Ohio Offers Free Employment Services for Individuals in Recovery

COLUMBUS, OHIO - During National Workforce Development Month and National Recovery Month this September, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) Director Matt Damschroder and Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) Director Kevin L. Miller remind Ohioans that many free services are available to help individuals in recovery from substance use disorders find and keep jobs.

"People in recovery can make valuable, loyal, and dedicated employees," Damschroder said. "In addition, employment can help individuals sustain their recovery and maintain their financial independence. Ohio's local OhioMeansJobs Centers offer free services, both for employers who hire individuals in recovery and for the individuals themselves, to help them find and maintain meaningful employment."

"Our OOD Jobs for Recovery program demonstrates the power of partnerships in helping Ohioans with mental health disabilities and substance use disorders find meaningful employment, a critical part of a person's long-term recovery," explained Miller. "This is in line with Governor Mike DeWine's vision that all Ohioans, including individuals in recovery, should have the chance to demonstrate their talents and abilities while living fulfilling lives. By collaborating with treatment dockets, we can provide comprehensive support that addresses both recovery and career development, ultimately empowering individuals to rebuild their lives and contribute to their communities."

Since 2018, ODJFS has applied for and received multiple federal grants to help employers impacted by the opioid epidemic rebuild their workforces and to help individuals rebuild their lives. One of the current grants - an $8.5 million "Fresh Start" National Health Emergency Disaster Recovery Dislocated Worker Grant from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) - has allowed the state's OhioMeansJobs Centers to serve more than 1,100 individuals, nearly three times the number initially planned. DOL highlighted Ohio's success in a recent article for workforce professionals.

In addition, a $5 million DOL "Holistic Care" grant for Workforce Development Area 1 - which serves Adams, Brown, Pike, and Scioto counties - helped another 600 individuals in recovery find and keep jobs. Early results show that more than 73% of those served were still employed a year after receiving services. Local workforce development areas share similar geographic, industrial, educational, and other regional economic factors. They help oversee the state's OhioMeansJobs Centers.

Through OOD Jobs for Recovery, program staff are active members of treatment dockets, attending court sessions and meetings to help participants quickly access services like career counseling, resume and interview prep, work attire, job search, and placement help, transportation, planning for public benefits, education (GED or college), job training, technology, professional licenses, tools, and connections to OhioMeansJobs and other resources.

As an early kick-off to this year's National Recovery Month, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced that all Ohio employers can now show they are champions of recovery by applying to be a designated Ohio Recovery Friendly Workplace. Recovery-friendly workplaces promote worksite wellness programs, increase access to support for employees struggling with substance misuse, provide employment opportunities for people in recovery, and reduce the stigma of addiction. To learn more, visit RecoveryFriendlyWorkplace.MHA.Ohio.gov.

To learn more about OhioMeansJobs Center services, contact the center near you. Every county in Ohio has an OhioMeansJobs Center. To find contact information for your local center - and a dashboard map showing what services are available there - visit OhioMeansJobs.com and select "FIND A JOB CENTER" at the bottom of the page.

In recognition of Recovery Month, ODJFS has also developed testimonial videos from three individuals who share how the help they received at their OhioMeansJobs Centers changed their lives, as well as an employer who supports workers in recovery.