U.S. Department of Labor Awards Dislocated Worker Grant to Massachusetts for Jobs, Employment Services in Response to Opioid Crisis

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced an opioid-crisis National Health Emergency Dislocated Worker Grant of $2,032,071 to the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development to provide disaster-relief jobs and employment services to eligible individuals in Massachusetts affected by the health and economic effects of widespread opioid use, addiction, and overdose.

This grant will address the crisis by establishing peer recovery positions to help opioid-affected individuals gain access to resources and navigate the path to recovery. It will also provide employment and training services intended to reintegrate eligible individuals into the workforce. The Commonwealth anticipates serving approximately 200 participants in Hampden and Worcester counties.

“The U.S. Department of Labor is contributing to combatting the nationwide opioid crisis through important investments like National Health Emergency Dislocated Worker Grants,” said Acting Secretary of Labor Patrick Pizzella. “The employment services they fund are a crucial part of Massachusetts’ effort to respond to this emergency.”

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declared the opioid crisis a national public health emergency in October 2017, enabling Massachusetts to request this funding for a Dislocated Worker Grant project.

Supported by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014, Dislocated Worker Grants temporarily expand the service capacity of dislocated worker programs at the state and local levels by providing funding assistance in response to large, unexpected economic events that cause significant job losses.

The mission of the Department of Labor is to foster, promote, and develop the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers, and retirees of the United States; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable employment; and assure work-related benefits and rights.