As with other health conditions, identifying substance abuse early can prevent employees and companies from incurring higher subsequent health and productivity costs. Employer substance abuse benefits and programs may include workplace policies, drug testing, employee education/health promotion, Employee Assistance Programs(EAPs), and health plan treatment coverage.
A good approach are brief therapies that are geared to providing patients with the tools to change their attitude toward themselves and their use of substances. Research shows that brief counseling for alcohol abusers leads to reduced alcohol consumption and reductions in adverse alcohol-related health outcomes. These therapies use the same techniques as long-term therapy, but are of shorter duration and lower cost, lasting typically between 6 and 20 sessions.