National Health Outreach and Engagement Conference 2024

McCauley, A.
University of Missouri Extension received a grant to fund the Recovery Friendly Workplaces
(RFWs) Initiative. Businesses receive the RFW designation through training, technical
assistance, and support that assists them in fostering a workplace culture promoting employee
safety, health, and well-being. The grant covers all costs. The RFW initiative offers strategies
that support managers and employees, including reducing stigma and providing recovery
resources related to the challenges surrounding SUD. The initiative decreases costs due to
impaired productivity and absenteeism, and improves safety, productivity, and profitability in
the workplace. RFWs impact the bottom line through resources that foster a supportive work
environment encouraging the success of all employees and promote individual wellness by
empowering workplaces to provide support for employees recovering from SUD. The initiative
is a collaborative effort between Extension, the Chamber of Commerce, the Department of
Health and Senior Services, the Rural Health Association, and the Department of Social
Services. Our poster contains data from the results of the State Employer Survey, compiled in
partnership with the Chamber, information from the State Economic Analysis, and statistics
about OUD's impact on the workforce and families. It contains resources and technical
assistance from a curriculum developed to assist employers in supporting and hiring people in
recovery, background information about the project, current efforts, and future plans. The
poster features a graph on the internalization of social stigma, including self stigma,
stereotypes, prejudices, and discrimination; details steps to start an RFW initiative in other
states; and a depiction of SAMHSA's Recovery Framewor