Recovery Ready Workplaces: A key strategy for reducing overdoses and sustaining recovery from substance use disorder

Abstract

In 2021, overdose deaths surpassed the 100,000 mark for the first time in the United States’ history, and alcohol-related deaths continue to surpass 140,000 each year. Regulatory and societal barriers to effective treatment and prevention of substance use disorder (SUD) persist. Innovative strategies and approaches to support long-term recovery can help reduce morbidity and mortality associated with SUD. Improving access to quality treatment and the availability of a broad range of policies and programs to support recovery and address social determinants of health, including employment supports, are key to curbing the overdose epidemic and rebuilding stronger communities. This article outlines the role Recovery Ready Workplaces can play in reducing overdoses and helping individuals sustain recovery from SUD, as well as in strengthening communities. This article describes how congressional and state legislative action, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) enforcement and expansion, and other programmatic and fiscal policy changes at the state and federal levels will accelerate the adoption of Recovery Ready Workplaces as an element of a comprehensive response to SUD. The article also identifies existing state models and proposes specific federal- and state-level solutions to address some of the current limitations. Recovery Ready Workplaces benefit employees, employers, and the nation's economy. Recovery Ready Workplaces are a supportive tool and policy strategy to help those with SUD thrive in recovery and to bolster communities and the economy as a whole.