VL Receives $350K Grant To Support Opioid Use Disorder Business Toolkit
Valley Leadership’s Opioid Stigma Reduction Impact Team has been awarded a $350,000 grant from the Maricopa County Department of Public Health to expand its Opioid Business Toolkit, a free, evidence-informed platform designed to help Arizona employers create stigma-free, recovery-ready workplaces.
The grant supports a multi-year initiative focused on enhancing the Toolkit’s functionality, providing onboarding and support to small- and mid-sized businesses, and advancing sustainable, stigma-reducing workplace policies to address substance use disorder (SUD). The work aligns with Maricopa County’s broader opioid abatement strategy.
“This funding allows us to bring the Toolkit to more employers across the County, especially those who want to take action but don’t know where to start,” said Paige Soucie, Director of Marketing at Valley Leadership and the Opioid Impact Team Lead for the last four years,. “Every business has a role to play in reducing stigma and supporting recovery in the workplace that results in lasting employee health and long-term community outcomes.”
The platform is designed to be self-paced and adaptable to businesses of all sizes, with particular emphasis on small businesses that may not have dedicated HR or wellness infrastructure.
“Maricopa County Department of Public Health is funding this work with opioid settlement dollars in recognition that businesses play a vital role in the community, as the effects of opioid misuse extend beyond individual employees to their families and the broader workforce. Workplace policies that reduce stigma, support employees, and connect individuals to care contribute to healthier, more resilient communities,” said Carmen Batista, Division Administrator from Maricopa County Department of Public Health.
In the coming year, Valley Leadership’s Impact Team will partner with business associations, chambers of commerce, and regional employers to onboard an initial cohort of 30 businesses across Maricopa County. The Toolkit is especially focused on helping organizations in high-need industries, such as construction, manufacturing, and transportation, and those in communities disproportionately affected by opioid use disorder.
To learn more or get started with the Toolkit, visit www.oudbiztoolkit.org.
Thank you to all of the Valley Leadership alumni and Strategic Partners who made this work possible: Adrian Ruiz (Institute 35), Amy Cantwell (Ready Together), Angela Kenzslowe (Institute 41), Bobbie Fox (Institute 38), Christine Bracamonte Wiggs (Institute 41 & Catalyze 3), David Rauch (Institute 24), Dawn Augusta (Institute 2 & Accelerate 2016), Debra Stevens (Institute 22), Diana Herrera (Ready Together), Dominic Pachuilo (Catalyze 3), George Bingham (Institute 11), Jeff Brodin (Institute 19), Jennifer Holba (Strategic Partner), John Koch (Institute 41), Jordan Bishop (Catalyze 1), Justin Brandt (Institute 41), Kat Proffitt (Institute 41), Kathleen Bartolomei (Institute 18), Kristie Leshinskie (Institute 36), Kristina Crane (Accelerate 2018), Kyle Pottinger (Institute 41), Lisa Elowson (Strategic Partner), Mai-Ly Duong (Institute 41), Mary Thomson (Institute 26), Nicholas Vasquez (Institute 33), Paige Soucie (Catalyze 1), Patricia Ewanski (Institute 41), Rogelio Monzon (Institute 41), Sarah Grado (Strategic Partner), Sebastian Miller (Valley Leadership Teen), Shannon Taylor (Accelerate 2019), Suzu Solkin Henderson (Strategic Partner), Tina Braham (Strategic Partner) and Wyatt Buchanan (Institute 41), Wylie Carhartt (Strategic Partner).
About Valley Leadership
Valley Leadership gives Arizonans the tools to solve challenges together. We do that by empowering Arizonans to lead through our learning opportunities and mobilizing them to make a difference on our state’s most pressing issues through our Impact Maker. With a track record of over 45 years of strengthening Arizona leaders, we are working to provide more opportunities than ever before to engage and empower Arizonans to lead. The Impact Maker gives us a unique opportunity to partner with the community on our greatest challenges and find solutions together. Learn more at valleyleadership.org.
About Maricopa County Department of Public Health
The mission of the Public Health Department is to increase the quality of life for our residents by collaborating with the community to develop and implement strategies, programs, and services that address the emerging and changing needs of public health.