Collaboration for preventing substance abuse in the workplace: modeling research partnerships in prevention

The managed care community and employers have expressed interest in substance abuse prevention, but there has been little consensus about which prevention and health promotion activities are most appropriately provided in the workplace. In the past 5 years, academicians have become increasingly interested in working with healthcare organizations to develop and implement short- and long-term research partnerships. The most helpful prevention research will serve mutual interests and produce mutual benefit. This article presents a preliminary guide to help facilitate greater collaboration among managed behavioral healthcare organizations, employee assistance programs, and health services researchers interested in preventing substance abuse in the workplace. This guide identifies broad objectives, topic areas, critical applications, and assumptions that can guide collaborative efforts in prevention research.