By William M. Gaito, Ph.D., J.D., CEAP
Teamsters Assistance Program of Northern Calif.

New State and Federal drug testing rules have been issued that will impact California workers in 2024 allowing additional specimen collection methods and testing procedures depending upon whether the employee is being tested under Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations or California State law.

Effective on Jan. 1, 2024, AB 2188 amends the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) and prohibits employers from:

• discriminating against workers in hiring,

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On February 28, 2022, the Department of Transportation (DOT) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) proposing to amend the transportation industry drug testing program procedures.  Several changes are being considered but the proposed regulation most worth noting would add oral fluid testing to the existing urine drug testing procedures for safety-sensitive workers including commercial truck drivers.

The public was given 30 days to submit comments on this proposal, all due by March 30,

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Many modern addiction treatment centers follow a strategy known as the 12-step program for their patients, which is intended to provide them with an outlined path for guidance and support. The 12-step program has been a popular set of guidelines for helping individuals with their addiction for almost a century, yet many people do not truly understand what has made it so impactful. The modern reader may see it as an outdated philosophy given that it is filled with religious references,

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Resilience is the ability to bounce back from adversity and maybe even become happier, smarter, and stronger than you were before. In other words, if you are resilient, you are able to move forward and learn from challenging life circumstances like addiction, trauma, or financial problems.

How well do you stand up to adversity? What is your reaction when times are tough and setbacks occur? Some keep going while others may falter and feel ill-prepared to meet the challenges set before them.

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2020 is behind us and it is time to look forward with hope for the future. All the gifts have been unwrapped, the lights have come down (for most of us), the trees are gone out and the bills are coming in.

The new year is a time to reflect and to set new goals and make new resolutions for the upcoming year. For those in recovery from alcohol and drug addiction, this can be a difficult time of year and,

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Staying sober can be a daunting task, one that is best addressed through a strong support network.

For those who are in early recovery, long-term recovery, and even people who do not have a substance abuse problem, the COVID epidemic has affected almost every aspect of our daily lives. For almost all of us, it has increased our stress levels and required adjustments.

To support recovery from substance abuse during these unprecedented times,

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