The first step in becoming a recovery-friendly workplace

By Somerset Public Health

Recovery from substance use disorder can be a difficult, but achievable journey. Recent research indicates that sustained recovery is significantly tied to meaningful and purposeful work-life balance.
Employment is reported as a top life priority by people in all stages of recovery. These individuals often can and want to work regardless of where they are in the recovery process. Work is one of the best predictors of positive outcomes for individuals with SUD. Individuals who are employed compared to those unemployed are more likely to demonstrate:
• Lower rates of recurrence
• Higher rates of abstinence
• Less criminal activity
• Fewer parole violations
• Improvements in quality of life
• More successful transition from long-term residential treatment back to the community.
At least five states have started initiatives that encourage businesses to employ people in recovery, adopt recovery-oriented employment policies, and share that information for the benefit of the community. In Maine, Kennebunk Savings Bank is a designated Recovery Friendly Workplace and participated in Maine’s third annual Opioid Response Summit. The bank is creating a culture of support for those with SUD both within the workplace and the community.
How can you make your workplace recovery friendly? Start by taking the Words Matter Pledge. All too often, people with SUD are stigmatized by the language used to describe them and their substance use. When people with an SUD feel stigmatized, they are less likely to seek treatment. We invite you to sign the Words Matter Pledge and help us create a stigma-free environment at your workplace and in our community.
Interested in learning more about becoming a Recovery Friendly Workplace in Somerset County? Contact Linda MacKenzie at Somerset Public Health at lmackenzie@rfgh.net.