Recovree, a St. Paul-based startup that aims to help those struggling with drug and alcohol addiction through peer counseling, released on Friday a free toolkit for Minnesota employers to create recovery-friendly practices for their workplaces.
The toolkit introduces employers to the basics of substance use disorder, its impacts on businesses and offers suggestions for how to create and maintain "recovery-friendly culture and procedures." It also provides a list of resources that employers can leverage, such as sober housing, crisis response phone numbers and a directory of mental health specialists.
"Our goal with this toolkit is to provide practical information to help employers take action," Recovree CEO Melissa Kjolsing said in a release. "Too often we admire the problem and do not provide next steps that can lead to solutions to improve lives and save money."
Employers across many industries have been affected by the opioid crisis in recent years. Around seven in 10 businesses have felt the impacts of opioid misuse, according to the National Safety Council. These effects include absenteeism, loss of productivity, safety issues and poor job performance. Recovree's toolkit outlines why recovery is good for business from healthcare savings to fewer missed days and reduction in turnover costs.
Kjolsing founded Recovree with her brother, Luke Kjolsing, in 2017. The startup aims to help those struggling with substance use disorders by connecting them with peer support specialists. Recovree offers a workflow management platform that helps these specialists stay in touch with their clients and create more meaningful conversations.
Last summer, the company raised a $325,000 seed round to grow its platform. It also received $50,000 after winning a startup competition in North Dakota. And after winning the Minnesota Cup's impact ventures division in the fall, Recovree walked away with an additional $30,000.
"We recognize the economic and cultural benefits of supporting recovering and investing in human sustainability as an organization," Lynhall CEO and Founder Anne Spaeth said in a statement. "This is a smart business decision to create a recovery-friendly workplace. It will support our talent, alleviate suffering and save lives."
