State Models & Resources

Colorado Recovery Friendly Workplace Initiative(link is external) - Sponsored by the Colorado School of Public Health’s Center for Health, Work and Environment, The Colorado Prescription Drug Abuse Consortium, and Associated General Contractors, this initiative provides education, training, and resources to help managers and individuals implement workplace practices and support for employees in treatment and recovery.

Colorado Recovery Friendly Workplace Toolkit(link is external) - Identifies the steps employers can take to improve organizational effectiveness by becoming a workplace that supports all employees, especially those in recovery from addiction.

Connecticut Recovery Friendly Workplace Toolkit(link is external) - Outlines five key principles to guide the development of recovery friendly workplaces.

Indiana Workforce Recovery(link is external) - Best practice guidelines for employers, including a second-chance program for applicants and current employees who are qualified for work but test positive on a drug screen.

Kentucky Transformational Employment Program (KTEP)(link is external) - The Kentucky Transformational Employment Program (KTEP) provides a pathway for businesses and employers to help more Kentuckians reach long-term recovery while supporting fair chance employment.

NEW Maryland Recovery Friendly Workplace Pilot(link is external) – The Maryland Department of Labor has a four-tiered approach to allow for employers with different capacities to engage with the Recovery Friendly Workplace model and activities.

Michigan Recovery Friendly Workplace Initiative(link is external) - Launched and overseen by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, MRFWI is implemented through and agreement between the state and MPHI, a non-profit public health institute.

Minnesota Opioid Epidemic Response: Employer Toolkit(link is external) – Developed by the Minnesota Department of Health and the Minnesota Business Partnership (MBP), the toolkit identified five steps employers can take to prevent and address substance use disorder.

NEW Montana’s Recovery Friendly Workplace Initiative(link is external) – The State of Montana funds the United Way of Missoula County to implement this statewide effort.

Ohio Bureau of Worker’s Compensation Substance Use Recovery and Workplace Safety Program(link is external) - Eligible employers can be reimbursed for development and legal review of substance use policies and procedures; training for employees on substance use and their employer’s related policies; training to better manage employees in recovery; and, drug testing for prospective and current employees using recovery-friendly “second chance” testing policies. Employers also have access to Better You! Better Ohio!(link is external), a free employee wellness incentive program.

Opioids and the Workplace: An Employer Toolkit for Supporting Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery(link is external) - This toolkit was developed by the Kentuckiana Health Collaborative to help employers to support their employees and their dependents in prevention, treatment, and recovery from opioid misuse and opioid use disorder (OUD).

NEW Recovery Friendly Workplace Maine(link is external) - The State of Maine established a statewide pilot under which the Portland Recovery Community Center(link is external) (PRCC) and Pinetree Institute(link is external) are funded to support businesses in becoming recovery-friendly and in designating eligible employers as Recovery Friendly Workplaces.

Recovery Friendly Missouri(link is external) - The Recovery Friendly Initiative empowers workplaces to support people affected by substance use disorders and those in recovery.

Recovery Friendly New Hampshire(link is external) and Employer Orientation Packet(link is external) - The Recovery Friendly Workplace Initiative gives business owners resources and support to foster a supportive environment that encourages the success of their employees in recovery.

NEW Recovery Friendly NJ(link is external) is a statewide initiative aimed to support organizations in New Jersey who are interested in implementing a Recovery Friendly Workplace program.

Recovery Friendly North Carolina(link is external) initiative and introduction(link is external) to NC Recovery-Friendly Workplace Toolkit.

Recovery Friendly Workplace Illinois(link is external) - Recovery Friendly Workplaces encourage a healthy and safe environment where employers, employees, and communities can collaborate to create positive change and eliminate barriers for those impacted by addiction.

Recovery Friendly Workplaces of New Mexico (link is external)- A 501(c)3 Non-Profit organization working to recruit businesses to hire people in recovery from substance use disorder after completion of treatment.

Recovery Ohio Recovery Friendly Employer Training Modules(link is external) – The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS), RecoveryOhio, the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, and the training and consulting firm Working Partners developed these eight video training modules.

Recovery Friendly Workplaces Texas(link is external) - Recovery Friendly Workplaces as a campaign was originally envisioned in New Hampshire, and has since grown to include several initiatives across the country, including Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Nevada. In 2022, Unity Recovery implemented RFW-TX after its success in running the RFW-PA program since 2020.

West Virginia Chamber of Commerce Substance Misuse Toolkit(link is external) - Six easy-to-watch online training modules. (30 minutes or less per video)

State Tax Credits

Illinois Recovery and Mental Health Tax Credit Act(link is external) - Eligible employers may apply for a tax credit of up to $2,000 per individual in recovery from a substance use or mental health disorder that they employ full-time or part-time. Credit is based on the number of hours the employee works and may be taken in the year the individual is hired or in the following year.

New York Recovery Friendly Workplace Tax Credit(link is external) - Eligible employers can apply to receive up to $2,000 of tax credit per employee in recovery hired in the current tax year, and/or the year immediately prior to that, if hours are aggregated over two years.