In the near future, I plan to re-introduce Senate Bill 69, the Recovery to Work Program which will assist in combating the heroin and opioid epidemic in the Commonwealth.

The goal of the program is to connect individuals in recovery with occupations through local workforce development boards. An important, yet often overlooked, side effect of this epidemic is the vicious cycle that many individuals fall into when trying to find, secure, and maintain steady employment with a history of a substance use disorder. Meaningful employment is essential to an individual’s long-term recovery as it provides a renewed sense of purpose and will help make for a healthier and more prosperous community.

The program will be spearheaded by the Department of Labor & Industry with the assistance of the Department of Health, the Department of Community and Economic Development, the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, and the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. These departments will develop a plan for the local workforce development boards to work with the treatment and recovery community as well as local employers and training providers to offer job training and employment opportunities to individuals in recovery.

Since the local workforce development boards will be leading the implementation of the program, the strategies will be locally focused to meet the needs of local employers and the local treatment and recovery community. Additionally, the legislation will provide incentives for businesses and training providers to participate in the program.

Previous co-sponsors of this legislation were: Martin, J.Ward, Yaw, Stefano, Baker, and Haywood. Senate Bill 69 passed the Senate on October 3, 2023.

Please join me in co-sponsoring this important piece of legislation.