National Business Aviation Association. Flight Attendant Drug and Alcohol Program

Transcription

1 National Business Aviation Association Flight Attendant Drug and Alcohol Program

2 Goals/Objectives Provide you with a frame for understanding alcohol abuse/dependence as treatable medical illness that can be effectively address through the workplace Offer all of your workplaces FADAP resources to reduce the risks associated with untreated alcohol abuse

3 What is FADAP FAA Sponsored Flight Attendant Peer Driven Workplace Based Substance Abuse Education and Early Intervention Program

4 Why Be Concerned About Alchol Abuse/Dep? More than 50% of US Population over age 12 drinks alcohol 10% are alcoholics 15% are alcohol abusers Therefore, 1 out of every 4 is a risky drinker

5 The Value of Understanding Alcoholism Despite stereotypes of the alcoholic 80% of all alcoholics are employed or employable Most are very functional on the job,at least in the early phase For every one alcoholic there are at least 4 people negatively affected by the alcoholism

6 Impact of Alcohol on the Wkpl It s a Safety Issue It s a Cost Driver It s a Customer Service Problem It s a Human Capital Asset Management Issue

7 Alcoholism One of the Most Treatable Illnesses and It Highly Responsive to Workplace Interventions

8 Comparative Chronic Illness Data Disease % of Patients who follow Tx Regimes Faithfully Alcoholism 40-60% Asthma 30% Diabetes 30% Hypertention 30%

9 30 Yrs. of Peer Support Programs Impaired Lawyers Impaired Doctors Impaired Nurses Impaired Dentists Impaired Mental Health Professionals Impaired Pilots

10 Finally, for Flight Attendants FAA has created FADAP For Impaired Flight Attendants

11 Why FADAP Was Created FA are no less immune from addiction than any other workgroup In fact, as a predominantly female workforce, they maybe at higher risk Gender variation Rate of metabolism Get Much Sicker Much Quicker Less Likely to Receive Treatment

12 Risk Data FA were 5 x more likely to test positive for alcohol than pilots & 1999 DOT test positive rates FA were 9x more likely to test positive for drugs than pilots & 1999 DOT test positive rates Since then, FA have consistently vied for top positioning among all safety sensitive work groups for test positives

13 2011 Risk Data Well over 20% over the last 12 mths -drank more than they should have on a layover -showed up for a flight hung over -combined alcohol and medication that shouldn t be mixed -reported blackouts -weren t able to stop drinking once started

14 2011 Risk Data Over 20% feeling guilty and remorse about their drinking 13% have had significant others verbalize concern about their drinking 30% have felt they should cut down on their drinking 6% injured themselves or others

15 The Importance of this Data There is a predictable risk to Safety Health If no further interventions are afforded

16 The Disease Model Tells Us This Alcoholism is progressive It gets worse over time, not better The progressiveness is described in three phases

17 Early Phase Increasing tolerance Occasional relief drinking Beginning to sneak, dose loading Craving-clock watching; planning Decrease ability to stop when other do Onset of memory blackouts Excuses/promises around drinking

18 Middle/Crucial Phase Loss of Interest Family and Friends Avoided Work and Money Troubles Persistent Remorse/ Resentments Neglect Basic Needs (food,sex,sleep) Grandiose and Aggressive Behavior Increase Blackouts Efforts to Control Repeatedly Fail Physical Deterioration Drinking with other chronic users

19 Late/Chronic Stage Continuous Withdrawal Symptoms Tolerance Breaks All Alibis Exhausted Mental, Spiritual, Emotional Bankruptcy

20 Other Predictors of Continued Risk Denial Primary Symptom that Impacts the Alcoholic, their Family Members and Co-Workers

21 Other Predictors of Continued Risk Loss of Control Physical Dependence Cravings Flight Attendant Work Environment

22 Some Real Good News No data to suggest that FAs are no less able to get well than any other workgroup Research suggests that FAs bring a greater awareness that a problem exists to treatment than the average treatment population. (Horton, Diaz, Mcilveen and Weiner, Comaprison of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Characteristics of Flight Attendants, 2008)

23 FADAP Screeing Tool Flight Attendant Alcohol Screening Instrument 7 questions Have you shown up for a flight hung over in the past year? Have you bid a certain position to have easy access to alcohol in the past year? Have you drank alcohol past the cut off time in the past year?

24 Products of FADAP Felt bad or guilty about your drinking in the past year? Felt you should cut down on your drinking in the past year? Do you drink alcohol 4 or more times per week? Have you had 5 or more drinks on a typical day when you are drinking?

25 Products of FADAP If you answered yes to one or more of the following questions- Please call your FADAP peer or the 24 Helpline at

26 Resources for Impaired FAs 24/7/365 access to a flight attendant peer to discuss treatment options Access to a network of treatment programs trained to work with FAs Post treatment coaching and support through other recovering Flight Attendants On Line Twelve Step Mtg for Flight Attendants, Wings of Sobriety

27 Resources for Workplaces On-Site Training for Peers and Managers Help-line Confidential Case Management System Coordination with Company EAP Program Promotion Materials Substance Abuse Educational Materials and Seminars FADAP address for Peers Peer Listing on FADAP Website

28 Other Resources WEBSITE- Orientation Film Summer 2012 Annual Conferences- Aug 6-8, (1) day FADAP Trainings for New Peers