A variety of organizations have developed a wide range of programs and services tailored towards addressing the health, economic success, and broader well-being of individuals with substance use disorders. Individuals with a substance use disorders often experience barriers that make finding and maintaining stable employment a challenge, a problem that was only exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. These barriers may include feeling stigmatized, preventing relapse, living in communities with high unemployment rates, or finding a workplace that can accommodate an individual’s treatment schedule. MDRC, in partnership with Abt Associates and MEF Associates, is evaluating SUD treatment programs intended to boost employment and earnings as part of the Building Evidence on Employment Strategies (BEES) project. BEES is part of the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE)’s Innovative Strategies for Addressing Employment Barriers Portfolio, which seeks to rigorously evaluate the “next generation” of employment strategies, and is partnering with the Social Security Administration on select evaluations. Five studies are part of this project:

Central City Concern

Individual Placement and Support in a Substance Use Disorder Treatment Setting

Individual Placement and Support in a Federally Qualified Health Center Setting

Descriptive Study of Integrating Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Employment Services

Addiction Recovery Care