HARRISBURG, Pa. (WTAJ) – The Senate Labor and Industry Committee passed a bill presented by Senator Wayne Longerholc that will assist residents in recovery in finding work.
Senate Bill 69 Establishes Recovery To Work Pilot Program To Connect People In Recovery With Employment
The Recovery to Work Pilot Program would be established under Senate Bill 69. The program would connect persons in recovery with employment through local workforce development boards, with the goal of becoming a significant component in battling Pennsylvania’s heroin and opioid epidemic.
“An often-overlooked characteristic of this epidemic is the vicious cycle that many individuals with a history of substance use disorder fall into when trying to find, secure, and maintain steady employment,” Langerholc said. “We urgently need to break this cycle, and I believe Recovery to Work can help.”
The Department of Labor and Industry would lead the pilot program, with assistance from the Departments of Health, Community and Economic Development, Drug and Alcohol Programs, and the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.
The departments would create a strategy for local workforce development boards to collaborate with the treatment and recovery community, as well as local companies and training providers, to provide job training and employment opportunities to those in recovery.
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