Substance Use Prevention & Recovery Program

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What Is SUPR?

The Substance Use Prevention and Recovery (SUPR) Program is the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation's voluntary safety incentive program. Launched in July 2025, SUPR consolidates the former Drug-Free Safety Program (DFSP), the Substance Use Recovery (SUR) Program, and BWC safety grants into a single, streamlined platform.

The purpose is straightforward: help Ohio employers prevent on-the-job injuries and illnesses by integrating drug-free workplace efforts into their overall safety programs — and reward them financially for doing so.

Participation Levels

SUPR offers four levels of participation. Choose the level that fits your operation — from full implementation with maximum incentives to simple reimbursement access with no testing requirements.

Level	Requirements	Incentive
Advanced	Written policy, employee education, supervisor training, drug/alcohol testing (15% random), accident analysis, recovery support (substance use assessments, employee retention after first positive)	Up to 7% premium bonus + reimbursement
Basic	Written policy, employee education, supervisor training, drug/alcohol testing (5% random on public improvement projects), accident analysis, employee assistance resources	Up to 4% premium bonus + reimbursement
Comparable	Internal program meeting BWC standards for public improvement project compliance (written policy, education, training, testing)	State contractor eligibility
Reimbursement Only	No mandatory reporting, testing, or policy enforcement required. Must maintain documentation for 3 years.	Reimbursement for education, training, assessments

What's Reimbursable?

Participating employers can receive reimbursement for eligible substance use prevention and recovery expenses, including:

• Developing or updating drug-free workplace policies
• Employee education and supervisor training
• Drug and alcohol testing
• Substance use assessments
• Second-chance and return-to-work programs
• Train-the-trainer instructor qualification and recertification

Eligibility

To participate in SUPR, employers must:

• Be a state-fund or public employer taxing district in Ohio
• Maintain an active workers' compensation policy
• Be current on premium payments
• Have reported prior-year payroll and paid any due premiums
• Have no more than 40 days of policy lapse in the prior 12 months (Basic/Advanced levels)

Enrollment is year-round with pro rata premium bonuses — no more waiting for the next policy cycle.

Key Changes from DFSP

SUPR modernized the old Drug-Free Safety Program in several important ways:

• Year-round enrollment with pro rata bonuses (no fixed enrollment windows)
• Simplified grants — single online portal replaces separate applications
• Expanded reimbursement — now includes substance use assessments for second-chance policies
• SH-26 eliminated — no more Safety Management Self-Assessment
• DFSP-5 eliminated — no more Safety Action Plan
• DFSP-1 simplified — accident report now required for lost-time claims only