U.S. Department of Labor Awards Additional Funding to Provide Employment and Training to Combat Opioid Crisis in Florida

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced additional funding of $833,333 to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity to continue to provide services to eligible individuals in communities across three counties significantly affected by the health and economic effects of widespread opioid use, addiction, and overdose.

Supported by a National Health Emergency Dislocated Worker Grant, the project provides eligible grant participants with disaster-relief employment in jobs addressing the impacts of the opioid crisis, such as peer recovery navigators. It also provides employment and training services to participants seeking careers in healthcare professions related to addiction, treatment, and pain management. 

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

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.