The Peer Volunteer Program is a collaborative effort between PG&E, the IBEW, and ESC. The Peers make themselves available to PG&E employees and their dependents for confidential support for their own alcohol/drug use issue or that of a loved one. The services are available at no cost to both union-represented and non-union represented employees.

Contact a Peer Volunteer

We are PG&E employees in long-term recovery from our own alcohol or drug use disorder or that of a loved one. We are your peers, and we know what it’s like for people to question our drinking or drug use. What it’s like to question ourselves, to feel angry, confused, scared or ashamed.

We also know what it’s like to make a change, to regain our health and peace of mind. You are not alone, and we’re here to talk. Confidentially or anonymously—you don’t even have to give us your name if you don’t want to.

• We have at least two years in recovery.
• We’ve been trained by the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) but remain separate from EAP.
• We’re not licensed mental health professionals but have access to one if needed.
• We’re available by phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

We’re here to help. Contact a Peer Volunteer

• We can give you the benefit of our experience as peers in long-term recovery.
• We will not tell you what you “need” to do. We will not judge or lecture you.
• We will listen and offer our friendship and support.
• We will answer your questions and provide you with information, resources, referrals, and other avenues of support. We can even help you get into treatment if that’s what you decide.
• We can support those with an alcohol/drug use issue, those looking for help in coping with a loved one’s alcohol/drug use issue, and those who have recently returned to work from alcohol/drug treatment.

Contact a Peer Volunteer

All in the family!

03/01/2023

My name is Jim Hendricks, and I am an Alcoholic.

My grandfather died of this disease. My father drove my grandfather to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings in the 60’s, because my grandfather had lost his license to drive. But my grandfather never got sober. In 1979, my father’s drinking had become serious, and due to his exposure to AA in the 60’s, he knew where to go.

I was 18 when my father got sober, and I was well into my addiction at that age. I started drinking and experimenting with other substances when I was 12. In AA you hear people talk about drinking, and you hear that it was fun, then it was fun with problems, and then it was just problems; that is a fairly accurate description for me as well. I drank when things were good, I drank when things were bad, I drank for no reason at all. I had blackouts and embarrassing events happening, and I failed a drug screening because I mixed other substances with alcohol.

At the age of 28, I had watched my father’s life improve because of AA. A friend of mine (a bartender in the restaurant that I worked at) had recently started attending AA meetings, and I asked if he could take me to one. I admitted that I was an Alcoholic at that meeting, and I felt a great relief. Since then, I have attended AA meetings regularly, I have a sponsor and a group of other AA members that help me, and I do the things that are suggested. The obsession to drink has been removed, and I get to live a wonderful life today.

If any of this sounds familiar to you or someone you love, reach out to me or the Peer Volunteer Program; we have been there, and we have found a better way.

Jim Hendricks

Archive:
This Time it Stuck
You Are Worth It - CN
My Life Was in a Tailspin and I Couldn’t Stop, Until…
It Would Never Happen to Me
This is Living: Surviving Substance Abuse in a Loved One
Grateful to PG&E For My Recovery!
You are worth it - TC
Alcohol and Substance Abuse Impacts the Entire Family
A Recovery Poem
Coping With a Loved One’s Addiction
Highest paid broke homeless person in Eureka

Requirements to become a Peer Volunteer

• Two or more years of long-term recovery from your own alcohol/substance use disorder or that of a family member.
• Current and active involvement in a 12-step recovery program or equivalent.
• Willingness to break your own anonymity within the workplace and to have your name, contact information, and photo posted on the external PVP website and on internal communications.
• Satisfactory completion of an interview process.
• Approval by supervisor to serve as a Peer Volunteer.
• Completion of an initial training session and attendance at one quarterly meeting per year minimum.
• Maintenance of good performance in your job at PG&E.
• Commitment of a minimum of one year to the Peer Volunteer Program is desired.

Responsibilities of a Peer Volunteer

A Peer is expected to be available 24/7 via personal cell phone to assist any PG&E employee or dependent who has an issue with their own drinking/drug use or that of a loved one.

If you have questions or wish to explore becoming a Peer Volunteer, please contact PVP@pge.com or:

We are in the midst of the deadliest drug crisis in American history. It can affect anyone. If you or a dependent are seeking treatment for an opioid use disorder, Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) offers the best chance for a successful recovery. Work with your local onsite EAP counselor or call Carelon Behavioral Health (formerly Beacon Health Options) at 1-888-445-4436 to find the best treatment center for your situation. You can also contact one of the Peer Volunteers, fellow employees who are in long-term recovery and can help 24/7.