CINCINNATI — From incarceration to her job's Core Value Role Model of the Year, Amanda Hall has come a long way.
Approaching seven years of recovery from a substance abuse disorder, Hall earned a round of applause Friday from a room of peers and strangers. After drug use landed her a three-year sentence in state prison, she was given a second chance at success in 2019 when her employer looked past her felony convictions and decided to hire her.
Now, Hall's role as Talent Acquisition and Training Specialist at JBM Packaging in Cincinnati allows her to visit jails and share her story of recovery to recruit others hoping to follow the same path.
"So I get to give back that same opportunity that was once given to me and it's a very rewarding, fulfilling opportunity and it keeps me motivated and on the right track," she said.
Hall was hired through a “fair chance” program, something Gov. Mike DeWine wants to see more employers offer across the state.
That's why on Friday he stopped in Cincinnati, joining hall and local leaders, to announce a new initiative.
Led by DeWine's RecoveryOhio initiative, the Ohio Recovery Friendly Workplace program is designed to create job opportunities for people in recovery from a substance use disorder or mental health condition, combat stigma surrounding addiction and mental illness in the workplace and provide a boost to Ohio businesses.
Companies that implement recovery-friendly practices as part of their everyday operations and core values will be able to earn the official designation as an Ohio Recovery Friendly Workplace.
“The new Ohio Recovery Friendly Workplace program has the power to transform lives by offering meaningful work for people looking to get back on their feet and by providing additional support systems for current employees,” DeWine said. “I’m calling on all Ohio businesses to implement recovery-friendly practices and earn this designation today. Together, we can reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness and addiction, while making our people, our economy and our communities all stronger.”
To qualify as an Ohio Recovery Friendly Workplace, businesses have many options for the types of practices they can implement. One example is creating policies that support hiring people in recovery and working with their local Mental Health and Recovery Board to share job opportunities.
“We know that, for people in recovery, having a stable job brings a sense of pride and responsibility that often helps them maintain their recovery,” RecoveryOhio Director Aimee Shadwick said. “But people currently in recovery are only the tip of the iceberg of who will benefit from this program. To achieve Governor DeWine’s vision for a brighter future for all Ohioans, it’s also important that we support the great number of current employees who are struggling with addiction or mental illness in silence.”
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health, the majority of adults with an addiction are employed. In Ohio, the most recent full year of data shows that 19.2% of Ohio adults — over 1.7 million people — reported having a substance use disorder. In the same time frame, 9.2% of Ohio adults — over 469,000 people — said they had experienced serious thoughts of suicide.
The Ohio Recovery Friendly Workplace program also encourages businesses to provide support systems that help employees feel comfortable requesting help if they are dealing with addiction or mental health challenges. Some examples include:
- Training leaders to identify signs of substance use and encouraging them to help employees seek treatment.
- Offering access to life-saving naloxone and training staff on how to use it in an emergency.
- Providing mental health and wellness education programs for employees.
- Promoting the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline to employees.
“By supporting those who are struggling, we can create an Ohio where everyone feels comfortable asking for the help they need to reach their full potential,” DeWine said. “At the same time, we also know that companies that invest in recovery-friendly practices see significant economic benefits as well.”
Businesses across the state have already expressed interest in earning the new Ohio Recovery Friendly Workplace designation. Tina Thornton, Associate Vice President of Wellbeing and Safety at Columbus-based Nationwide, also spoke Friday and announced that Nationwide is the first business in the state to earn the new Ohio Recovery Friendly Workplace designation.
Hamilton County Commissioner Denise Driehaus said in the past two years — 58 local employers have already signed on to the county's own initiative.
Driehaus leads the county's Addiction Response Coalition and said the community is no stranger to substance abuse. With a team of local stakeholders, Driehaus helped spearhead the creation of the Hamilton County Recovery Friendly program — one of the first of its kind in the state.
"This is about them signing on and saying we are going to do these things and make our employees feel welcome in the workplace. It's changing the culture. It's reducing the stigma," said Driehaus. "That's what's so important about this initiative. When you bring an issue to our attention, we're not going to fire you, we're going to support you. That is a culture shift for people in this community and 17,000 employees right now are benefiting from that culture shift."
