This proposal is a response to ADAMHA's cross-institute initiative for research on worksite prevention of Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health problems. In order to implement effective prevention and early intervention strategies for ADM problems at the worksite, it is necessary to understand the relations between these strategies and the human resource management practices in organizations. It is particularly important to ascertain how human resource managers, who are usually responsible for implementation decisions, interpret information from their internal and external environments with regard to ADM issues. The proposed research is an organizational level analysis of the existing processes in place at the worksite with regard to ADM problems, the strategies that are implemented, those which are not adopted or only partially adopted, and the conditions under which they are most effective relative to ADM prevention. The proposed research will include data collected in 4 phases: A sample (N=300) of operating units of private sector work organizations in the Atlanta SMSA; A sample (N=100) of work organizations that have Employee Assistance Programs; A follow-up, 2 years later of the original 300 sites; and A follow-up, 16-19 months later, of the 100 EAP sites. On-site interviews will be conducted during these 4 phases, and questionnaires will supplement the data. In addition to typology construction and hypothesis testing, the goal of the research is to describe the variety of strategies and their configuration in work organizations with regard to ADM issues. The core of the model guiding the research is that the social construction or managerial interpretation of ADM issues reflects the environment of the work organization. These interpretations affect the formal and informal ADM strategies that exist, the use of the strategies, and the eventual impact on prevention or early intervention. The research will produce data on how ADM interventions are integrated into other human resource strategies. The research results will have an impact on the academic community in terms of filling a gap in knowledge about organizational theory, through the substantive operationalization of ADM issues. It will also have relevance to practitioners who will have available new interpretations and modes that could translate into the creation of new of better strategies for preventing ADM problems through the worksite.
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