Alcohol, Tobacco, Opioid, and Other Drug Use and Awareness Policy and Procedures

Philosophy and Scope
Definitions for the Purpose of this Policy and Procedures
Responsible Senior Leader and Responsible Office
Entities Affected by this Policy and Procedures
Education, Prevention, and Responsibility
Prohibited Conduct
Reporting/Sanctions
Opioid Overdose Response
Notification of Conviction
Acceptable Use

I. Philosophy and Scope

Frederick Community College (“FCC” or the “College”) is committed to an alcohol, tobacco, and drug-free learning and working environment. Frederick Community College adheres to the responsibilities set forth in applicable local, state, and federal laws. All members of the College community, visitors, guests, and volunteers are required to comply with this Policy and Procedures.

The College provides education and prevention resources related to the use of alcohol, tobacco, opioid, and other drugs. The College utilizes educational strategies to increase awareness of drug, alcohol, or tobacco use. In response to the nationwide heroin and opioid epidemic, incoming full-time students are required to participate in prevention awareness training, and incoming part-time students are provided with resources that alert and educate them regarding heroin and opioid addiction and prevention. The College recognizes that substance use at work or school may indicate a serious mental health crisis. Out of care and concern for the entire College community, FCC encourages students to seek non-punitive, confidential support for substance use through Counseling and Wellness services; the College encourages employees to seek non-punitive, confidential support for substance use through our Employee Assistance Program.

Any student, employee, visitor, guest, or volunteer who uses illicit drugs or alcohol, or use of any drug on College premises or during a College-sponsored activity may be subject to prosecution and punishment by the civil authorities. Students and employees may also be subject to disciplinary proceedings by the College.

Information provided by those who voluntarily avail themselves to tobacco, drug, or alcohol counseling or rehabilitation services will be kept confidential.

The College reserves the right to refuse any advertising or promotional activities which focus on the consumption of alcoholic beverages, tobacco, or drugs.

II. Definitions for the Purpose of this Policy and Procedures

“ATODA” refers to alcohol, tobacco, opioid, and other drug awareness.
“Calendar days” refers to Sunday through Saturday of each week excluding days on which the College is officially closed.
“College” refers to Frederick Community College and, collectively, those responsible for its control and operation and applies to all sites at which the College conducts classes and/or activities.
“College community” refers to trustees, students, and all employees of the College as well as any independent contractors or other third parties to the extent articulated under contractual agreements.
“College premises” refers to buildings or grounds owned, leased, operated, controlled, supervised, or temporarily used by the College.
“College-sponsored activity” refers to any activity that is initiated, authorized, or supervised by the College, or that involves representation of the College.
“Controlled substances” refers to drugs that have some potential for dependence. These drugs are regulated by local, state, and federal laws.
A “drug” refers to any chemical, whether synthetic or natural, that affects the human body or mind when it is swallowed, inhaled, injected, or consumed in any other way.
“Illicit drugs” refers to drugs which are illegal by state or federal law.¹
“Naloxone” refers to a prescription medicine (Narcan, Evzio, or its equivalent generic) that reverses opioid overdose.
“Opioid” refers to synthetic substances that act on opioid receptors to produce morphine-like effects.
“Senior Leadership Team” (SLT) refers to the President’s Senior Leadership Team, led by the President and includes the Chief of Staff to the President; the Vice President (VP) for Finance and Administration; the Provost and VP for Teaching, Learning, and Student Success; the VP for Student Affairs; the VP for Talent and Culture; the Executive Director of the Office of Institutional Advancement/FCC Foundation; and the Special Assistant to the President for Institutional Effectiveness.
“Student” refers to an individual who is registered at the College, either full or part-time, in a credit or continuing education class or classes, who has either paid or made arrangement for payment of tuition and/or fees.
“Tobacco” refers to any tobacco-derived or tobacco-simulating products, including, but not limited to: cigarettes (clove, bidis, kreteks), electronic cigarettes and vaporizers, cigars and cigarillos, pipe tobacco, hookah smoked products, and oral tobacco (spit and spitless, smokeless, chew, snuff).
“Visitor” and “guest” refers to any person who is not a member of the College community who is on College premises.
“Volunteers” refers to individuals who are not members of the College community, but have had background checks and have been officially approved to serve as volunteers at the College.

¹ Cannabis use or possession is still illegal under federal law and thus the term “illicit drugs” as used in this Policy
includes Cannabis.

III. Responsible Senior Leader and Responsible Office

Vice President for Talent and Culture and Vice President for the Student Affairs
Human Resources & Office of the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs

IV. Entities Affected by this Policy and Procedures

The College community

V. Education, Prevention, and Responsibility

The College provides resources to educate, prevent, and address alcohol, tobacco, opioid, and other drug use and misuse. Resources, including awareness information, counseling services, and referral services are available to faculty, staff, and students. A list of community resources is available to students and all employees through the Office of the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs (AVPSA). For eligible employees and their families, the College provides an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that offers a comprehensive set of support services and resources paid for by the College. The services are confidential and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days per year. Contact Human Resources at humanresources@frederick.edu.
Students are required to acknowledge and agree to comply with ATODA Policy and Procedures through their signature on their admissions application or their acknowledgement on their student profile.
The College issues an annual written notice to students and employees of the College Alcohol, Tobacco, Opioid, and Other Drug Use and Awareness Policy and Procedures. The Associate Vice President for Student Affairs (AVPSA)is responsible for the oversight of ATODA programs and the tracking of incidents, reporting, and sanctions for students. The Vice President (VP) for Human Resources is responsible for the oversight of ATODA programs and the tracking of incidents, reporting, and sanctions for employees.
The College complies with the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988, the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act of 1986, as Amended in 1989, and the Heroin and Opioid Education and Community Action Act of 2017 (previously referred to as the Start Talking Maryland Act). The College conducts a biennial review of its ATODA programs and policies to determine program effectiveness, consistency of sanctions, enforcement, and the need to implement changes. The AVPSA and the VP for Human Resources collaborate to review all ATODA programs, co-author and submit the Biennial Review Report by December 31 of each even-numbered year to the Senior Leadership Team, and are responsible for the oversight and implementation of recommended changes.
The College provides a list of resources at Opioids & Addictions Resources that alert and educate students regarding heroin and opioid addiction and prevention. Students are provided weekly reminders of this website until they have completed the corresponding training referenced in the same notification.
Each year, at New Student and Parent Convocation, opioid addiction and prevention education strategies are addressed by faculty and administrators.
The College offers workshops and programming during National Drug and Alcohol Awareness Month, Wellness Month, and other times throughout the year.

VI. Prohibited Conduct

The manufacture, sale, distribution, dispensation, possession, or use of illicit drugs or controlled substances, and the use or unauthorized use of alcohol by anyone on College premises, at any College-sponsored activities, or in College vehicles is prohibited. These violations may result in disciplinary action which could include criminal prosecution.
With the exception of parking lots, the use of all tobacco products is prohibited on College premises by any member of the College community, visitor, guest, or volunteer. The use of all tobacco and cannabis products is prohibited in College vehicles at all times.

VII. Reporting/Sanctions

Anyone who witnesses or has knowledge of violations of this Policy and Procedures occurring on College premises or at a College-sponsored activity should contact College Security. Call 4444 from a main campus phone or a Monroe Center office phone or (301) 846-2453 from any other phone. In the case of an emergency, call or text 911. Reporting protocols for off-site programs will be followed for violations of this Policy and Procedures.
Students
1. Anyone who has ATODA concerns regarding a student should complete a Student Behavior Incident Report Form and submit it to the AVPSA. Students charged with violating the ATODA policy will be adjudicated under the College Code of Student Conduct.
2. Sanctions for students are listed in the Code of Student Conduct.
Employees

1. Anyone who has ATODA concerns regarding an employee should contact the VP for Human Resources at humanresources@frederick.edu]. The VP for Human Resources must then notify the appropriate supervisor and Senior Leader.

2. Sanctions for employees are outlined in the Employee Misconduct Policy and Procedures.
Visitors, Guests, and Volunteers

All violations of this Policy and Procedures by visitors, guests, or volunteers should be reported immediately to College Security. Call 4444 from a main campus phone or a Monroe Center office phone or (301) 846-2453 from any other phone. In the case of an emergency, call or text 911.

Law enforcement may be called to respond if a visitor, guest, or volunteer is in violation of this Policy and Procedures.

VIII. Opioid Overdose Response

FCC adheres to the Heroin and Opioid Education and Community Action Act of 2017 (formerly referred to as the Start Talking Maryland Act) and follows guidelines and procedures outlined in the act, including utilization of nasal Naloxone by designated and trained employees of the College.
The Director of Public Safety will:
1. Designate employees who are to receive training and be certified every two (2) years in the use of nasal Naloxone.
2. Ensure that the nasal Naloxone kits are current and not past the expiration date.
3. Ensure proper, secure, and efficient storage and deployment of nasal Naloxone for College use.
4. Ensure that any use of the nasal Naloxone on an individual is documented, and required notifications are made to the Chief of Operations, and the Frederick County Health Department.

IX. Notification of Conviction

As a condition of employment, employees must abide by the terms of this Policy and Procedures and notify the Human Resources Office in writing of any criminal drug statute conviction, no later than five (5) calendar days after such conviction. Lack of compliance with these requirements may subject the employee to separation from employment.
Upon receipt of notification of a conviction, the College will take the following actions as required by law:
1. Notify the appropriate federal agencies of such convictions within ten (10) calendar days, and
2. Take appropriate personnel action against the employee, which may include reprimand, warning, suspension with or without pay, or separation from employment; and/or
3. Require the employee to participate satisfactorily in a substance use assistance or rehabilitation program approved for such purposes by a federal, state or local health, law enforcement, or other appropriate agency.

X. Acceptable Use

Alcohol may be served at College-sponsored events or non-College-sponsored events held on College premises with the written approval of the President upon securing the proper licensing, permitting, insurance, and meeting all local and state requirements related to usage control.
Specific curricula or program areas may have acceptable use policies upon approval of the President.
The handling of prescription/controlled medications as part of health science clinical assignments is granted by the President.
Employees should report to work fit for duty and free of any adverse effects of illicit drugs or alcohol. This does not prohibit employees from the lawful use and possession of prescribed medications. Employees must, however, consult with their physicians about the medication’s effect on their fitness for duty and the ability to work safely and promptly disclose restrictions to their supervisor. Employees should not, however, disclose underlying medical conditions to supervisors, but should do so to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) official in Human Resources. In accordance with the College’s “Disability Accommodation” policy contained in the Employee Handbook, the College provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in compliance with applicable law. Employee requests for accommodations should be directed to Human Resources.