Highlights from the Working Partners® Team

On the Road Again: The staff at Working Partners^® has once again been busy spreading the word about drug-free.  We continue to be excited with the opportunities to meet so many new people and share our passion for educating audiences on the impact substance abuse can have on the workplace and the importance of a drug-free workplace (DFWP) program.  Check out the organizations we’ve had the pleasure of talking with over the last few months:

• Brainstorming breakfast with representatives from local townships for how to better serve public sector employers
• Regional Ohio Funeral Directors
• Businesses in Allen, Auglaize and Hardin Counties
• Businesses in Union County
• Channel 22 in Marion with Ohio Representative Dorothy Pelanda

We have also had the opportunity to speak at Ohio’s 2014 Opiate Conference, the Cardinal Health Retail Business Conference in Washington D.C., and the Academy of Pharmacy of Central Ohio to talk about a new campaign we launched with Cardinal Health Foundation called A Dose of Reality.  This campaign and set of resources encourage employers to get engage their employees in the fight against prescription drug abuse.

(If you know of an organization that would benefit from hearing about how substance abuse and the latest drug trends [e.g., prescription drug abuse, marijuana legalization] impact the workplace, let us know.)

Recognition: All our hard work has caught the attention of some think tanks focusing on different, popular drugs of choice.  Karen Pierce, managing director, was asked to join the ADAPAO Prevention Think Tank sponsored by the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Association of Ohio to identify emerging issues relevant to the prevention of alcohol, tobacco and other drug abuse and other behavioral health issues and strategize policy and workforce development approaches to address these issues.  Dee Mason, founder and CEO, was summoned to Georgia as one of nine national marijuana experts.  This think tank was convened by the Chairman of the Board and CEO (retired) of UPS to develop a white paper with guiding principles concerning the impact legalized marijuana can have on the workplace.

New Tool for Trainers: In addition to the presentations and think tanks, we also have a new way to share and exchange information with those in our Training of Trainers (TOT) system.  We created a Facebook Group called Trainer Exchange, moderated by Regina Bond, client care coordinator and trainer.  This group offers trainers a place to learn, share tips and experiences, and receive support for delivering efficient and effective DFWP employee education and supervisor training.  If you haven’t joined already make sure to check it out.

Quarterly Trainers’ Meeting: Ever wonder why our trainers are so great?  Not only are all of Working Partners^® trainers experienced in presenting our drug-free workplace curriculum, but they also regularly gather together to refine their craft.  During this quarter’s meeting, our trainers shared frequently asked questions from the field, discussed new data and information to incorporate into their sessions, and explored new ways to deliver the information.  Not only do the trainers appreciate enhancing their knowledge and skills, but they also love spending time together as a team. What a great and unique group of professionals!

Spotlight on Rx Abuse: Over the last year Working Partners^® has been working with Cardinal Health Foundation, OSU College of Pharmacy and CompDrug, to develop A Dose of Reality, a campaign to help employers raise awareness among their employees about prescription drug abuse.  We are excited to announce that Quest Diagnostics, one of the U.S.’s largest workplace drug testing laboratories, shared information about this campaign in their Employer Solutions Blog and newsletter.  Visit Quest Diagnostics’ blog to see what they said.