The U.S Department of Labor has awarded Florida $1.5 million to help people in 21 counties affected by the opioid crisis.
The money, a National Health Emergency Dislocated Worker Grant, will be used to create “disaster-relief positions to address the shortage of health and counseling services available to individuals impacted by the opioid crisis,” according to a Labor Department news release. The grant will be overseen by the Labor Department’s Employment and Training Administration.
“Funds will also support employment and training services for workers experiencing unemployment and other workforce barriers resulting from the opioid crisis,” the release says.
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Six workforce development boards throughout Florida will be involved. The grant money is meant to help people in Bay, Lake and Sumter counties, as well as Baker, Brevard, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Franklin, Gulf, Hillsborough, Manatee, Nassau, Orange, Osceola, Pinellas, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns and Volusia counties.
“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,” Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training José Javier Rodríguez said in the release. “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.”
This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Federal grant will help 21 Florida counties hard hit by opioid crisis