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 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 1-page description
- A checklist for workplaces
- An engagement flowchart
- 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
- Two resources from Nevada
- 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.
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).
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.
Opioid Abuse in Kentucky: The Business Community’s Perspective
Source: Kentucky Chamber Workforce Center
This report from the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce describes the impact of the opioid crisis in Kentucky from the business community’s perspective.
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.
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.
New Hampshire Governor’s Recovery Friendly Workplace Initiative
Source: New Hampshire Office of the Governor
This document provides a 1-page summary of the New Hampshire Recovery Friendly Workplace initiative led by Governor Chris Sununu’s office.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Strategies for Helping Individuals Impacted by Opioid Use Disorder: A Toolkit for Ohio’s Public Workforce System
Source: Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services
This 101 page toolkit from Ohio’s Department of Jobs and Family Services supports business impacted by opioid use disorder (OUD).
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:
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.
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.
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.
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:
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.
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.