September isn’t just Workforce Development Month, it’s also National Recovery Month (which has been officially recognized in the U.S. since 1989).
According to the CDC, one in seven Americans reports experiencing substance use issues. Like many life challenges facing people, including lack of stable housing or transportation, substance abuse is also a workforce issue.
There are free tools out there to support workers and employers when it comes to substance use and recovery. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) offers a variety of them.
But Ellen Frank-Miller of the Workforce & Organizational Research Center (WORC) recently told me that funding for workforce programs focused on substance use recovery is often elusive. Ellen, who is the Founder & CEO at WORC, said that as workers get promoted to supervisory roles they need training in skills such as how to be approachable. It is the relationship between the worker and supervisor that can truly assist a worker in their recovery journey. Ellen also pointed me towards the Chicago Resiliency Network for additional conversation on this topic.
In researching this issue, I also spoke to Marcos Gonzales of the Chicago Resiliency Network about the challenges of using specific language associated with mental health, trauma informed care, and recovery in settings where these topics aren’t often discussed. It can be difficult to translate these terms into a business case for supporting workers’ mental health. As Marcos indicated, we need to make the case in a way that is understandable and adds value for employers, while not adding to stigma by watering down the specific mental health language. So, while employers may not be in the habit of open dialogue about conditions such as depression, anxiety, or recovery, avoiding such terms is not really a solution.
Businesses stand to benefit from learning to support their workers in recovery. According to NAMI Louisville’s Stigma Free Workforce page, “Untreated mental health conditions cost U.S. businesses an estimated $200 billion annually as a result of lost productivity. Eight out of 10 workers with a mental health condition reported that (perceived) shame and stigma prevented them from seeking treatment.”
A recovery-friendly workplace culture can be a part of both easing the lost revenue caused by untreated mental health concerns and also provide transformative second chance employment to individuals in need of such opportunities.
So how does an employer create a recovery friendly culture and reduce stigma in the workplace?
For that I reached out to Morgan Kirk, the Workforce Recovery Program Director at the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. This program has shepherded 86 businesses through the Fair Chance Academy, which certifies businesses as fair chance (supportive of people in recovery or justice involved) through the Kentucky Chamber Foundation and Office of Drug Control Policy. The Academy teaches employers how to recruit, hire, and retain individuals with a history of substance use.
Two employers (Paradise Tomato Kitchens and Masonic Homes Kentucky) participating in KentuckianaWorks’ Redesigned jobs; Resilient Workers initiative (i.e. designing quality jobs to increase employee retention and recruitment) have also participated in the Fair Chance Academy.
If you are an employer interested in KentuckianaWorks’ job quality initiatives, click here.
If you are looking for help with a substance use issue, SAMHSA has resources to explore.
If you are an employer wishing to support recovery, the CDC has resources to explore. You can also watch their Workforce Supported Recovery video here.
Mike Karman is the Sector Strategies Coordinator at KentuckianaWorks. He has many years of nonprofit experience, especially working with families and children.
