Employers seek to support their employees while normalizing a whole-person approach to substance use disorders (SUD). The response to addiction and the opioid crisis requires a whole-of-society approach, including employers of all sizes. Employers are uniquely positioned to reach employees, their families, and their surrounding communities, in part as employer-sponsored health insurance (ESI) currently provides coverage for approximately 180 million people (or roughly half of the US population).  

The Milken Institute Public Health team conducted mixed-methods research to better understand challenges, barriers to entry, current successes, and methods through which employers can embed evidence-based research and health outcomes into digital health technologies focused on addressing SUD.