PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - The federal government has provided more than $6.2 million to the state of Maine to help people affected by substance use disorders with new job opportunities and training.
The grant, from the U.S. Department of Labor, is designed to help people affected by the state’s opioid crisis in particular, Maine officials said. The goal of the grant is to help more than 680 people enter or re-enter the workforce.
The Maine Department of Labor said the grant will help Mainers affected by substance use disorder learn skills needed to get stable jobs. It will also develop training opportunities for people hoping to work in treatment professions, the department said.
A report last month from the University of Maine’s Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center found that in the first three quarters of 2019, 277 Maine deaths were caused by drugs. The death total is forecast to be 4% higher than 2018.
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