Local government and business leaders Monday announced a drug-free workplace awareness week in February for DeKalb county.

“The interest in fighting drug abuse has never been higher,” said State Sen. Pat Welch (D-Peru).

Welch and others signed a declaration proclaiming Feb. 18-24 “Substance Abuse Free Workplace Awareness Week” at Genoa Business Forms, 445 Park Ave. in Sycamore.

The purpose of the event was to improve awareness of on-the-job substance abuse and the ways available in DeKalb County to fight the problem.

U.S. Rep. Dennis Hastert (R-Yorkville), State Rep. Brad Burzynski (R-Sycamore), DeKalb County Chairman Bob Hutcheson and DeKalb Mayor Greg Sparrow also were present to sign the proclamation.

The DeKalb County Partnership for S.A.F.E. (Substance Abuse Free Environment) scheduled the event through their Substance Abuse Free Workplace Action Group. Group co-chairman Alice A. Paulson said this was the first in a series of upcoming events focusing on job-related substance abuse.

The highlight of the week will be a substance abuse workshop for employers Feb. 19 at the DeKalb County Farm Bureau, said Paulson, an employee of Genoa Business Forms.

Employers wanting information about the workshop can contact Debbie McFarland at the Ben Gordon Center, 12 Health Services Drive, DeKalb.

Ben Gordon Center employee Rick Johnson helped organize the signing and said he was pleased with the support shown. He said every elected official invited turned out along with many county business representatives.

“For those of us that helped organize it, it was a real plus,” Johnson said.

The emphasis during the week will be on the prevention and treatment of substance abuse as well as enforcement against it, Johnson said.

S.A.F.E. chairman Jim Graves said, “I think this may be first proclamation of a substance-abuse free workplace week in the nation.”