About the Literature Review

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The literature review summarizes evidence on three topics related to the intersection of employment and the opioid crisis: (1) effective and promising practices for providing employment services to people with opioid use disorder; (2) employer best practices for preventing negative effects of opioid use disorder in the workplace and creating recovery-friendly workplaces; and (3) key considerations for developing the health care workforce that is addressing the opioid crisis. The literature review includes key terms to identify descriptive, process/implementation, and impact studies in the following databases: Business Source Corporate Plus, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, SocIndex, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO. The search focused on studies published in the past 10 years (2008 to 2018), but a few earlier studies identified through the review process were also included. The review also included key documents recommended by expert consultants, including experts from DOL, the U.S. Department of Justice, the National Institute of Drug Abuse, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and the Administration for Children and Families. The literature review summarizes some of the critical aspects of the opioid crisis and identifies related approaches to opioid use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery support, then presents evidence and key takeaways and considerations within the three topic areas considered in the literature review. The review closes with a discussion of gaps in the current knowledge base and potential directions for future research in this area.

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Key Takeaways

• Employment has been found to be a motivator for entering and adhering to treatment for opioid and other substance use disorders and can result in better treatment outcomes.
• The workforce system has the potential to play an important role in helping people with opioid use disorders obtain and maintain employment, supporting employers as they respond to the opioid crisis, and helping to fill shortages in behavioral health occupations.
• Effective partnerships will be critical in this response including, but not limited to, partnerships with behavioral health organizations, sector and industry groups, and training providers.

Citation

Vine, M., Staatz, C., Blyler, C., Berk, J. (2020). Mathematica. The Role of the Workforce System in Addressing the Opioid Crisis: A Review of the Literature. Chief Evaluation Office, U.S. Department of Labor.

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The Department of Labor’s (DOL) Chief Evaluation Office (CEO) sponsors independent evaluations and research, primarily conducted by external, third-party contractors in accordance with the Department of Labor Evaluation Policy and CEO’s research development process.