Department of Labor awards Massachusetts $800K to combat opioid crisis

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WLNE) — The United States Department of Labor announced an award of $800,000 to the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development to support the state’s efforts to address the opioid crisis.

The award is part of an overall grant of $2,368,337 that the state has been receiving in increments since July 2021. So far, the state has received $1.6 million in funds.

The National Dislocated Worker Grant funding will go to support employment positions for community health workers, peer navigators, recovery specialists, and recovery coaches.

It also provides employment and training services to people affected by the opioid crisis, especially focusing on formerly incarcerated people and high-demand occupations in the maritime trade industry.

The award will focus on communities in Bristol and Plymouth counties.

Massachusetts reported a 2.5 percent increase in opioid-related deaths in 2022.

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 disaster-relief funding.