Recovery Friendly Workplaces

Because of the far-reaching impacts of addiction, businesses have increasingly become engaged in addressing addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery for their employees. In this collection, CLOUD highlights initiatives on creating Recovery Friendly Workplaces where businesses create policies and procedures that offer support for employees working on substance use disorder treatment and recovery. Research has shown that being employed is an important part of achieving and sustaining recovery from substance use disorders, meaning that employers and their partners in government and community organizations have a role to play in helping address the addiction crisis. Many states and communities now offer employers free technical assistance aimed at developing Recovery Friendly Workplace policies and training for managers and employees.

This collection includes:

  • Two resources from the state of Connecticut
    • A report from stakeholder meetings that discusses the impact that substance use has on the workforce and workplace and provides recommendations for human resource best practices around substance use disorder (SUD)
    • The Connecticut Recovery Friendly Workplace toolkit
  • A report from the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce that describes the impact opioid addiction has had in the state and makes the case for why businesses need to be engaged in developing Recovery Friendly Workplaces and a link the Chamber’s website for their Opioid Response Program for Businesses
  • A link to the website for New Hampshire‘s Recovery Friendly Workplace Initiative and the following explanatory documents:
  • A link to the website for Rhode Island‘s Recovery Friendly Workplace initiative as well as presentation slides explaining the program
  • Three resources from the state of Ohio
    • A link to the Ohio Bureau of Worker’s Compensation’s Substance Use Recovery and Workplace Safety Program
    • A toolkit created by the Ohio Office of Workforce Development to support business impacted by opioid use disorder
    • A link to the toolkit created by the Ohio Chamber of Commerce
  •  Two resources from Nevada
    • A link to the website of the Department of Health and Human Services’ Recovery Friendly workplace Program
    • A toolkit for creating a recovery friendly workplace
  • A link to Pennsylvania’s Recovery Friendly Workplace Initiative
  • A link to an on-line toolkit from the Minnesota Department of Health
  • A link to the website for Workplace Supported Recovery from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and
  • A link to the National Safety Council’s Opioids at Work Employer Toolkit

Readers may also be interested in reviewing CLOUD’s featured collections on Recovery and Reducing Stigma around Substance Use Disorders.

If you have additional materials we should consider including in this collection, please see our call for submissions page.

Policymakers & Community Leaders
Payers & Providers
Patients & Caregivers

The Opioid Crisis and Connecticut’s Workforce: Updating Your Approach to Employees Suffering from Addiction Can Preserve Your Greatest Resource

Source: State of Connecticut

The Connecticut Department of Public Health convened stakeholders over 2 years to discuss the impact that substance use has on the workforce and workplace and develop recommendations for human resource best practices around substance use disorder (SUD).

Document
Policymakers & Community Leaders

Recovery Works: 3.0 Creating a Recovery Friendly Workplace Toolkit

Source: Connecticut Department of Labor, Connecticut Department of Public Health, & the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services

The Connecticut Recovery Friendly Workplace (RFW) toolkit assists in creating a recovery friendly workplace. Resources in the toolkit include assessments of current practices, principles of a RFW, guidance for implementing a RFW policy including sample policies and communications documents, and links to additional resources such as training opportunities.

Document
Policymakers & Community Leaders

Opioid Response Program for Business

Source: Kentucky Chamber of Commerce

The Kentucky Chamber of Commerce’s Recovery Program for Business website provides free assistance to business to update policies and implement best practices for maintaining a drug-free workplace while supporting a recovery friendly culture.

External Website
Policymakers & Community Leaders

Recovery Friendly Workplace New Hampshire

Source: Office of Governor Chris Sununu

The New Hampshire’s Recovery Friendly Workplace (RFW) initiative’s website provides information about the initiative including information about accessing training and support for employers.

External Website
Policymakers & Community Leaders

New Hampshire Governor’s Recovery Friendly Workplace Initiative: Workplace Checklist

Source: New Hampshire Office of the Governor

This 3 -page overview of the New Hampshire Recovery Friendly Workplace (RFW) initiative, created by the office of Governor Chris Sununu, provides background on the initiative’s creation, benefits of participation, and a check-list for businesses participating in the initiative.

Document
Policymakers & Community Leaders

New Hampshire Governor’s Recovery Friendly Workplace Initiative: Engagement Flowchart

Source: Office of the Governor of New Hampshire

This 3-page document describes the steps to enrolling in the New Hampshire Recovery Friendly Workplace initiative. Included are details on the phases of engaging in the initiative, a list of resources for workplaces, and a section of frequently asked questions.

Document
Policymakers & Community Leaders

Rhode Island’s Recovery Friendly Workplace Initiative

Source: Office of the Governor of Rhode Island

The Rhode Island’s recovery friendly workplace (RFW) initiative’s website provides information about the RFW initiative and links to resources.

External Website
Policymakers & Community Leaders

Rhode Island’s Recovery Friendly Workplace Initiative

Source: Office of the Governor of Rhode Island

This slide deck provides a walk-through of the Rhode Island Recovery Friendly Workplace (RFW) initiative. The presentation explains the process to become an RFW and describes the benefits of the program.

Document
Policymakers & Community Leaders

Substance Use Recovery and Workplace Safety Program

Source: Ohio Bureau of Worker's Compensation

Ohio’s substance use recovery and workplace safety program is an initiative piloted by the Ohio Bureau of Worker’s Compensation and the local Alcohol Drug Addiction and Mental Health Boards. The website includes information about the county-based initiative for employers including assistance in developing policies and procedures and training for employees and managers.

External Website
Policymakers & Community Leaders

Ohio Chamber of Commerce Opioid Toolkit

Source: Ohio Chamber of Commerce

The Ohio Chamber of Commerce created this toolkit for businesses to assist them in addressing opioid-related issues. The toolkit includes a free, online course on how to create a “best practice” drug free workplace with 5 components:

External Website
Policymakers & Community Leaders

Recovery Friendly Workplace Nevada

Source: Nevada Department of Health and Human Services Division of Public and Behavioral Health

Nevada’s Recovery Friendly Workplace program offers business owners free resources to create recovery supportive workplaces. Resources on their website include training, draft policies, and technical assistance.

External Website
Policymakers & Community Leaders

Nevada Recovery Friendly Workplace Toolkit

Source: Nevada Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public and Behavioral Health

The Nevada’s Recovery Friendly Workplace initiative’s digital toolkit includes sections on understanding recovery, offering recovery supports, educating the workplace, understanding substance use disorder treatment, and advice for creating policies to support recovery in the workplace.

Document
Policymakers & Community Leaders

Drug Free Workplace PA

Source: Drug Free Workplace PA

The Drug Free Workplace Pennsylvania’s Recovery Friendly Workplace (RFW) initiative’s website provides information for businesses in creating a supportive environments that encourage the success of new hires and employees in recovery from substance use disorder.

External Website
Policymakers & Community Leaders

Opioid Epidemic Response: Employer Toolkit

Source: Minnesota Department of Health

This online toolkit is designed for employers seeking to address substance use disorder (SUD) and recovery in their workplaces. The website describes 5 steps employers can take to be part of the opioid epidemic response including:

External Website
Policymakers & Community Leaders

Workplace Supported Recovery

Source: The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The Workplace Supported Recovery website, from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, includes an explanation of recovery-supportive workplaces, a definition of recovery, and specific recommendation for reducing the stigma against substance use disorder in the workplace.

External Website
Policymakers & Community Leaders

Opioids at Work Employer Toolkit

Source: National Safety Council

The National Safety Council’s toolkit was designed to help employers address opioids in the workplace. The toolkit includes fact sheets, presentations, videos, sample policies and more with specific materials for human resources professionals, supervisors, employees, safety professionals and links to related resources.

External Website