CT Paid Leave provides critical safety net for those struggling

Ct Paid Leave Provides Critical Safety Net For Patients Struggling With Substance Use Disorders And Addiction

Attitudes toward those suffering from substance misuse and addiction are changing and so are the support systems available to them. September is National Recovery Month and as a Licensed Social Worker and VP of Outpatient Behavioral Health at Wheeler Health, I’ve seen that recovery is a team sport, with the best results coming when the patient is supported by their family, community and government programs too. When you see a patient improve their life and restore a sense of normalcy so they can work, spend time with friends, and make amends with loved ones – that’s the reward. It is overwhelmingly the work of the patient that results in better health – they are the heroes of their own story. But robust support services can mean the difference between recovery and relapse.

According to a 2022 study, nearly 70% of Americans said they are more sympathetic to those suffering from addiction today than they were five years ago. Three out of every four American lives have been touched by addiction in some way, according to the survey. Most survey respondents (76%) said stigmatizing someone with an addiction does more harm than good.

Effective recovery care focuses on the whole person. Not only do we provide talk therapy and intensive outpatient programs at Wheeler Health, we also provide medications for substance use disorder so that patients can remain employed and engaged members of the community while under the supervision of a provider. We also provide chiropractor services, dental care, and access to fresh produce and exercise. This type of care requires time; time that is hard to come by when working full or part-time.

Because more than two-thirds of adults who reported using illicit drugs were working, according to a 2012 study, recovery and accessing this type of care means missing time from work. For many people, this is a barrier to seeking care. Connecticut’s Paid Leave Program (CTPL) removes this barrier. By providing income replacement (CTPL), and the companion job security via the Connecticut Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), patients are able to seek help while remaining employed and housed. These are very important elements that can lead to greater success in someone’s recovery.

CT Paid Leave also provides income replacement for family members involved in their loved one’s care. People caring for family members with drug misuse disorders also experience compounding economic effects. Family caregivers often contribute financially to their family members’ treatment and recovery from substance use disorders, which can cost thousands of dollars per year. Without paid leave, these caregivers can lose income or their jobs altogether, creating an even greater economic burden that can have devastating and widespread consequences.

Under Connecticut’s paid leave law, a family member can also access benefits. Family is defined as a spouse, sibling, daughter or son, grandparent, grandchild or parent; or an individual related to the employee by blood or affinity, and whose close association the employee shows to be the equivalent of those family relationships. Family members can take paid leave in order to help a family member who has a serious health condition and is seeking treatment, including for substance misuse and addiction. Up to 12 weeks of paid leave can be taken either at one time or intermittently.

Having paid leave is a game changer for those seeking to conquer their addiction. It allows them to enter a treatment center or participate in an outpatient program and not have to worry about their job or income. And it allows their family to help in their recovery without adverse economic impacts. In that very delicate moment, when patients are their most vulnerable, this safety net makes it possible to seek treatment and recovery.