The New York State Employee Program

Abstract

This article reviews New York State's experience with its employee alcoholism program, which was started about three years ago. Methods of training, referral, and success rates are outlined. The article goes on to describe the aims of the program—practical and philosophical—and its extension into areas of other drug abuse, emotional disturbance, marital problems, financial or social difficulty. It is felt that growing acceptance of alcoholism programming will make it easier to meet the coming problem of other drug abuse in government and industry. Cautioning that this type of employee-problem program is slow to get under way, the article nonetheless stresses that there is reason for real optimism—that the best selling point is the living example, the rehabilitated employee.