Tools for Change: Substance Use Awareness, Stigma Reduction and Recovery Supports in the Trades

Substance use is already on construction jobsites—often unseen, often unspoken—and its impact reaches far beyond the individual. It shows up in safety incidents, strained communication, lost productivity, turnover, and weakened trust across crews. In an industry defined by physical demands, tight deadlines, long hours, and high-risk work, the effects are too significant to ignore.

This training confronts the realities of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) in the Trades and breaks down how it develops, including the roles of tolerance and withdrawal in shaping behavior, performance, and decision-making on the job. Participants will examine how jobsite and company culture can either reinforce risk or become a powerful force for prevention, stability, and support.

The session also addresses stigma directly—how it shows up in conversations, supervision, HR processes, and field leadership—and the real consequences it has when people hesitate to speak up, step in, or seek help. Left unaddressed, stigma delays action and increases risk for everyone on the jobsite.

Participants will learn practical, actionable strategies to reduce stigma across all levels of a construction organization and strengthen a culture where safety and support work together. The training also introduces peer recovery workers, their role in supporting individuals in recovery, and why peer-based support is especially effective in the Trades.

This session equips construction teams with shared language and real-world tools to recognize issues earlier, respond more effectively, and build safer, more resilient workplaces.

FREE VIRTUAL EVENT: Register today, a link to join the webinar will be emailed to you the day before the event.

Presenter:

Patricia “Patti” Baranowski, MA, CADC, Program Director
PRO-A WORKS

Ms. Baranowski has over 30 years working in the areas of prevention, education, support, advocacy, clinical and counseling, in the field of Substance Use Disorders. She is currently the Program Director of PRO-A’s WORKS Project. She worked as an educator, a certified allied addictions practitioner, a training and event coordinator, and an advocate for individuals with substance use disorder and their families her entire career. She has been instrumental in developing and implementing specialized employment programs for individuals with Substance Use Disorder and Co-Occurring Disorders to support PRO-A’s Workforce Support Project. She continues to work to expand statewide workforce trainings and technical assistance, assisting with advocacy and public awareness throughout the Commonwealth. Patricia has trained for PRO-A for many years, assisting in the development of new trainings. She holds a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor certification through the Pennsylvania Certification Board, and is a certified CRS/CFRS Trainer for the Pennsylvania Certification Board. Ms. Baranowski is proud to have served in the US Army Reserves as a Medic and Administrative Assistant, where she received many honors during her service. She has extensive professional, and has a Masters’ Degree in Human Services, with a focus on Health and Wellness. She has personal knowledge of substance use disorder and its impact on the family and has a passion for advocating for those affected by the disease, increasing collaborations with others to support growth and positive change in our communities.