KIPRC releases new toolkit to help Kentucky small businesses retain employees in recovery
The Kentucky Injury and Prevention and Research Center (KIPRC) and The Fletcher Group have released a new resource to help small businesses across the Commonwealth support and retain employees in recovery from substance use disorder (SUD). The Kentucky Small Business Toolkit for Retaining Employees in Recovery offers practical guidance tailored specifically to the realities of small workplaces, which often face unique challenges when trying to support employees in recovery, such as limited staff, time, and access to human resources or legal expertise.
“Kentucky has been deeply affected by substance use disorder, and, at the same time, small businesses make up the backbone of our workforce, especially in rural communities,” said toolkit co-author and KIPRC Research Project Manager Catherine Hines.
She noted that while 75% of employers report that their workforce is affected by opioids, only half feel confident that they have the policies or resources to support employees impacted by SUD.
“Many employers want to do the right thing but don’t always know where to start or feel they lack the resources larger organizations have,” Hines said. The toolkit was developed using insights gathered directly from small business owners and employees in recovery, whose interviews and lived experiences helped shape the content to reflect real‑world needs in Kentucky communities.
The toolkit builds on KIPRC’s earlier publication focused on hiring individuals in recovery, Kentucky Small Business Toolkit for Hiring Employees in Recovery. The new resource shifts the focus to retention, helping employers keep skilled workers by fostering supportive, recovery-friendly environments. The toolkit breaks complex topics into manageable steps that clarify what employers are and are not responsible for and offers low-cost or no-cost strategies that fit into real-world operations.
“We created this toolkit to meet small businesses where they are,” Hines said. “The goal was to create something usable that helps employers support employees in recovery while strengthening their teams.”
A key feature of the toolkit is its grounding in healing-centered principles. Safety, trust, choice, empowerment, and collaboration shaped both the content and the tone.
“Rather than expecting employers to become experts in trauma or recovery, the toolkit emphasizes how everyday workplace practices, like communication style, consistency, and flexibility, can either support healing or unintentionally cause harm,” Hines said.
The toolkit’s structure is intentionally simple, offering clear steps and examples that help employers respond supportively without requiring employees to disclose personal experiences.
Included in the toolkit are practical tools for employers: adaptable sample policies, a recovery-friendly workplace self-assessment, and conversation guides for managers.
“These pieces help translate good intentions into action,” Hines said. “Many employers want to be supportive but worry about saying the wrong thing or crossing legal boundaries. The toolkit provides clear language, structure, and reassurance that supporting recovery is both possible and beneficial for their business.”
Shifting to a recovery-friendly workplace culture benefits the company as well as the employees. The National Safety Council determined that for every person with an SUD who enters recovery, the savings to the employer can be up to $8,500 annually in productivity, reduced turnover, and lower healthcare costs.
“When employees feel safe, respected, and supported, they are more likely to stay, grow, and contribute long term,” said Hines, noting that retaining skilled workers is essential to economic stability for my communities. “By supporting recovery, employers are not only helping individuals, they’re strengthening families, stabilizing communities, and supporting a healthier workforce overall.”
Supporting employees in recovery doesn’t require perfection, Hines added.
“Recovery is a strength, and when employers lead with understanding and flexibility, they often gain some of their most dedicated, resilient employees,” she said. “You don’t have to have all the answers to make a meaningful difference; your willingness to show support and listen matters more than you may realize.”
The Kentucky Small Business Toolkit for Retaining Employees in Recovery is now available and is designed to be shared widely with small businesses, community partners, and workforce organizations across the state.
The toolkit is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $410,458 with 0% financed with nongovernmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov.
KIPRC, a unique partnership between the Kentucky Department for Public Health (DPH) and the University of Kentucky College of Public Health, serves both as an academic injury prevention research center and as the DPH’s designee or “bona fide agent” for statewide injury prevention and control, focusing on injury prevention translation and practice.