The Building Trades Employers Association Northeast kicked off its third Annual Building Trades Recovery Week on April 25. The week-long event in Boston represents BTEA’s continued commitment to battle the opioid crisis.
“The construction industry as a whole is facing a crisis of substance use disorder and mental health challenges, but we are also facing an opportunity to come together like never before,” said Tom Gunning, BTEA Northeast executive director, who was also named one of ENR's Top 25 Newsmakers of 2022. “We refuse to lose one more of our union brothers and sisters to substance use disorder or a mental health challenge, and by coming together as an industry at Recovery Week, we can let people know it’s okay to come forward for help and save lives.”
Click here to find a complete schedule and other info about Building Trades Recovery Week
Construction workers face one of the highest rates of substance use disorder compared to workers in other industries—representing 25% of fatal opioid overdoses, says a BTEA statement. Methods to improve mental health and “break through the stigma” are also on the program at the conference, held at the Sheet Metal Workers Local 17 Joint Apprentice Training Center.
The kickoff event's guest speakers—former Boston Bruins player David Silk, former Major League Baseball player Darryl Strawberry and New York Giants tight end Darren Waller—shared their own recovery stories.
On April 28, BTEA Northeast will host two Job Site Stand Downs at locations in Massachusetts and Rhode Island to commemorate the lives lost to substance use disorder.
