From CHRISTEN GIBLIN, NAMI WOOD COUNTY
In an effort to address the safety and economic threat of drug abuse in the workplace, Bowling Green is one of 18 Ohio communities participating in the Working Partners® Drug-Free Workforce Community Initiative. This statewide initiative is a public-private partnership, funded in part by the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services.
The Initiative’s objectives are to increase an employable, drug-free workforce in Ohio; build healthier, more productive and economically sound workplaces; and to create systems to educate employees – who are parents or adults with influence over young people – to prevent drug use among that population now and in the future. To achieve these objectives the Initiative will be modeled after a program developed by drug-free workplace industry experts, Working Partners® and bring together local stakeholders and businesses.
“We are concerned about the drug-related issues we are facing and how they affect not only individuals, families, and the community as a whole, but also workplaces which are the economic foundation of our community,” said Amanda Moser, Community Educator for the Wood County Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Services Board. “By bringing employers together to develop polices and share best practices, we believe we are taking very important steps to address the economic threat of substance abuse by employees and job seekers in our state.”
“We are thrilled to partner with the Wood County Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Services Board to create their own unique Drug-Free Workforce Community Initiative,” said Dee Mason, founder and CEO of Working Partners®. “By attacking this problem with a local grassroots approach, working with leaders embedded in communities across the state, we believe we will realize measurable changes that will result in a safer, healthier and more economically viable Ohio workforce.”
