Maine receives over $2M to help fight opioid epidemic, boost employment

The Maine Department of Labor has been awarded $2,093,964 to combat the state’s opioid crisis, according to a news release Friday.

The award is the third and final round of funding from a National Health Emergency Dislocated Worker Grant, which brings the total to $6,281,891 over the last two years.

The funding from the U.S. Department of Labor supports training, employment services and disaster-relief jobs in Maine communities affected by the opioid epidemic, allowing individuals who have struggled with substance abuse disorders to find employment. The money comes as the state sees a spike in overdose fatalities, partly due to challenges created by the pandemic and the rising danger of fentanyl-laced drugs.

U.S. Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Angus King, I-Maine, said, “For years, the opioid epidemic has devastated our state and taken the lives of far too many Maine people … This important funding from the U.S. Department of Labor will help the most hard-hit communities across our state address the crisis, and give Mainers recovering from substance use disorders access to life-changing job programs.

“We’re so grateful for all the hard work our local partners have done to implement these programs, provide a helping hand to those in need, and distribute these critical funds over the last two years.”