[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 38 (Wednesday, February 26, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11085-11086]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-03785]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[Docket No. CDC-2020-0001; NIOSH-333]


Developing a Workplace Supported Recovery Program: A Strategy for 
Assisting Workers and Employers With the Nation's Opioid and Substance 
Use Disorder Epidemics: Request for Information

AGENCY: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) 
of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of 
Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION: Request for information.

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SUMMARY: The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 
(NIOSH), within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 
announces an opportunity to provide input on a NIOSH plan to develop 
resources and conduct research on the topic of Workplace Supported 
Recovery. Workplace Supported Recovery programs (WSRPs) assist workers 
and employers facing the nation's crisis related to the misuse of 
opioids and other drugs, and related substance use disorders.

DATES: Comments must be received April 27, 2020.

ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments, identified by docket 
numbers CDC-2020-0001 and NIOSH-333, by either of the following two 
methods:

[[Page 11086]]

     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail: National Institute for Occupational Safety and 
Health, NIOSH Docket Office, 1090 Tusculum Avenue, MS C-34, Cincinnati, 
Ohio 45226-1998.
    Instructions: All information received in response to this notice 
must include the agency name and docket number [CDC-2020-0001; NIOSH-
333]. All relevant comments received will be posted without change to 
http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information 
provided.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: L. Casey Chosewood, NIOSH, 1600 
Clifton Road, NE; Mailstop V24-4, Atlanta, GA 30329; phone: 404-498-
2483 (not a toll-free number); email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The United States is in the midst of a drug 
overdose epidemic. More than 70,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in 
2017, more than any year on record. Two-thirds of drug overdoses 
involved an opioid.\1\ About 44 percent of adults with a substance use 
disorder are employed full-time and an additional 10 percent are 
employed part-time.\2\ A 2017 National Safety Council survey found that 
70 percent of employers reported experiencing the negative effects of 
prescription drug misuse at the organizational level, noting 
recruitment issues related to positive drug tests, absenteeism, 
injuries, and overdoses within the workplace.\3\ Misuse of any drug, 
including prescription drugs, may impact the ability of a person to 
function safely in the workplace and may also hinder return to work 
following an injury or illness, negatively affecting their livelihood.
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    \1\ Hedegaard H, Minino AM, Warner M [2018]. Drug overdose 
deaths in the United States, 1999-2017. NCHS Data Brief No. 329. 
Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics, November. 
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db329.htm.
    \2\ SAMHSA [2017]. 2016 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. 
Washington, DC: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service 
Administration, https://nsduhweb.rti.org/respweb/homepage.cfm.
    \3\ NSC [2017]. How the prescription drug crisis is impacting 
American employers. Itasca, IL: National Safety Council, https://www.nsc.org/Portals/0/Documents/NewsDocuments/2017/Media-Briefing-National-Employer-Drug-Survey-Results.pdf.
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    The effects of substance use and misuse are not isolated to work or 
home environments, and the potential for developing a substance use 
disorder may be preceded by injuries that happen in the workplace, with 
the consequences affecting both an individual's working life as well as 
their home life. Regardless of the circumstances that may have led to 
substance misuse, employment is a key goal among individuals in 
recovery.\4\ Work can also provide a sense of purpose and the income 
needed to participate in community life, and the workplace offers 
social networks that provide support and friendship. By using Total 
Worker Health[supreg] principles,\5\ NIOSH is developing solutions to 
help workers and employers facing the drug crisis in their communities. 
To that end, NIOSH is interested in developing resources and conducting 
research on the topic of Workplace Supported Recovery.
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    \4\ Laudet AB [2012] Rate and predictors of employment among 
formerly polysubstance dependent urban individuals in recovery. J 
Addict Dis 31(3):288-302.
    \5\ Total Worker Health[supreg] is a registered trademark of the 
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. For more information, 
please visit: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/twh/totalhealth.html
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    In a Workplace Supported Recovery program (WSRP), employers use 
evidence-based policies and programs to reduce the risk factors 
associated with initiating substance misuse and the progression to a 
substance use disorder and take steps to assist workers in recovery in 
staying at work or returning to work. WSRP efforts could potentially 
include, but would not necessarily be limited to, the following:
    [ssquf] Preventing work-related injuries and illnesses;
    [ssquf] Promoting the use of alternatives to opioids for pain 
relief associated with a workplace injury or illness;
    [ssquf] Preventing initiation of misuse;
    [ssquf] Developing return-to-work plans for employees after medical 
treatment;
    [ssquf] Supporting second chance employment, a process that allows 
for workers in recovery to rejoin the workforce after a job loss 
related to drug misuse;
    [ssquf] Providing accommodations, including access to medication-
based or medication-assisted treatment (MAT) together with individual 
counseling;
    [ssquf] Offering peer support groups; and
    [ssquf] Peer coaching.
    NIOSH is interested in input related to WSRPs from a variety of 
stakeholders, including employers, labor unions, workers, researchers, 
treatment providers, and government agencies at all levels (Federal, 
state, territorial, local, and tribal). Information and data from 
interested parties is requested on the following questions:

General Questions

    1. What elements, attributes, activities, and resources should be 
involved in a Workplace Supported Recovery program (WSRP)? Describe why 
inclusion would benefit a WSRP.
    2. How do the elements, attributes, activities, and resources that 
make up WSRPs vary by industry and establishment size?
    3. What WSRPs or related approaches are you aware of? Do any of 
these programs have evaluation or other outcome measures available?
    4. Are you aware of any programs that may help employers fund or 
otherwise develop WSRPs? If so, what are they?
    5. What information is available about possible benefits for 
employers in hiring and/or retaining workers who are in recovery from 
substance misuse or a substance use disorder?
    6. What are the biggest concerns, fears, or challenges around 
WSRPs? If available, please provide any data or information to support 
these concerns.
    7. What training related to this effort would be of value to 
managers/supervisors? To workers?

Questions About Workplaces

    8. Are you aware of policies that organizations (including yours) 
have in place to address substance misuse and substance use disorder 
and, if so, what are they? (e.g., pre-employment drug testing, hiring, 
dismissal, disability, medical leave, benefits, and compliance with or 
implementation of Fair Labor Standards Act provisions)
    9. Which parts of your organization are involved in issues related 
to substance misuse or substance use disorders among your workers? 
(e.g., employee bargaining units, occupational health, safety 
department, human resources department, Employee Assistance Program)

Questions About Workplaces With a Recovery Program in Place

    10. What services are offered as part of the program? Are there any 
limits or restrictions on these resources (e.g., position in 
organization, duration, eligibility)? If so, what are they?
    11. Are any of these services available to employees dealing with 
the substance use disorder of another person, such as a spouse/partner, 
child, parent, or close friend? If so, what are they?
    12. What major challenges and successes has your program had?

John J. Howard,
Director, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2020-03785 Filed 2-25-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P