U.S. Department of Labor awards $2.8M in funding to provide employment, training services to combat Ohio's opioid crisis

COLUMBUS – Today, Rep. Richard D. Brown (D-Canal Winchester) announced that the U.S. Department of Labor allocated $2.8 million to help Ohio combat the continuing opioid epidemic. The National Dislocated Worker Grant was awarded to the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services to train and employ individuals for jobs to address the impacts of the opioid crisis such as peer recovery coaches, support staff in hospitals, and social service aids.

“I’m glad to see the Department of Labor investing in Ohio’s efforts to combat the opioid epidemic,” said Rep. Brown. “These resources will help Ohioans struggling with addictions while providing economic opportunity for recovery professionals. With this new funding we are one step closer to ending this crisis in Ohio. We can build on this investment by passing my House Bill (HB) 328, which will create the Office of Drug Policy and improve our state’s coordinated, collaborative response to end the opioid epidemic.”

HB 328 awaits a vote on the House floor. Rep. Brown is the sponsor of HB 328, which would create the Office of Drug Policy to bring a comprehensive, statewide approach to tackling the opioid crisis in Ohio. The Office of Drug Policy would serve as a coordinated, unified entity for community officials, law enforcement officers, social workers, and local communities to seek out best practices, available grants, state rules, new education programs, and more anti-drug abuse resources.