction.
- The U.S. Chamber of Commerce offers a “toolkit” of information to help businesses develop effective ways to battle opioid abuse in the workforce.
WHAT THEY SAID:
Virginia Delegate Todd Pillion: “Where some regions are just beginning to deal with the opioid problem, we’ve been dealing with it in Appalachia since the 1990s. As a result, we’ve been on the verge of losing an entire generation of people and workforce to this crisis.”
Melissa Koskovich, SVP of Virginia-based software-maker Leidos: “It’s important to use positive words and show compassion as we try to help people with addictions. We’re trying to eliminate the stigma. These are our friends, our family, our customers.”
Del. Pillion: “The only way we tackle a problem this pervasive and complex is by working together across jurisdictional, professional and political lines. … Ten years ago we said we were Ground Zero for the opioid problem here. I’d like to think now we’re Ground Zero for the solution.”
Beth Rhinehart, president/CEO, Bristol Chamber of Commerce: “The best way for us to solve this crisis is to communicate and share. That’s why it’s called Sharing Solutions!”
