The U.S. Department of Labor awarded New York just under $5.6 million to help provide new skills to workers who have been affected by the opioid crisis.
Part of the funding is for Suffolk County and for Hempstead and Long Beach in Nassau County, but it will be up to the state Department of Labor to decide how the funding will be spent.
The grant will fund workforce development in professions that address and prevent problems related to opioids, such as addiction treatment and pain management providers.
The number of fatal opioid overdoses on Long Island decreased 21 percent in 2018 compared to record highs in 2017.
