Newspaper Page Text
Clinic Offers Free Assistance
Employers With Problem
‘Drinkers Can Get Help
Third In A Series
Houston, Peach. and
Crawford County companies
have an opportunity to receive
free assistance in locating
employees with alcohol
problems, and in treating the
employee to keep him on the
job. The Tri-County Alcohol
Problems Clinic, located at
1540 Watson Boulevard in
Warner Robins, offers free
assistance to any employer
willing to accept it.
The phone number of the
Tri-County Clinic is 922-3041,
and the director is Robert
Gray. He says his Oc
cupational- Industrial
Alcoholism program is just
getting underway, and has
met with mixed success thus
far. Gray says that many
companies refuse to admit
that they have problem
drinkers on their payrolls, but
Gray estimates, “It’s a safe
bet that any company of any
Publication Available
Someone Close
Drinks Too Much ?
We have nine million problem
drinkers and alcoholic persons in this
country. Experience shows that at
least four other persons are affected
Vby the behavior of these individuals.
That means there are 36 million
potential helpers who have a personal
stake in helping “someone close’’ find
the way to healthy living.
To encourage potential helpers, the
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse
and Alcoholism has developed
Someone Close Drinks Too Much.
This 15-page publication is available
for 35 cents from Consumer In
formation, Pueblo, Colo. 81009.
The person who sets out to help a
troubled drinker may at first feel
quite alone, and possibly em
barrassed. It is easy to be too polite,
or to duck the issue by saying, “after
all, it’s their private affair”. But it
isn’t polite to let someone destroy his
or her family and life.
One myth has done great harm by
discouraging those who would try to
help. It is that the alcoholic person
must hit bottom, that is, lose health,
job, home, and family before he or
she will want to get well. The truth is
that early recognition and treatment
is as essential for alcoholism as for
other kinds of illnesses.
Here is some advice to help you
help your relative or friend;
Try to remain calm, unemotional
and factually honest in talking to the
problem drinker about his or her
behavior and its day-to-day con
By Bobby Branch And Joe Hiett
size at all has people with
alcohol problems as em
ployees. If these people can be
helped, of course his per
formance will rise in quantity
and quality.”
The Tri-County Industrial
program is fairly loosely
drawn up, so is flexible to fit
almost any situation. In broad
terms, Gray defines the
program. He outlines that his
staff will help a company to
draft a comprehensive policy
relating to alcoholism.
Gray and cohorts will teach
supervisors, managers, and
other management to be able
to spot potential problem
drinkers on the payroll. Some
symptoms which under many
instances indicate alcohol
problems includes: a sudden
reduction in the quality of
work; sudden history of
tardiness, and missing days
before or after holidays;
sequences.
Do not try to punish, threaten,
bribe, or be a martyr.
Explain the nature of alcoholism as
an illness to the children in the
family.
Refuse to ride with the alcoholic
person if he or she insists on drinking
and driving.
Do not allow yourself to cover up or
make excuses for the alcoholic or
shield this person from the realistic
consequences of his or her behavior.
Do not hide or dump bottles, or
shelter the problem drinker from
situations when he or she is drunk.
Do not try to drink along with the
problem drinker.
Do not take over his or her
responsibility, leaving the alcoholic
person with no sense of importance or
dignity.
Be patient and live one day at a
time. Recovery does not occur
overnight. Try to accept setbacks and
relapses with calm and un
derstanding.
Someone Close Drinks Too Much
(35 cents) is one of the more than 200
publications listed in the current
edition of the Consumer Information
Index. Published quarterly by the
Consumer Information Center of the
General Services Administration, the
Index is available free from Con
sumer Information, Pueblo, Colo.
81009 and from Federal Information
Centers throughout the country.
poorly explained lapses in
fulfilling responsibilities; an
increased tendency to play up
to superiors, or a change in
personal cleanliness habits. Os
course, the above list is not all
inclusive, nor is it always a
sign of alcohol.
The Tri-County clinic will
teach employers what to do
when a problem drinker is
located, and will make an
effort to get the company to
ask the company’s insurance
carrier to recognize
alcoholism as a disease in
their group coverage. Gray
says most insurance com
panies will insure alcoholism
if prompted.
Gray is somewhat surprised
by the companies which have
rejected free assistance. He
stales, “We explain the
program to them. They say
that looks good, but thank you,
we don’t have any alcohol
problems in our plant.” Gray
reminds that according to a
message from the Depart
ment of Health, Education,
and Welfare in Washington,
D.C., in June of this year, that
$25 billion was lost to in
dustries because of alcohol
within the company ranks!
The clinic realizes that a
short-term employee isn’t
really a concern of the com
pany. But Gray says, “What
about the person who has been
on the job for 12-16-18 years,
faithful and competent. He's
just like a part of the com
pany. He has his life invested
in the company. No one wants
to see him deteriorate.”
The clinic says it “can work
out any type of agreement at
any time. We can even be a
screening and treatment
agency.” The clinic stresses
that there are NO COSTS TO
THE EMPLOYERS for
making use of the vast
majority of the Tri-County
Alcohol Problems Clinic’s
resources. TCAPC is funded
by the State Department of
Human Resources.
Dr. J.L. Norris, former
Medical Director of the Kodak
Park Division of the Eastman
Kodak Company states, "A
management which says it
r >
I
\ ■ ’
Select The Book Os Your Choice When You Open
A New Savings Account For $250 Or More Or
Add That Amount To A Present Account
Better Homes Deluxe Editions-Step-By-Step Illustrations
Ring-Bound Tab-Indexed 400 Pages
Utjtier
▼Hotnes j*Y NEW IM)(Vk >( i 4
NEW W'AHDEN lv I
ii 11 8»
New Cook Book New Garden Book Handyman's Book Sewing Book
WITH YOUR FREE BOOK, ENJOY
I GUARANTEED INTEREST ON YOUR 1
SAVINGS....PLUS INSURED SAFETY
One FREE BOOK per customer No mail orders, please
security federal sawings ||a
% and loan association of middle georgia w
Perry • Fort Valley • Hawkinsville • Warner Robins • Columbus
lias no alcohol problems
doesn't know what it is talking
about!”
James S. Kemper of
Kemper Insurance says this,
'll seems to me that today’s
employer who says he has no
problem drinkers in his
organization, is like the em
ployed alcoholic who says he
has no problems with alcohol.
Neither is facing the realities
of the situation. Each is also
paying a heavy and needless
penalty for his illusion."
(This has been the third in
an in-depth series exploring
alcohol problems in Perry and
Houston County. The series is
written by Home Journal
Editor Hobby Branch and
Associate F.ditor Joe Hiett.
Next week will see the fourth
installment of this important
effort.)
At Oct. 8 Meeting
AARP To Hear
Ins. Consultant
Insurance plans for older
persons will be explained and
evaluated by Michael A. Auth,
insurance consultant to the
American Association of
Retired Persons, at a meeting
Tuesday night, October 8, of
Perry Chapter number 1744 of
the AARP, The meeting will
be held at St. Christopher’s
Episcopal Church at 1207
HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL THURS., OCT. 3, 1974.
Macon Street, beginning at
7:30 P.M.
Persons interested in at
tending the meeting should
contact Vernon B. Odell at 987-
1178 in Perry. In addition, all
members of AARP interested
in insurance matters will be
welcomed. A question and
answer period will provide
opportunities for discussion of
PAGE 1-B
individual cases.
Milo Medlock is President of
the Perry chapter of AARP,
and Moody Mulkey is Vice-
President,
With more than 6,000,000
members, AARP is the
nation’s largest organization
dedicated to helping older
citizens achieve retirement
lives of purpose, dignity, and
independence. Founded in
1958, AARP encourages older
Americans to remain actiye in
community and public affairs,
provides legislative
representation at all levels of
government, and sponsors
services to help older people
stretch fixed retirement in
comes. The Association also
publishes magazines and
other materials of special
interest to older readers.