David L. Albright, University Distinguished Research Professor, and the Hill Crest Foundation Endowed Chair in Mental Health Research, has been appointed by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to its committee to examine drug and alcohol programs within the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Specifically, the committee will:
- Identify relevant drug and alcohol programs within USDOT and its modal administrations, and similar industries and sectors, beyond the Human Intervention Motivation Study (HIMS) program and the Flight Attendant Drug and Alcohol Program (FADAP).
- Review available assessment and evaluation information on the HIMS, FADAP, and any other identified drug and alcohol programs to identify:
- Best policies and practices within existing programs; and
- Best practices for prevention, early intervention, and return to work specifically around prescription medication abuse.
- To the extent justified by the evidence, provide recommendations to the FAA and other modal administrations within the USDOT on how to implement programs, or change existing programs, that seek to help transportation workers get treatment for drug and alcohol abuse and return to work.
Dr. Albright has served on multiple National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine study committees. He is the Principal Investigator of VitAL, which is a community engaged research, implementation, and training and education initiative focused on improving services, policies, and social conditions for Alabamians with mental health, substance use disorder, and trauma-related challenges. The VitAL team currently works with community stakeholders across all of Alabama’s 67 counties. Dr. Albright is an elected fellow of the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare and the National Academies of Practice in Social Work.