Lowell House is now known as Riverbend. Learn more.
Lowell House is now known as Riverbend. Learn more.
A Recovery Friendly Workplace acknowledges and openly addresses the topic of drug and alcohol misuse. This includes:
• Communicating about these issues in a nonjudgemental and honest way to reduce stigma.
• Encouraging employees to discuss substance use concerns and recovery successes in a non-punitive setting.
A Recovery Friendly Workplace educates employees and customers about the disease of addiction and treatment resources and options. This includes:
• Training employees on substance use disorders and how stigma in the workplace can affect recovery.
• Preparing supervisors and managers to approach and respond to substance use concerns.
• Providing resources to and access to recovery support services for employees and their families.
A Recovery Friendly Workplace offers policies and practices that support employees who have been impacted by addiction and substance use. This includes:
• Prioritizing safety and well-being.
• Offering supportive policies and accommodation.
• Rethinking hiring standards around gaps in employment, addiction-related justice history, and other considerations.
A Recovery Friendly Workplace prioritizes safety by preventing employee exposure to unsafe conditions that could cause injury or illness that contribute to the development or recurrence of SUD.
This includes:
• Observing the highest standards for workplace safety.
• Ensuring the workplace is an emotionally and socially safe and healthy environment for staff.
A Recovery Friendly Workplace improve access to recovery supports by lowering barriers to seeking care for addiction, receiving care for addiction, and maintaining recovery. This requires and open and honest environment where people can ask for help, benefits and policies that allow people to get the highest quality help available for themselves and their family members, and flexibility and support to help people stay well.
Over 70% of people with SUD are employed. That’s about 15 million Americans!
Work is one of the best predictors of positive outcomes for people with Substance Use Disorder. People in recovery who are able to work have:
Higher rates of abstinence from drugs and alcohol
Less criminal justice involvement
Fewer parole violations (for those with involvement with the criminal justice system)
Improvements in quality of life
More successful transitions from treatment back into the community
Nearly every business in America is affected by Substance Use Disorder. Yet only 17% of employers feel well-prepared to deal with it.
Our goal is to create a culture of recovery. A culture of recovery is one that encourages health and wellness and provides support and non-judgmental openness to all aspects of employees’ lives. A culture of recovery prioritizes physical and mental health and safety. You can create a culture of recovery through any of the following actions. Recovery Friendly Workplaces benefit from a healthier, more productive, and more motivated workforce. They gain a reputation among current and potential employees as a positive and supportive place to work.