Opioid Grants

ODJFS has received several discretionary awards to respond to the current opioid crisis.  The purposes of the funds are:

• to help local areas better serve individuals who have opioid use disorder (OUD); 
• to expand the number of workers in careers that help mitigate the effects of the crisis; and 
• to reduce the incidence of opioid addiction through economic growth and gainful employment.

This web page provides technical assistance on the provision of workforce services to this target population and on the implementation of each grant available to the local areas.

2021 Working Partners Training Videos:

 I.    Building a Healthy and  Productive Workforce By Supporting Employeesin Recovery (30 minutes)

TARGET AUDIENCE: Employers  

The thought of hiring or retaining a person in recovery may prompt concern or apprehension for an employer. But with a contemporary and scientific understanding of substance use disorder and insight into related business operations of responding to that disease, it does not need to be an overwhelming or complicated experience.  

This course provides education about recovery and guides employers in developing a business approach to hiring and retaining employees in recovery.  This course addresses:

1.  A science-based explanation of substance use disorder as it relates to the employee and the workplace
2. What employers can do to help employees manage their recovery to prevent a recurrence of symptoms 
3. How to create a recovery supportive work environment conducive to recruiting and sustaining a safe, healthy, productive and drug-free workplace 

II.     Navigating My Recovery at Work (30 minutes)  

TARGET AUDIENCE: Employees and Job Seekers  

It is not uncommon for employees in recovery from substance use disorder to have successful careers and make positive contributions to the workforce. What is new is our scientific understanding of addiction as a chronic health condition and the push for employers to treat it like one --  to have policies and practices that not only prevent and identify substance misuse but also support employees who are successfully maintaining recovery. Practices, by the way, that can support wellness among all employees.  

Having meaningful employment can be a powerful tool for supporting health and giving purpose and meaning to anyone’s life. But the pressures of a job can be stressful and risky for someone maintaining long-term recovery. This course addresses

1. The recovery journey, and how a person’s frame of mind can set the stage for long-term success on the job  
2. The importance of finding meaningful work that will enhance versus threaten recovery   
3. How to navigate workplace policies, practices and culture to stay well; and how to avoid and manage things that could trigger a reoccurrence of symptoms

III.  A Dose of Reality for Employees: Being a Safe and Critical Consumer of Prescription Medications (30 minutes)  

TARGET AUDIENCE: Employees and Job Seekers  

We have all been hearing and reading things in the media about our nation’s opioid and prescription painkiller epidemic. Many of us even know someone who has developed a problem with those types of drugs. But in this course, learners will be invited to take a look at their relationship with ALL prescription medications -- not just the ones that cause addiction and even death.

The course asks learners to examine their reality with prescription medications, and how they can protect themselves and the people they  care about by using safe and responsible practices. Specifically, the course addresses:

1. Dynamics that have impacted our misuse of prescription medications  
2. A practical, 3-point strategy to help employees be safe and critical consumers of prescription medications

Information on a series of free training courses provided by the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) to educate workforce professionals and other partners on drug addiction and its impacts.   

• Frontline Focus (September/October 2019, 5 pages)

Employee wellness newsletter with guidance on building resilience and supervising workers who are in recovery.

August 2019 Opioid Forum

The following technical assistance documents were provided at the Opioid Forum held on Monday, August 5, 2019 in Columbus, Ohio:

Opioid Emergency Recovery Grant (OERG)

The $11 million Disaster National Dislocated Worker Grant from the U.S. Department of Labor (referred to as "opioid grant 3") is available statewide to provide dislocated workers and long-term unemployed individuals with career and supportive services, training, and disaster relief employment in careers that will mitigate the effects of the opioid crisis.  Below are technical assistance resources related to grant implementation:

 Map of Opioid Emergency Recovery Grant Communities 

Grouping of counties into service communities based on the impacts of the opioid crisis faced by each county.

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Policy Letter 17-06 

Guidance on implementation of disaster recovery grants, including the definition of long-term unemployed individuals.

Opioid Grant Questions and Answers (version 1: November 13, 2019; Excel format) 

ODJFS responses to frequently asked questions on eligibility, services, funding, and other topics.

Procedure Document: Opioid Emergency Recovery Grant into WCMS

 
Instructions for entering services under the special grant office in the state's workforce case management system.  

CFIS Sub-Project Codes for OERG Financial Reporting

List of sub-project codes that local area fiscal staff should use to report OERG costs by category in CFIS.

Opioid Emergency Recovery Grant (OERG) Recorded Webinars  

(Note: you may wish to skip 5 minutes of silence recorded at the beginning of this video.)

5). Area 17 Peer Learning: Implementing the OERG (April 1, 2020 webinar recording)

Handout: Presentation slides

This webinar shares strategies for maximizing outreach efforts through local partnerships.  Area 17 Workforce Board has established a diverse network of local partners that are helping with their opioid grant efforts.  Join the leaders in Area 17 and learn about their participant outreach efforts and how the connections with their local partners aided in identifying potential grant participants that may be eligible for OERG services.

Handout: Presentation slides

This webinar discusses four targeted strategies that are identified in the OERG.  The leaders from Workforce Area 3 are utilizing all four strategies to assist individuals who have been impacted by opioids in the Cuyahoga County community.  Join them as they discuss how they are training and utilizing Peer Recovery Support Specialists within recovery housing facilities and hospitals.  They will also share how they are using the pillars of success, identified in the OWD Opioid Toolkit, to build the skilled behavioral health professions, how they are reintegrating impacted individuals back into the workforce, and their plans to engage with local second chance employers to develop recovery friendly practices and policies.

 

7). CasePlanning and Good Documentation Webinar (April 28, 2020 webinar recording)  

Handout: Presentation slides

This session addresses fundamental principles of WIOA service delivery and practical guidelines for documenting it.  We explore requirements for developing Individual Employment Plans (IEPs) and engaging your customer in making choices about training opportunities and discuss the importance of service documentation.  Learn how to tie to robust case documentation to customer-centered coaching and decision-making.

Handout: Presentation slides

Rural Ohio has been hard-hit by the opioid crisis and many areas may be challenged by limitations on public transportation, internet connectivity, employment opportunities, and funding resources.  Please join our webinar to learn about the innovative strategies Area 1 is implementing to overcome these obstacles.

9). Area 16 Peer Learning: Working with Justice-Involved Individuals Under the Opioid Grants (May 8, 2020 recording)   

Handout: Presentation slides

About 66 percent of offenders held in state prisons and local jails have issues with substance misuse, including opioids.  Join our webinar to hear how Area 16 is providing career services to individuals while they are incarcerated and then assisting them with training and employment services when they are released.

This webinar is about successfully launching or growing your implementation efforts for the Ohio Emergency Recovery Grant (OERG). We provide guidance on participant eligibility, allowable activities and services, and grant timelines; highlight the four key strategies of OERG; detail the types of temporary disaster relief jobs that can be provided in each community; review the pillars of success and important partnerships as detailed in the Opioid toolkit; and share best practices and lessons learned from your workforce development peers who have launched their service strategies. 

Handout: Presentation slides

This training session explains the benefits of including Peer Supporters in service strategies for individuals with substance use disorder.  The types of outreach, coaching, and assistance provided by Peer Supporters is described, along with minimum qualifications, training, and certification to become a Peer Supporter.  Local areas are encouraged to partner with Thrive or other organizations that provide Peer Support and to offer these services to participants enrolled in an opioid grant.

Handout: Comparison chart of available grants

This video is a discussion with successful local areas to provide information on strategies for locating eligible participants and figuring out creative approaches to determine eligibility and enroll participants in needed employment and training services. A comparison chart of available grants is provided along with guidance on participant eligibility, allowable activities and services, and grant timelines. Updates on the Media Outreach Resources for both the Opioid Emergency Recovery Grant and the recent COVID-19 Grant are also presented.  

Media experts Singleton & Partners shares how to strategically use Ohio’s market research to efficiently target distinct communities with our Outreach Media Resource Guide. This webinar stressed the importance of understanding the demographics of Ohio as it relates to top jobs, general services, and recovery services. Best practice updates were shared and steps to utilize the Outreach Media Resource Guide.

15). Effectively Utilizing Social Media Platforms for Participant Outreach: (August 25,2021)

Singleton & Partners are leading the way with diverse marketing solutions through unique campaign creations. Learn about the various social media platforms and how to analyze the benefits that they can offer your organization. The webinar educates and informs OhioMeansJobs Centers about current social media trends and platforms, in order to optimize engagement and use of the assets provided in the Outreach Media Resource Guide. This webinar stressed the importance of understanding the demographics of Ohioans that may be eligible for special grants and how to attract various populations through social media engagement.