DOL Awards Wisconsin $4.3 Million to Support Workers Affected by Opioid Crisis
The U.S. Department of Labor awarded $4.3 million to Wisconsin to fund job training and disaster relief efforts for those affected by the opioid crisis.
The U.S. Department of Labor has granted $4.3 million to Wisconsin’s Department of Workforce Development to assist communities impacted by the ongoing opioid crisis.
According to a recent release, the National Health Emergency Dislocated Worker Grant program aims to create disaster-relief positions and provide training for roles addressing addiction treatment, mental health services and pain management. Opioid overdoses now reportedly account for more Wisconsin deaths than car crashes.
“The Employment and Training Administration is committed to ensuring Wisconsin workers affected by the opioid crisis have access to grant funding and 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 a statement. “This Dislocated Worker Grant provides critical support to Wisconsin by providing jobs to affected workers and training to assist professions in the areas of addiction treatment, mental health and pain management.”
The funding also supports programs to help individuals reintegrate into the workforce or transition into fields that combat opioid addiction’s effects. Wisconsin qualified for this federal assistance following the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ declaration of the opioid crisis as a public health emergency in 2017.
