Dr. Marianne Cloeren, Associate Professor, University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) and Dr. Jodi Jacobson Frey, Professor, University of Maryland School of Social Work (UMSSW) are Co-Principal Investigators on multiple related projects and research studies addressing the barriers to employment faced by adults in recovery from Opioid Use Disorders (OUD) in Maryland. These projects focus on the intersection of work and recovery, with support not only for patients in recovery from OUD but also employers who want to learn and do more to support employees in recovery as they obtain and sustain meaningful employment and safety. These projects also serve an interprofessional education purpose, as the research and collaborating partners include scholars and community stakeholders from the fields of medicine, social work, nursing, pharmacy, public health, law, business, and epidemiology.

Drs. Cloeren and Frey were engaged in 2023 to serve as advisors to the Maryland Department of Labor as it plans policies to support the development of recovery-friendly workplaces in Maryland. They are also working with the Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR) to develop evidence-based approaches to reduce the stigma associated with substance use disorders and mental health conditions in construction work. The PROSPER team is collaborating with other UMB researchers, including the Kahlert Institute for Addiction Medicine and the IRIS program (Innovations in Recovery through Infrastructure Support). Our team also participates in the Recovery Friendly Workplace Community Initiative.

The Principal Investigators

Marianne Cloeren, MD, MPH, is an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine in the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Her research interests include work disability prevention, opioid prescribing, and medical education. She serves on the Maryland MedChi Opioids, Pain and Addiction Committee and the University of Maryland Medical Center Opioid Safety Council.

 

Jodi J. Frey, PhD, LCSW-C, CEAP, is a Professor and Associate Dean for Research at the University of Maryland School of Social Work. She is also Founder and Faculty Executive Director for the Behavioral Health and Well-being Lab (BHWell Lab). Dr. Frey’s research focuses on workplace behavioral health, with an emphasis on mental health, substance use, suicide prevention and worker wellbeing. She chairs the National Committee for Workplace Suicide Prevention and Postvention and is Co-Editor-in-Chief for Journal of Workplace Behavioral Health.

 

Workplace PROSPER: Partnering to Reduce Opioid Stigma and Promote Employment in Recovery

July 2020 – November 2022

Funded under two U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cooperative agreements with the Maryland Department of Health

The purpose of this project is to provide expertise that will help the State of Maryland develop a durable and sustainable set of resources to support employees and employers related to opioid use and recovery in the workplace. Workplace PROSPER will expand the team’s reach to include increased collaboration with employers, health and behavioral health providers, and worker advocates across the State, strengthening existing and building new partnerships that leverage the expertise and perspectives of the wide range of Stakeholders who care about this issue. These resources specifically respond to the needs of employees and employers related to opioid use and recovery at work. The overall goals of this project are to improve workplace safety, prevent opioid overdoses, increase access to treatment for Opioid Use Disorder (OUD), and promote non-discriminatory work practices for employees recovering from OUD. These priorities were identified during a conference convened by the Maryland Department of Health and held in November 2018, with results available in the report, Opioids in the Maryland Workplace: Challenges and Solutions (August, 2019).