Alcohol and other drug (AOD) use is a severe problem confronting our society, and our youth in particular. Over the years, Job Corps has recognized the problem as a crisis and responded with appropriate interventions within its principal mission of education and vocational training. In the early 1990s, Congress mandated that Job Corps implement a zero tolerance (ZT) policy for alcohol and drugs.

Under the ZT policy, applicants are asked to sign a pre-employment agreement stating that they understand the Job Corps drug policy and the consequences of testing positive for drugs while in the program. Students who test positive for drug use on arrival are granted a 45-day probationary period. Students who tested negative on entry but are found to be positive on a suspicion screening are granted a 45-day suspicion intervention period. The hope is that these students do not have a serious addiction problem, that they are able to abstain from using drugs during the probationary period, and will test negative by the end of the 45-day probationary period or the 45-day suspicion intervention period.

Job Corps is not a drug treatment center. If a student is a chronic drug user or has an addiction problem, the student’s needs can best be served in a treatment setting; thus, the student should receive a medical separation with reinstatement rights (MSWR) from the Job Corps program and staff should provide a referral to an appropriate treatment center. Therefore, a reasonable assumption is that some students affected by substance abuse may be in need of alcohol and/or drug intervention and treatment services beyond the scope of Job Corps. The trainee employee assistance program (TEAP) is tailored to the needs of students who meet the diagnostic criteria for Drug Abuse rather than Drug Dependence as outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV. TEAP is a program, not a person. TEAP is a center wide support system to assist students to obtain and maintain a drug and alcohol free lifestyle.

The greatest service a TEAP specialist can provide for students with addiction problems is to assess their needs and make the appropriate referrals. The goal is for students to succeed in the program. There is no benefit to the students or the program to retain students who clearly need treatment services and consequently cannot complete their training.

The TEAP is designed to help students who basically fall under two categories:

• Those who use drugs (test positive on entry), manage to be drug free during the probationary period, but remain at very high risk for future alcohol and drug use
• Those who do not use drugs, but are always at risk for using alcohol and other drugs

The TEAP specialist must offer intense intervention services to the first category of students, who test positive on entry, to support their efforts to abstain from drug use during and after the probationary period. A substantial part of the TEAP specialist’s responsibility is to continue working with students who abstain from drug use during the probationary period but are at risk of resuming drug use. The TEAP specialist also works with students who do not use drugs but are always at risk of using alcohol and/or drugs. The TEAP specialist must fully implement the concept of ZT: drug use is not accepted on center.

Job Corps operates under a framework entitled, Career Development Services System (CDSS). The CDSS is a career-focused approach that provides individualized services to each student using activities and experiences as learning methods and makes collaborative career planning between Job Corps and the students a priority. CDSS ensures that a career manager or career management team assesses the needs of the student and arranges, coordinates, monitors, evaluates, and advocates for a package of multiple services to meet the student’s needs.  There are four CDSS periods within which health services and activities are conducted:

• Outreach and Admissions (OA) Period—OA staff explain to applicants the kinds of center health services available document requests for accommodation and compile the information necessary to validate the request before forwarding the application to a center.
• Career Preparation Period (CPP)—Students are introduced to health and wellness services, that they understand and feel comfortable and supported by TEAP, and that staff offices serve as models for students who wish to job shadow for health related training
• Career Development Period (CDP)—Career management teams coordinate with health services, students with disabilities receive necessary services/accommodations to participate, and students perceive good health as being critical to achieving career goals
• Career Transition Period (CTP)—Students understand health-related aspects of independent living; students with special needs have support systems in place to support transition to and retention of employment; and post-center service providers know how to coordinate with Job Corps when needed to help graduates succeed

CDSS became Job Corps policy July 1, 2001.

The Trainee Employee Assistance Program, proposes a model for TEAP service delivery that is consistent with the ZT policy and CDSS, and meets the prevention, education, and intervention needs of all Job Corps students.  The Prevention & Early Intervention section discusses in detail the development and implementation of the five components that each center TEAP must include:  assessment, intervention, counseling, relapse prevention, and prevention and education.  The Formal Program Assessment & Evaluation section explains the importance of conducting a formal program assessment and evaluation, and describes a simple four-step model for accomplishing this task.  Guidance for managing center biochemical testing activities is provided in the Biochemical Testing Procedures section.  In addition, there are several exhibits and appendices designed to supplement the information presented in the four sections.

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