This fall, many Houston small businesses will receive the aid necessary to help detect, counsel and treat employees with alcohol and drug addictions. With 77 percent of illicit drug users employed, abuse in the workplace is an issue for all organizations; however, small businesses historically lack the resources to address and resolve the problem.
Drug Free Business Houston, an organization committed to reducing drug use in the workplace, recently received a $170,000 grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Drug Free Business Houston, one of 21 small business development centers and other private organizations from across the country that received a grant from the SBA, will use the grant to provide financial and technical assistance to small businesses seeking to prepare and implement drug-free workplace policies.
Drug Free Business Houston is in the business of reaching people, said Becky Vance, director of corporate affairs, The Council on Alcohol and Drugs Houston. With this funding, we will be able to extend our assistance to Houstons small businesses and help them reduce and eliminate drug-and-alcohol related problems in the workplace, such as workplace accidents, absenteeism, stolen inventory and lost productivity.
Drug Free Business Houston fears that normal life pressures, which can often lead to the abuse of drugs and alcohol, could now be increased by circumstances resulting from recent world events. With the grant, Drug Free Business Houston will address these issues and assist 200 local small- and medium-sized businesses in implementing drug-free workplace programs during this time of increased need. In addition, the funding will go toward the development and implementation of employee drug and alcohol abuse training programs, workplace drug testing programs and employee assistance programs.
Houston-area small businesses with fewer than 500 employees that no not have all the elements of a formal drug free workplace program in place, can contact Drug Free Business Houston at 1-888-655-3328 and apply for aid. Small businesses will be accepted in to the Drug Free Business Houston program on a first come, first serve basis.
Drug Free Business Houston has successfully served the Houston business community since 1985. With this additional funding,
Drug Free Business Houston will be able to help reduce the amount of drug abuse in the workplace and increase awareness regarding abuse prevention.
Both, Drug Free Business Houston and Drug Free Business Texas, are subsidiaries of The Council on Alcohol and Drugs Houston, an organization that provides drug awareness and prevention services to the Houston and surrounding communities. Drug Free Business Texas is an organization focused on facilitating the development of comprehensive and supportive drug-free workplace programs throughout Texas. Since 1985, Drug Free Business Houston has helped thousands of companies and organizations, small and large, public and private, create and implement voluntary drug-free workplace programs.
Drug Free Business Houston is a subsidiary of The Council on Alcohol and Drugs Houston and a member of Drug Free Business Texas, created in 2000 to support workplace programs throughout the state and provide assistance to statewide non-profit organizations in their own communities. For more information on Drug Free Business Houston, visit its web site at,
Drug Free Business Texas was formed in 2000 to provide technical assistance and guidance to statewide non-profit organizations in their own communities. For more information on Drug Free Business Texas, visit its web site at,
The Council on Alcohol and Drugs Houston is a nonprofit agency that serves over 200,000 people each year. The mission of The Council is to keep our community healthy, productive and safe by providing services and information to all who may be adversely affected by alcohol and drugs. For more information on The Council on Alcohol and Drugs Houston or The Councils programs, services, volunteer opportunities, and special events, please visit its web site at www.council-houston.org
