Earlier this month, I had the honor of joining first lady Melania Trump in the East Room of the White House to celebrate National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month. The event was special for a number of reasons. It welcomed people in the recovery community who are celebrating the benefits of a substance-free life, and it highlighted employers willing to give those in recovery a unique gift: a second chance.
An estimated 23 million Americans have resolved an alcohol or drug problem, and, of these, 46% describe themselves as being in recovery or having recovered.
As the director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, I know firsthand that President Trump’s commitment to the millions of people in recovery runs deep. The president has been very open about the loss of his brother Fred to alcoholism and has committed to bringing a “whole of government” approach to the fight.
In terms of hard numbers, Trump has devoted record resources to addressing this national epidemic, including all-time high support of more than $266 million for the country’s High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program, to empower law enforcement, and approximately $42.5 million in phase-one funding for the federal Drug-Free Communities support programs announced just this month.
Although the administration’s work is comprehensive, it should not stand alone.
Stopping addiction and drug use requires a similar “whole of communities” approach by families, nonprofit organizations, the faith community, and the private sector to create an environment that reduces stigma, connects those in need with treatment, and creates jobs for those seeking to turn their lives around. Hiring people in recovery is a win-win for the economy and the nation.
Some employers are hesitant to do this, especially when candidates have committed crimes to support their addiction. They reasonably ask, “Why should I take a chance on this individual when there are other equally qualified candidates I could hire?” The answer is simple: People in recovery make some of the best employees you will ever find. They work hard, they have learned to be team players, and they are grateful, dedicated, reliable, and honest.
Employers should also know, contrary to the popular perception, that the majority of Americans with a substance use disorder are employed full time. In fact, companies with a workforce of any size are statistically likely to have current employees who need help for an alcohol or other drug problem. If these employees are either afraid or ashamed to ask for help, their hesitation has the potential to hurt the bottom line. Substance use disorders in the workforce are associated with reduced productivity, higher rates of absenteeism, and elevated risk of injury, errors, and omissions. Terminating these employees only compounds the problem, leading others with alcohol or other drug problems to avoid asking for help, and resulting in potentially unnecessary turnover in the workforce. That’s why it’s so important to break the stigma of addiction and ensure people can get the help they need.
At the White House Recovery Month event, we witnessed the power of work in action. At Hope and Coffee in Tamaqua, Pennsylvania, Director Loren Collura serves up more than made-to-order lattes to customers; she manages a staff that is entirely composed of people in recovery. The benefactor who makes Hope and Coffee’s mission possible, Lisa Scheller, is herself in recovery. Scheller shared that, after 36 years of recovery in silence, in 2018, she chose to go public with her story. “I realized that I needed to take what I had been told was my biggest liability, and make it my biggest strength,” she told Melania Trump.
Economic challenges created by the unprecedented emergence of a global pandemic have impacted employment, but the United States is well on its way to the Great American Comeback. In August, the U.S. economy added nearly 1.4 million new jobs. The unemployment rate fell by 1.8 percentage points to 8.4% — the second-largest decline on record. And we know that individuals in recovery are part of that 1.4 million helping our economy recover.
This Recovery Month, those pursuing sustained recovery can take heart knowing that in Trump, our country has as its chief executive a champion who understands their struggle, has a proven record of job creation, and is dedicated to creating a country where every American has the opportunity to lead a life filled with purpose and dignity.
Jim Carroll is the director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. Visit www.whitehouse.gov/ondcp for more information.
