The U.S. Department of Labor has announced a grant of $1.5 million to Florida's Department of Commerce. This funding aims to support individuals impacted by the opioid crisis, addressing both health and economic challenges stemming from widespread opioid use, addiction, and overdose.
Florida's workforce has been significantly affected by the opioid epidemic, with opioids linked to over 6,000 fatal overdoses in 2022. The crisis has led to increased absenteeism, healthcare costs, turnover, productivity loss, and a shortage of treatment providers and facilities.
Administered by the Employment and Training Administration, the National Health Emergency Dislocated Worker Grant will benefit people in 21 counties across Florida. It will create disaster-relief positions to address the lack of health and counseling services for those affected by the opioid crisis.
“The Employment and Training Administration is committed to ensuring Florida workers affected by the opioid crisis have access to assistance that will help their communities address the unique impacts of this complex public health crisis,” stated Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training José Javier Rodríguez. “This Dislocated Worker Grant provides critical support to Florida by providing jobs to affected workers and training in the areas of addiction treatment, mental health and pain management.”
The funds will also back employment and training services for workers facing unemployment or other workforce barriers due to the opioid crisis. Six workforce development boards are tasked with implementing the project in Baker, Bay, Brevard, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Franklin, Gulf, Hillsborough, Lake, Manatee, Nassau, Orange, Osceola, Pinellas, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole St. Johns Sumter and Volusia counties.
In October 2017,"the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declared the opioid crisis a national public health emergency," which enabled Florida's request for this funding.
Dislocated Worker Grants are supported by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014. They temporarily expand service capacity at state and local levels by providing financial assistance in response to large-scale economic events that result in significant job losses.
