x
Breaking News
More () »

Florida awarded $5 million to tackle opioid crisis through treatment and job training

Mothers who have lost children to the epidemic applaud the effort and hope that long-term care and attention can be given to those suffering.
Credit: AP
(AP Photo/Patrick Sison)

TAMPA, Fla. — Florida is hoping to tackle the opioid crisis with a new approach.

The state has been awarded a $5 million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to create a new pilot program, "Support to Communities: Fostering Opioid Recovery through Workforce Development." The goal will be to help foster opioid recovery and invest in long-term career training and employment opportunities for those suffering from addiction.

“The opioid crisis continues to be a public health concern in Florida,” Gov. DeSantis said. 

“We are grateful to U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia for partnering with Florida to implement this pilot program which will help create a talent pipeline for unfilled positions, offer opportunities to prepare those working in these fields to better identify and respond to individuals with a substance misuse disorders and prepare individuals in recovery to become peer counselors."

With the funding, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity will work with community partners to address opioid abuse and addiction.

For families that have lost loved ones to the disease, news of more help is always welcomed.

Renee Negron lost her only son to an overdose. He started using opioids after being prescribed them. "He was a welder in New York City construction, rebuilding the World Trade Center, Freedom Towers, and fell off a scaffold which broke his back in three places.”

The prescription became a problem that Joseph recognized. He went through treatment for eight months. It was costly for Negron, "About $40,000 of that came out of our, you know, our family's pocket to help him because he was, he knew, he saw his addiction and wanted to correct it.”

Other families, like that of MaryBeth Moore Zocco, don’t get a chance at recovery. Zocco lost her son, Ryan, less than two years ago, “I'm grateful that I live in Florida, and that we're part of this process because we're losing too many people.”

Zocco believes her son could have really benefitted from this help, "He just got his own apartment. And he wanted a future. He wanted to be clear he wanted recovery, but I don't think he knew how to access the resources where he lived.”

Negron believes her son would have been a great counselor, one of the jobs this pilot program is planning to train people for.

“He actually became a speaker, he actually began to mentor other young kids that he was seeing coming behind him,” she said

Both Zocco and Negron wish the outcome could have been different for their sons, but they are hopeful that change is coming. 

"I want to hear success stories," Zocco said. "I do not want to see another mom go through what I go through.”

This help is coming at a time when Floridians need it most. Opioid overdoses are up on average this year. In Hillsborough County, there have already been 313 accidental opioid overdoses this year compared to 289 for all of 2019.

What other people are reading right now:

►Breaking news and weather alerts: Get the free 10 Tampa Bay app

Stay In the Know! Sign up now for the Brightside Blend Newsletter

Before You Leave, Check This Out