Together Arkansas, an opioid response initiative developed by the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce/Associated Industries of Arkansas, Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, and the Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care (AFMC), was unveiled Wednesday, Nov. 6, at the State Chamber/AIA Annual Meeting at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock.

Together Arkansas provides employers with a toolkit of free resources to help them prepare, prevent and respond to the opioid crisis. The online course consists of five modules (13 to 16 minutes per module) that cover legal and operational issues, best practices for drug-testing, developing policies and procedures, how to respond to an employee’s misuse of harmful drugs, where to refer an employee who needs help, and providing options for an employee to return to work.

Opioid-use disorder took 43,400 workers out of Arkansas’s labor force between 1999 and 2015, according to the American Action Forum, and 574 million work hours were lost to substance-use disorder during the same time period.

“Opioid-use disorder is impacting Arkansas employers of every kind – from small operations to large corporations,” said State Chamber/AIA President & CEO Randy Zook. “It is creating daily challenges for employers because it affects their greatest asset: their employees.”

Opioid-use disorder caused $33.5 billion real economic output in lost productivity for Arkansas’s economy between 1999 and 2015, according to the American Action Forum, and seven of 10 human resource officials reported their company felt the effects of substance-use disorder including absenteeism, decreased productivity and safety.

“The opioid epidemic is one of the biggest threats to business and our economy today,” said Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield President and CEO Curtis Barnett. “Providing Arkansas employers with tools to address a problem as pervasive as opioid-use disorder is critical. That’s why Arkansas Blue Cross is supporting the Together Arkansas initiative. Helping employees break the bonds of addiction, get and stay healthy keeps them creative, innovative and productive. And that makes Arkansas strong.”

Seventy-five percent of employers have had an issue with opioids in the workplace, according to a National Safety Council Employer Survey.

“At AFMC, our mission is to improve health care for all Arkansans,” said AFMC President and CEO Ray Hanley. “We hope this toolkit will better equip employers across the state to deal with the issues resulting from employees who may be struggling with opioid or substance abuse.”

Today, Americans are more likely to die of opioid abuse than a car crash, according to the National Safety Council’s Injury Facts.

Ninety-five percent of all overdoses occur in working-age adults between the ages of 18 and 64, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

In Arkansas, opioids take one life every two days and in 2017 there were 194 opioid-related deaths in the state, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse’s (NIDA) Arkansas Opioid Summary.

To access the Together Arkansas modules or learn more about the initiative, visit www.togetherarkansas.com. For assistance, contact help@togetherarkansas.com.

For More Information on Together Arkansas

Contact:

Shelley Short, Arkansas State Chamber/AIA, 501-944-2028

 Max Greenwood, Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, 501-378-2131

 Carol Cassil, AFMC, 501-212-8732 or 501-804-2392

 

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Sixty-four individuals from throughout Arkansas have been selected for Leadership Arkansas Class XIV, a program operated by the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce / Associated Industries of Arkansas.

The Underwriting Sponsor for the 2019-2020 Leadership Arkansas program is The Citizens Bank of Batesville.  The Presenting Sponsor is ARcare. Statewide Program Sponsors are Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas, Farm Credit Services of Arkansas, Nucor Steel Arkansas, Southwest Power Pool, and Walmart.

The members of Class XIV (by name, company and hometown) are:

Jeremy Adams – USAble Life – Little Rock

Stephanie  Alderdice – SixtyOne Celsius – Hot Springs

Rob Anderson – Arkansas Farm Bureau Foundation – Little Rock

Lindsey Bailey – Association of Arkansas Counties – Little Rock

Joe Baker – Southland Casino – Marion

Dr. Joyvin Benton – Winthrop Rockefeller Institute – North Little Rock

Stephanie Blevins – Office of Governor Asa Hutchinson – Rogers

Tori Bogner – Signature Bank of Arkansas – Fayetteville

Angela Bonds – Russellville Area Chamber of Commerce – Russellville

Joan Botts – Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort – Hot Springs

Dr. Josh Bright – North Arkansas Regional Medical Center – Harrison

Dewayne Cash – Nucor-Yamato Steel – Blytheville

Chanda Chacon – Arkansas Children’s – Little Rock

Shana Chaplin – Arkansas Department of Education – Maumelle

Sara Christie – Mainstream Technologies – Little Rock

Todd Clark – Arkansas State University – Jonesboro

Chris Cline – Riceland Foods – Little Rock

Michael Considine – Entergy Arkansas – Little Rock

Dr. Teri Cox – Cox Consulting – North Little Rock

Leslie Davis – Harbor Environmental and Safety – Little Rock

Angela DeLille – Cox Communications – Rogers

Ross Dunn – Tyson Foods, Inc. – Fayetteville

Corey Edwards – Cromwell Architect / Engineers – Bryant

Daniel Ellis – Crafton Tull – Bella Vista

Jennifer Emerson – Arkansas Economic Development Commission – Sherwood

Beth Franks – AGC Arkansas – Conway

Jeffrey Freiert – Citizens Bank – Batesville

Brandon Gentry – Cross County Bank – Wynne

Bradley Graham – Baldwin & Shell Construction Company – Greenbrier

Adrian Harris – Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation – Conway

Tron Hodges – Black Hills Energy – Springdale

Mel Hutchins – Citizen Bank – Maumelle

David Johnson – Central Arkansas Water – Little Rock

Dr. Chris Jones – Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub – Little Rock

Jordan Ligon – C. R. Crawford Construction – Fayetteville

Col. Tina Lipscomb – Arkansas Air National Guard – Cabot

Boyd Logan – Future School of Fort Smith – Fayetteville

Justin Loth – MISO Energy – Sherwood

Antoine Lucas – Southwest Power Pool – Little Rock

Jeff Marcussen – Nabholz – Little Rock

David Mitchell, Jr. – Rose Law Firm – Little Rock

Jamie Mobley – Simmons Bank – Searcy

Will Moore – ARcare – Little Rock

Eric Munson – Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities, State of Arkansas – Little Rock

Lesley Nally – Hot Springs Village – Hot Springs Village

Heather Nelson – Seal Solar – Jonesboro

Emily Reynolds – Walmart, Inc. – Springdale

Dr. Deaundra Rhodes – Webster University – Maumelle

John Scherrey – Centennial Bank – Conway

Brent Sharpmack – Hudson, Cisne & Co. – Cabot

Joan Shofner – University of Central Arkansas – Conway

Hayden Shurgar – Wright, Lindsey & Jennings – Scott

Bradley Smith – Farmers Bank and Trust – Magnolia

Charlie Spakes – Arkansas Grocers, Retailers and Merchants Association – North Little Rock

Sandy Straessle – Stone Bank – Little Rock

Tonya Villines – Junior Achievement of Arkansas – Benton

Ben Walters – Arkansas Economic Development Commission – Little Rock

Jacob Ward – Mitchell Communications – Fayetteville

Ryan Watley – Go Forward Pine Bluff, Inc. – Pine Bluff

Rodney West – Simmons Bank – Fort Smith

Adam White – Garver LLC – Fayetteville

Tina Winham – Swimways – Rogers

Todd Wooten – Dover Dixon Horne PLLC – Little Rock

Lary Zeno – Diamond State Vocational School – Little Rock

Leadership Arkansas Class XIV launches its activities with an Orientation Session on Sunday, September 29 at the Fairfield Bay Conference Center in Fairfield Bay.

The mission of Leadership Arkansas is to challenge, inform, inspire and engage current and future business and civic leaders to enhance the economies of – and the communities within – the state of Arkansas.  Leadership Arkansas’s vision is to work to build a strong and vibrant state by training skilled community leaders to recognize and capitalize on opportunities, motivate others to act to strengthen regions and communities, serve as ambassador for the potential and growth of the state, and promote the election and appointment of officials who understand the diverse aspects leading to growth of Arkansas.

Leadership Arkansas comprises a nine-month class program consisting of nine multi-day sessions held in different locations throughout the state. The sessions feature Arkansas leaders who represent a wide geographic base and who have diverse backgrounds and vocations.  The members are given broad exposure to the many social, political, geographic and environmental complexities of the state; on-site demonstrations and tours; unique cultural experiences; insight into the people, places and history that influence public policies; and fun and casual settings which foster new relationships and camaraderie.

Since its inception in 2005, Leadership Arkansas has educated and engaged nearly 700 alumni, who represent nearly every Arkansas county.

 

Due to the ongoing uncertainty involving COVID-19, the following schedule Leadership sessions may be rescheduled. Stay tuned for further updates.

Leadership Arkansas Class XIV will continue with the Regional Development Session April 22 – 24 in Northwest Arkansas. The session is sponsored by Cox Communications, McKee Foods Corporation and Tyson Foods, Inc.

The final session is below:

Leadership, Planning & Graduation, May 21 – 22, Little Rock.

The sponsors for Leadership Arkansas Class XIV are:

Underwriting – Citizens Bank

Presenting – ARCare

Statewide – Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corp., Farm Credit of Arkansas, Nucor, Southwest Power Pool and Walmart.

If your company or organization would like to help sponsor one of the Leadership Arkansas sessions, contact Bill Watson at bwatson@arkansasstatechamber.com or 501-802-1740.

The State Chamber/AIA has developed an informational piece covering the Arkansas Congressional Delegation that lists each member: Sen. John Boozman (R), Sen. Tom Cotton (R), Rep. Rick Crawford (R – First District), Rep. French Hill (R – Second District); Rep. Steve Womack (R – Third District) and Rep. Bruce Westerman (R – Fourth District); their contact information, state offices, committee assignments and key staff.

To access the piece, click https://www.arkansasstatechamber.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Arkansas-Congressional-Delegation-2018.pdf

 

 

 

In an effort to provide more value to our current Pinnacle members and to future Pinnacle members, the State Chamber/AIA recently upgraded the benefits of Pinnacle investment.

For the link to a brochure that spells those out, click https://www.arkansasstatechamber.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/PinnacleBrochure2_2018Update.pdf

If you have questions, contact Vice President of Membership Development Marcus Turley at mturley@arkansasstatechamber.com or 501-210-4203.

The State Chamber/AIA really appreciates our Pinnacle members and all they do for us.