Samantha Osterlof & family
It took four years of addiction to opioid painkillers and heroin to transform Samantha Bixler from a wholesome, high school honors student and athlete with a bright future into a drug-addicted, 22-year-old hospital ventilator patient with a 10% chance of survival.
Thankfully, the 2005 Palmyra High School graduate’s story did not end in an intensive care unit.
Today, Samantha Osterlof—her married name—is a wife, working mother of three and a passionate advocate for treatment and recovery programs like the one that she said saved her life.
In 2021, more than 46 million Americans had at least one substance use disorder, while just more than 6% had treatment, according to the National Institutes of Health.
About 107,000 people died. The economic burden of drug-related productivity losses, medical costs, crime and more is close to $530 billion, according to Georgetown University’s Health Policy Institute.
“No matter how you calculate it, substance abuse disorder is an enormous disruption to the lives of the employees and others,” said Karie Batzler, Capital Blue Cross’ director of behavioral health. “Anytime is the right time for companies to open up a clear dialogue with employees about the issue. Put it out there. Let it become a topic of discussion. The more we talk about it, the more we work to reduce the stigma and support treatment and recovery.”
Capital Blue Cross’ Health Promotion and Wellness team works with employer groups on ways to create awareness of substance use disorders.
Some companies, including Capital, offer an employee assistance program (EAP) that makes it easy for employees to access mental health professionals for any issue.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Disorders Services Administration (SAMSHA) publishes an evidence-based resource guide that educates employers on the merits of creating recovery-friendly employment policies.
The Biden administration’s American Rescue Plan created, among other things, a Recovery-Ready Workplace Resource hub through the Department of Labor.
“Just letting the employee know that their recovery comes first is important,” Batzler said.
Osterlof’s 10-year addiction took her right to the cliff’s edge.
A 37-day stay at an addiction treatment center, seven months of outpatient therapy and group meetings pulled her back from that edge, and a lifetime of being in recovery will keep her from falling down again.
Clean and with a new chance at life, Osterlof set out to redefine herself.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Elizabethtown College in 2016, and a master’s degree in criminal justice and behavior management from Saint Joseph’s University in 2017, all while working as an outreach specialist and therapist at the same recovery facility that helped save her life.
In March, took a position as a marketing director with a company that specializes in outpatient treatment and recovery at several locations in southeast Pennsylvania.
She is certified as both a recovery specialist and a family recovery specialist and is an approved trainer who works with the Pennsylvania State Police and other organizations.
The tragedy of substance use disorder is well documented. By eagerly sharing her story of addiction and recovery, Osterlof hopes to let the world hear another message.
“Everything good in my life today, I have as a result of my recovery,” said Osterlof, who hasn’t taken a mood or mind-altering substance since Dec. 21, 2011. “The message is hope. The promise is freedom. Treatment works, and recovery is possible.”
For more information, visit www.capitalbluecross.com.
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