Central Michigan University

The university is committed to providing an environment that is free from the unauthorized or unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensation or possession of beverage alcohol. Consistent with our educational role, we will provide information and resources on alcohol use and abuse to help faculty, staff, administrators and students make low-risk decisions for themselves regarding the use or non-use of beverage alcohol.

The university encourages individuals with alcohol problems to seek and receive appropriate treatment and assistance, and it will assist them to do so in whatever ways it judges are appropriate. The university offers an employee assistance program that provides confidential help including counseling, treatment and referral services. Professional assistance is available 24 hours a day to any employee or their dependent.

Because of the destructive nature of alcohol abuse, CMU desires to assist members of the university community who exhibit signs of having alcohol-related problems. In many instances, the person with an alcohol problem may be unaware of its magnitude and how his or her behavior may result in performance problems and may negatively affect other members of the university community, his or her family, and himself or herself. The university will work with each employee and registered student group to establish procedures to use when there is reason to believe that alcohol-related behaviors are negatively affecting work or school performance or the university community. The procedures should address at least the following areas: documentation of the problem behavior; documentation that the cause of the problem behavior may be alcohol related; intervention, assessment and education; referral to treatment; treatment; aftercare; relapse consequences; and consequences for non-compliance. Each of these areas is briefly defined below. The concepts to be included, but not limited to, are the following:

Documentation of Problem Behavior and Its Possible Cause

1. Documentation of specific behavioral indicators of work or school problems is compiled. Evidence that the problem may be alcohol related should be included in the documentation.

2. Documentation of any problem behavior is used in subsequent intervention.

Intervention

• Consult with knowledgeable professionals about effective intervention.
  

Assessment

• People who exhibit school or work-related behavioral problems that appear to result from alcohol use and that affect the university may be referred for preliminary assessment or education.
  


• Appropriate CMU staff or other qualified people will assess whether this problem behavior is alcohol related.
  

Referral to Education or Treatment

• Some people may receive the option of attending alcohol education and treatment programs to eliminate school or work-related problem behavior.
  


• An individual's university status may be terminated if his or her school or work-related problem behavior does not significantly improve within a reasonable length of time.

Treatment

• CMU maintains a list of recommended treatment programs that encompass a variety of philosophies and approaches for the treatment of alcohol abuse and makes the list available to those who request it.
  

Aftercare



• CMU maintains a list of aftercare support groups for recovering alcoholics and will make the list available to those who request it.
  
• The university encourages the development of aftercare groups and support systems.
  

Relapse

• CMU recognizes that some recovering alcoholics may experience a relapse. Such cases will be reviewed on an individual basis.
  

Failure to Comply

• People who continue to exhibit school or work-related behavioral problems during or after a specified treatment program may face disciplinary procedures, including termination of their status with CMU.
  

Special Note

• No employee or student will be denied due process or be discriminated against because of his or her status as a recovering alcoholic.