PKG00256286-instructions.pdf

SUPPORT TO COMMUNITIES: FOSTERING OPIOID RECOVERY THROUGH

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT

(FOA) FOR THE SUPPORT TO COMMUNITIES: FOSTERING OPIOID RECOVERY

THROUGH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT GRANT PROGRAM

ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE: Initial

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: FOA-ETA-20-01

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE (CFDA) NUMBER: 17.277

KEY DATES: The closing date for receipt of applications under this Announcement is January 9, 2020. We must receive applications no later than 4:00:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

ADDRESSES: Address mailed applications to:

The U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration, Office of Grants Management Attention: Brinda Ruggles, Grant Officer Reference: FOA-ETA-20-01 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room N4716 Washington, DC 20210

For complete application and submission information, including online application instructions, please refer to Section IV Application and Submission Information.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

The United States is facing an ongoing health crisis stemming from widespread misuse of and addiction to opioids and other drugs, including illicit drugs. The Administration has made addressing this crisis a high priority, allocating significant funds and personnel to support treatment and recovery services, target availability of overdose-reversing drugs, train first responders, and more.

At the White House’s direction, the Secretary of Health and Human Services declared a national public health emergency on October 26, 20171 and has renewed the declaration every 90 days thereafter. As a result of this declaration, the White House recommended the use of grant funds to help workers who have been displaced from the workforce because of the opioid crisis.2 Since 2018, the Department of Labor (DOL or Department) has issued two grant opportunities addressing the workforce impacts of the opioid and larger substance misuse crisis. In all, the Department has awarded Phase One National Health Emergency (NHE) Dislocated Worker Demonstration Grants (DWGs) and Phase Two Disaster Recovery DWGs to 17 states and tribal entities to provide reemployment services for individuals impacted by the crisis; to train individuals to transition into professions that can impact the crisis, such as alternative pain management, mental health treatment, and addiction treatment; and to create temporary employment opportunities for peer recovery counselors and other positions that can immediately mitigate the impact of the crisis.

The Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act (SUPPORT Act), which became Public Law 115-271 in October 2018, is a bipartisan effort to address the country’s opioid and substance misuse epidemic. This law includes critical provisions to standardize the delivery of addiction medicine; expand access to high-quality, evidence-based care; and address the impacts of the epidemic by increasing and strengthening our workforce. Further, it directs the Department to carry out a pilot grant program to address the economic and workforce impacts associated with high rates of substance use disorders. The provisions of the law related to the pilot grant build upon the model previously established by the Department’s NHE Dislocated Worker Demonstration Grants and the NHE Disaster Recovery Dislocated Worker Grants.

As authorized by the SUPPORT Act, the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) is announcing the availability of up to $20 million in grant funds for the Support to Communities:

Fostering Opioid Recovery through Workforce Development grant program to fund approximately 8 to 10 partnership grants, with awards ranging from $500,000 to $5 million. The Department may award additional grants depending on the availability of funds.

The Support to Communities grant program is a separate funding opportunity from the NHE grants, which are awarded on a rolling basis. While the Support to Communities grants share some similarities with the two rounds of NHE grants, these grants will be awarded on a

1 For more information on the HHS declaration, visit https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2017/10/26/hhs-acting-secretary-declares-public-health-emergency-address-national-opioid-crisis.html.

2 White House Press Release October 25, 2017, from https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/president-donald-j-trump-taking-action-drug-addiction-opioid-crisis/.

competitive basis and include additional features and requirements outlined in the SUPPORT Act.

The goals of these grants are to:

• Implement innovative approaches for addressing the economic and workforce-related impacts on local communities affected by the opioid and substance misuse epidemic;

• Engage employers as essential partners to address the impacts of substance and opioid misuse by playing an active role in the grant’s program design and delivery, pioneering creative ways to support the skills attainment of existing or new employees, and connecting businesses with resources such as the Employer Resource Network to help workers retain their employment;

• Provide training and employment services and comprehensive screening services, including outpatient treatment recovery care and other supportive services, to individuals impacted by the crisis; and

• Deliver training and employment opportunities to encourage more individuals to enter professions that could address the crisis and/or provide relevant skills training that would help individuals enter career pathways and find and retain employment in in-demand occupations.

Eligible applicants for the Support to Communities grant funds are State workforce agencies, State workforce agencies of outlying areas, and Tribal organizations, as defined by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (Public Law 113-128, codified at 29 U.S.C. § 3101 et seq.) (WIOA). Applicants will use these funds to collaborate with a network of partners to address the substance misuse epidemic in their local areas. Grantees will engage community partners, such as local workforce development boards, employers or industry organizations, treatment and recovery centers, education providers, legal services and law enforcement organizations, and community-based and faith-based organizations, to address the economic effects of widespread substance misuse, opioid use, addiction, and overdose in significantly impacted service areas.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Executive Summary

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. PROGRAM PURPOSE

B. PROGRAM AUTHORITY

C. Service Areas

II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. AWARD TYPE AND AMOUNT

B. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

1. Eligible Lead Applicants

2. Role of the Lead Applicant

3. Subgrant Authority

4. Participating Partnership

5. Allowable Program Activities and Services

B. COST SHARING OR MATCHING

C. OTHER INFORMATION

1. Application Screening Criteria

2. Number of Applications Applicants May Submit

3. Eligible Participants

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. HOW TO OBTAIN AN APPLICATION PACKAGE

B. CONTENT AND FORM OF APPLICATION SUBMISSION

1. SF-424, “Application for Federal Assistance”

2. Project Budget

3. Project Narrative

4. Attachments to the Project Narrative

C. Submission Date, Time, Process and Address

1. Hardcopy Submission

2. Electronic Submission through Grants.gov

D. INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW

E. FUNDING RESTRICTIONS

1. Indirect Costs

2. Administrative Cost Limitation

3. Salary and Bonus Limitations

4. Intellectual Property Rights

5. Use of Grant Funds for Participant Wages

6. Use of Grant Funds

7. Grant Profit

F. OTHER SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

V. Application Review Information

A. CRITERIA

B. Standards for Evaluating the Applicant’s Response to each Requirement

C. REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

1. Merit Review and Selection Process

2. Risk Review Process

VI. Award Administration Information A. Award Notices B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

1. Administrative Program Requirements

2. Other Legal Requirements

3. Other Administrative Standards and Provisions

4. Special Program Requirements

C. REPORTING

1. Quarterly Financial Reports

2. Quarterly Performance Reports

VII. AGENCY CONTACTS

VIII. Other Information

A. Web-Based Resources B. Industry Competency Models and Career Clusters C. WorkforceGPS Resources D. SkillsCommons Resources E. Evidenced-Based Screening Resources

1. National Institute on Drug Abuse: Screening and Assessment Tools Chart

2. Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) Model

IX. OMB Information Collection

ATTACHMENT 1: DISABILITY AND MEDICAL INFORMATION PROTECTIONS FOR

GRANT PARTICIPANTS

ATTACHMENT 2: SUGGESTED ABSTRACT FORMAT

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. PROGRAM PURPOSE

This Announcement solicits applications for the Support to Communities: Fostering Opioid Recovery through Workforce Development grant program. The purpose of this program is to empower grantees to address the health and economic impacts of widespread substance and opioid misuse, addiction, and overdose, and to serve or retrain workers in significantly impacted communities.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 702,568 people died from a drug overdose in the United States between 1999 and 2017, with 399,230 involving opioids. Nearly one in three people know someone addicted to opioids or prescription painkillers.3 In 2018, approximately two million Americans aged 12 or older had an opioid use disorder (prescription pain killers or heroin).4 Provisional counts in July 2019 by the CDC reported that, while overdose deaths in the United States showed a decline of 5 percent between 2017 and 2018, fatal overdoses involving other drugs, particularly fentanyl, methamphetamine and others continued to rise.5 In all, researchers have found that this crisis has cost the United States more than $1 trillion since 2001, and that it could have a negative impact of $500 billion more over the next three years if conditions do not change.6

President Trump has made addressing this crisis a high priority, declaring a national public health emergency and allocating significant funds and personnel to support treatment and recovery services, target availability of overdose-reversing drugs, train first responders, and more.

Through its workforce development capacity, the Department complements the role of health and law enforcement agencies to address this national crisis. First, the opioid and broader substance misuse crisis has created several negative employment-related trends, and DOL has taken action to reverse these by providing additional funding for services to reintegrate workers affected by the crisis. Opioid and substance misuse affects both employed and unemployed workers. Research has shown that the number of opioid prescriptions correlates in many areas with a reduction of labor force participation rates,7 as well as an increase in unemployment

3 American Psychiatry Association, “Nearly One in Three People Know Someone Addicted to Opioids; More than Half of Millennials Believe It Is Easy to Get Illegal Opioids,” May 2018. Accessed June 21, 2019, from https://www.psychiatry.org/newsroom/news-releases/nearly-one-in-three-people-know-someone-addicted-to-opioids-more-than-half-of-millennials-believe-it-is-easy-to-get-illegal-opioids.

4 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health Annual National Report. Accessed on September 18, 2019 from https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2018-nsduh-annual-national-report 5 The New York Times, “Drug Overdose Deaths Drop in U.S. for First Time since 1990,” , July 17, 2019. Accessed August 8, 2019, from https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/07/17/upshot/drug-overdose-deaths-fall.html.

6 Altarum, “Economic Toll of Opioid Crisis in U.S. Exceeded $1 Trillion Since 2001,” February 13, 2018, available at https://altarum.org/about/news-and-events/economic-toll-of-opioid-crisis-in-u-s-exceeded-1-trillion-since-2001.

7 Alan B. Krueger, “Where Have All the Workers Gone? An Inquiry into the Decline of the U.S. Labor Force Participation Rate,” Sept. 7, 2017, Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, available at rates coincident with increases in opioid-related hospitalizations, although it is unclear whether opioid use disorder is a cause of unemployment or an effect of scarce employment opportunities. Additionally, lost workforce productivity in American businesses attributed to opioid misuse—as demonstrated through diminished job performance, absenteeism, incarceration, and even death—has approached $20 billion annually.8 Researchers have estimated lost wages due to overdose deaths at $800,000 per person.9

Authorized by the SUPPORT Act, this pilot grant program will address the economic and workforce impacts associated with a high rate of substance use disorders and the opioid health crisis by supporting communities and individuals impacted by this public health epidemic. The goals of this program are to: 1) implement innovative approaches for addressing the economic and workforce-related impacts on local communities affected by the opioid and substance misuse epidemic; 2) engage employers as essential partners to address the impacts of substance and opioid misuse by playing an active role in the grant’s program design and delivery, pioneering creative ways to support the skills attainment of existing or new employees, and connecting businesses with resources, such as the Employer Resource Network to help workers retain their employment; 3) provide training and employment services and comprehensive screening services, including outpatient treatment recovery care and other supportive services, to individuals impacted by the crisis; and 4) deliver training and employment opportunities to encourage more individuals to enter professions that could address the crisis and/or provide relevant skills training that will help personally impacted individuals find and retain employment in in-demand occupations.

In light of the complexity of the crisis, partnerships will be central to these projects.

Depending on the type of lead applicant, described in Section III.A.1 Eligible Applicants, the SUPPORT Act requires unique subgrant obligations, noted in Figure 1 below and further described in Section III.A.3. Subgrant Authority:

Lead Applicant

State workforce agencies The State workforce agency of outlying areas

Tribal organizations

Subgrant Requirements

Must subgrant to one or more local workforce development boards.

Must subgrant to a local workforce agency or local entity that will implement the proposed grant activities and services.

Do not have to subgrant but are encouraged to identify the entity that will manage and/or implement the proposed grant activities and services.

Participating Partnerships

Local workforce development boards will develop Participating Partnerships, as described

They are also encouraged to partner with at least one organization from the Participating Partnerships.

They are also encouraged to partner with at least one organization from the Participating Partnerships.

https://www.brookings.edu/bpea-articles/where-have-all-the-workers-gone-an-inquiry-into-the-decline-of-the-u-s-labor-force-participation-rate/..

8 Congressional Research Service, “The Opioid Epidemic and the Labor Force,” November 28, 2017, available at https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/IN10828.html.

9 Altarum, “Economic Toll of Opioid Crisis in U.S. Exceeded $1 Trillion Since 2001,” Feb. 13, 2018, available at https://altarum.org/about/news-and-events/economic-toll-of-opioid-crisis-in-u-s-exceeded-1-trillion-since-2001.

in Section III.A.4, to implement the grant in the proposed service areas.

Other Requirements

Single State local areas must subgrant to the State workforce development board, which will carry out the functions of the local board to manage the grant.

Figure 1: Eligible Applicants, Subgrant Authority, Participating Partnerships and Other Requirements.

The intent of this FOA is to fund projects that provide employment and training services to individuals impacted by the opioid crisis and to transition more skilled workers into professions that can impact the crisis. Eligible participants are:

(1) Workers, including dislocated workers, individuals with barriers to employment, new entrants in the workforce, or incumbent workers (employed or underemployed), who are personally affected, defined as individuals who themselves or whose friends or family members have been impacted by substance use disorders and voluntarily disclose that they have or a friend or family member who has a history of opioid misuse or other substance use disorder10; or

(2) Workers, including dislocated workers, individuals with barriers to employment, new entrants in the workforce, or incumbent workers (employed or underemployed), who seek to transition to professions that support individuals with a substance use disorder and need new or upgraded skills to better serve struggling or at-risk individuals.

Applicants may propose skills training and support activities that enable participants to transition to productive careers in in-demand occupations for workers who are personally affected by the opioid and substance misuse crisis. Applicants may also propose skills training in recovery and health-related professions for workers seeking to transition or gain new or upgraded skills in professions that support people with or at risk of developing substance use disorders. Individuals personally affected by the opioid crisis may also participate in training activities in recovery and health-related occupations. Figure 2 is provided below for further clarification:

Type of Worker 1 Type of Worker 2 Eligible Participants Workers who are personally affected by opioid misuse or other substance use disorder.

Defined as individuals who themselves or whose friends or

Workers who seek to transition to professions that support individuals with a substance use disorder or occupations that address the opioid recovery efforts in local service areas.

10 Grantees may not require participants to disclose whether they have a history of drug addiction or know someone with a history of opioid misuse. Any such disclosure must be voluntary. If a participant does not disclose whether he or she or a friend or family member has a history of opioid misuse or other substance use disorder, the participant must be served as a worker who seeks to transition to a profession that supports individuals with substance use disorders. Additional details on applicants’ responsibilities pertaining to these disclosures are covered in Attachment 1.

family members have been impacted by substance use disorders and voluntarily disclose that either they have or a friend or family member has a history of opioid misuse or other substance use disorder.

This includes individuals who need new or upgraded skills to better serve struggling or at-risk individuals.

Skills Training • Skills training in opioid recovery and health-related professions.

• Skills training for in-demand occupations.

• Skills training in opioid recovery and health-related professions.

Other Requirements Eligible participants for both types of workers include dislocated workers, individuals with barriers to employment, new entrants in the workforce, or incumbent workers (employed or underemployed).

Figure 2: Description of eligible participants, allowable skills training, and other requirements.

B. PROGRAM AUTHORITY

Public Law 115-271, Substance Use–Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act or the “SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act,” Title VIII, Subtitle C, Sec. 8041 Addressing Economic and Workforce Impacts of the Opioid Crisis, authorizes this grant program.

C. SERVICE AREAS

Given that the intent of this grant is to reach communities combatting problems associated with opioid and substance misuse, applicants must propose projects that will serve communities, regions, or local areas that have been significantly impacted by problems related to the opioid crisis or other substance use disorders.

Applicants must propose grant activities in service areas that demonstrate an increase in such problems equal to or greater than the national increase, between 1999 and the latest year for which data are available. In addition, applicants must demonstrate the significant impact of opioid and substance misuse on the community (or communities) within these service areas by providing relevant information identified in the scoring criteria, Section IV.B.3(a)(1) Service Area.

II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. AWARD TYPE AND AMOUNT

Funding will be provided in the form of a grant. We expect the availability of approximately $20 million to fund approximately 8 to 10 grants. You may apply for a minimum award of $500,000 and a maximum award of $5 million.

Awards made under this Announcement are subject to the availability of Federal funds. In the event that additional funds become available, we reserve the right to use such funds to select additional grantees from applications submitted in response to this Announcement.

B. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The period of performance is 48 months with an anticipated start date of April 1, 2020. This performance period includes all necessary implementation and start-up activities and, depending on the proposed program design, the delivery of recovery and support services and career and employment services, including training and employment retention activities.

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

In keeping with the authority provided by Congress under the SUPPORT Act, grants under this program will be awarded to an eligible lead applicant, which must be: a State workforce agency, an outlying area, or a Tribal organization. The lead applicant will serve as the grantee and have overall fiscal and administrative responsibility for the grant.

1. Eligible Lead Applicants

The following organizations are eligible to apply for this grant program:

State workforce agencies, which are the lead State agency11 with responsibility for the administration of the State’s WIOA youth, adult, or dislocated worker formula program under chapter 2 or 3 of subtitle B of title I of WIOA (29 U.S.C. § 3161 et seq., 3171 et seq.).

The State workforce agency of outlying areas, which include American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the United States Virgin Islands; and the Republic of Palau, as defined in section 3(45) of WIOA (29 U.S.C. § 3102(45)).

11 As defined in the SUPPORT Act, “state” means each of the several states of the United States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Tribal organizations, which include any Indian Tribe, tribal organization, Indian-controlled organization serving Indians, Native Hawaiian organization, or Alaska Native entity, as referenced in section 166(c) of WIOA (29 U.S.C. § 3221(c)).

2. Role of the Lead Applicant

The lead applicant will serve as the grantee, must be the organization specified in Section 8 of the SF-424 Application Form, and will be: 1) the point of contact with the Department to receive and respond to all inquiries or communications under this FOA and any subsequent grant award; 2) the entity with authority to withdraw or draw down funds through the Department of Health and Human Services - Payment Management System (HHS-PMS); 3) the entity responsible for submitting to the Department all deliverables under the grant, including all technical and financial reports related to the project, regardless of which partnership member performed the work; 4) the entity that may request or agree to a revision or amendment of the grant agreement or statement of work; 5) the entity that ensures that the programmatic functions are carried out, as well as provides stewardship of all expenditures under the grant; 6) the entity responsible for coordinating with the national evaluator, including participating in an evaluation and other studies, if selected by DOL; and 7) the entity responsible for working with DOL to close out the grant.

3. Subgrant Authority

As required by the SUPPORT Act, this FOA has unique subgrant requirements depending on the lead applicant. The lead applicant making subgrants shall make available subgrant funds to a local board, or local entity, receiving a subgrant from the lead applicant by the later of:

(i) the date that is 90 days after the date of a lead applicant award from DOL; or

(ii) the date that is 15 days after the date when the lead applicant makes the subgrant.

a) State Workforce Agencies

State workforce agencies must subgrant to one or more local workforce development boards (as defined in section 3 of WIOA). The local workforce development boards will be tasked with managing the services and training activities, as outlined in Section III.A.5. Allowable Services and Program Activities. The local workforce development board(s) must each establish and coordinate a Participating Partnership, as described in Section III.A.4.

Participating Partnerships, to carry out the services that address the impacts of substance misuse and the opioid epidemic in their local communities. The local workforce development board(s) may not use more than 10 percent of the grant funds for the Participating Partnership’s administrative costs.

State workforce agencies in states designated as single State local areas under WIOA section 106(d) and 20 CFR § 679.270(a-b), and in states that operate WIOA under a waiver allowing the State workforce development board to act as the local board, do not have to subgrant to local workforce development boards. In those states, the State workforce development board must carry out the functions of the local board described in the previous paragraph. They must establish and coordinate a Participating Partnership, as described in Section III.A.4

Participating Partnerships, to carry out the services under this grant that address the impacts of substance abuse and the opioid epidemic in their proposed service areas; and they may not use more than 10 percent of grant funds for the Participating Partnership’s administrative costs.

b) Outlying Areas

Outlying areas, represented by the State workforce agency, must manage the grant. Outlying areas must subgrant to the local workforce development board or a local entity to implement the grant’s proposed training activities and services. Outlying areas have the option of engaging organizational entities from the Participating Partnership as optional partners to deliver services.

c) Tribal Organizations

Tribal organizations are not required to subgrant; however, they must identify the organizational entity responsible for carrying out the proposed services and activities under this grant. Tribal entities have the option of engaging organizational entities from the Participating Partnership as optional partners to deliver services.

4. Participating Partnership

Given the widespread nature of the opioid and substance misuse crisis and its complex array of underlying causes, these grants will require comprehensive partnerships across the spectrum of workforce, health, justice, and community organizations, among others, to align and coordinate the form and delivery of employment and related services that best meet the needs of impacted individuals and create opportunities for reemployment. These organizations collectively form the “Participating Partnership,” which is required for each local workforce development board that is a subgrantee of a State workforce agency applicant, and is optional for outlying areas and Tribal organizations.

State workforce agency applicants must provide a description of the Participating Partnership(s) established by their local boards or, for single State local areas and in states that operate WIOA under a waiver allowing the State workforce development board to act as the local board by the State workforce development board, a description of the Participating Partnership(s) established by the State workforce development board, to demonstrate the active involvement and commitment of organizational entity(ies). This can include signed memoranda of understanding (MOUs), Letters of Commitment, a partnership agreement, or other types of signed agreements.

In the required Abstract (see Section IV.B.4. Attachments to the Project Narrative), applicants must clearly identify the lead applicant and any organizations that are partners of the grant. If the lead applicant is a State workforce agency, list the members of each local workforce development board’s Participating Partnership. State workforce agency applicants will be scored based on the inclusion of this documentation, as described in Section IV.B.4.a) Required Attachments, as well as the level and quality of their involvement in the project, as described in the scoring criteria, Section IV.B.3. Project Narrative.

Although outlying areas and Tribal organizations are not required to have a Participating Partnership, should the applicant decide to partner with these organizations, documentation of partnership with organizational entities is requested and described in Section IV.B.4.b)(1) Documentation of Partnership Commitment. Outlying areas and Tribal organizations will be scored on the strength of the proposed delivery of services and activities in partnership with any organizational entity that is selected to work on this grant program, as described in Section IV.B.3. Project Narrative.

a) State Workforce Agency Required Partner: Local Workforce Development Board(s)

The State workforce agency as the lead applicant must subgrant to one or more local workforce development boards, which will each lead Participating Partnerships in their proposed service areas. Local workforce boards will spearhead the effort of implementing the grant in their local community(ies) through the entities engaged in the Participating Partnership. These local boards must cover at least a portion of the crisis-impacted communities identified in the State workforce agency’s application that have seen an increase in opioid-related activity between 1999 and the latest year for which data are available. In selecting participating local workforce development boards, lead applicants must ensure, to the extent practicable, the equitable distribution of subgrants, based on (i) geography (such as urban and rural distribution) and (ii) significantly impacted service areas, as described in Section I.C. Service Area. Lead applicants must also consider capacity and prior performance of potential subgrantees, as described in the scoring criteria, Section IV.B.3.c.

Project Design.

b) Participating Partners

For State workforce agencies, a Participating Partnership includes 1) the lead applicant (grantee); 2) a local workforce development board, or for single State local areas or a state that has a waiver allowing their State workforce board to act as local board, the workforce board receiving a subgrant; and 3) one or more of the following organizations:

• A treatment provider12

• An employer or industry organization

• An education provider13

• A legal service or law enforcement organization

• A faith-based or community-based organization

• Other State or local agencies, including counties or local governments

• Other organizations, as determined to be necessary by the local board

12 For the purposes of this FOA, a treatment provider is defined as a health care provider that (i) offers services for treating substance use disorders and is licensed in accordance with applicable State law to provide such services; and

(ii) accepts health insurance for such services, including coverage under title XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. § 1396 et seq.).

13 An education provider is as an institution of higher education, as defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. § 1001); or a postsecondary vocational institution, as defined in section 102(c) of such Act (20 U.S.C. § 1002(c)).

• Indian Tribes or Tribal organizations

Treatment providers may be any of the following entities:

• A nonprofit provider of peer recovery support services, defined as a provider that delivers peer recovery support services through an organization14

• A community health care provider

• A Federally qualified health center15

• An Indian health program16, including an Indian health program that serves an urban center or

• A Native Hawaiian health center17

5. Allowable Program Activities and Services

ETA recognizes that the workforce-related impacts of the opioid and substance misuse crisis may raise new challenges for workforce development agencies, and these grants intend to allow State workforce agencies (through Participating Partnerships led by local workforce development boards), outlying areas, or Tribal organizations to creatively align and deliver career, training, and supportive services that will best serve workers impacted by the crisis.

All applicants must provide career, training, and employment services, as described below in Section III.A.5.a Career, Training, and Employment Services. ETA requires applicants to co-enroll grant participants in WIOA title I Adult and Dislocated Worker programs and Wagner-Peyser Act Employment Service programs to maximize the impact of these grant funds and ensure delivery of the full range of necessary employment services.

Applicants are encouraged to lead efforts in their proposed service areas to identify and promote proven and promising practices, strategies, and initiatives for meeting the needs of employers and program participants.

Career, Training, and Employment Services

Applicants must offer career services, training activities and employment services, and related services, concurrently or sequentially with the services referenced in Section III.A.5.b-f, below, using grant funds or leveraged funds.

In addition, applicants should be mindful of proposing career services, training activities, and employment services that are based on the type of worker who will be served with grant funds, as described in Section III.C.3. Eligible Participants. Applicants may propose skills training and support activities that enable workers personally affected by the opioid and substance abuse misuse crisis to enter productive careers in in-demand occupations.

14 As described in section 547(a) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. § 290ee–2(a).

15 As defined in section 1861(aa) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. § 1395x).

16 As defined in section 3 of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. § 1603).

17 As defined in section 12 of the Native Hawaiian Health Care Improvement Act (42 U.S.C. § 11711).

Applicants must demonstrate that the proposed training will lead to a career pathway for in-demand jobs in the proposed service area(s).

Applicants may also propose career services, training activities, and employment services in recovery and health-related occupations such as: substance use disorder treatment and related services, services offered through providers of peer recovery support services, non-addictive pain therapy and pain management services, emergency response services, or mental health care for workers personally affected by the opioid and substance abuse crisis and/or for those workers seeking to enter these professions that support people with or at risk of developing substance use disorders.

Career and training services are defined in WIOA regulations at 20 CFR §§ 678.430 and 680.200, respectively. Applicants must determine the necessary career or training service mix for their affected service areas, which could include a combination of the services described below.

(1) Career Services

These services, categorized as career services under WIOA, must be available to program participants who are in a pre-employment or pre-training stage of the program, and may include:

• initial education and skills assessments;

• services to promote employability skills, such as punctuality, personal maintenance skills, and professional conduct;

• in-depth interviewing and evaluation to identify employment barriers and to develop individual employment plans;

• career planning that includes career pathways leading to in-demand, high-wage jobs;

• job coaching, job matching, and job placement services;

• provision of payments and fees for employment and training-related applications, tests, and certifications; and

• any other appropriate career service described in section 134(c)(2) of WIOA (29

U.S.C. § 3174(c)(2)).

(2) Training Activities

Training activities must be available to participants. Applicants may offer a wide range of training activities, such as:

• traditional classroom training, which may be funded through individual training accounts under section 134(c)(3)(G) of WIOA (29 U.S.C. § 3174(c)(3)(G)) for participants who are co-enrolled with WIOA;

• work-based learning opportunities with employer partners, including paid work, internships, on-the-job training, and apprenticeships; or

• any other appropriate training service described in section 134(c)(3) of WIOA (29 U.S.C. § 3174(c)(3)).

(3) Employment Services

Applicants must provide services to assist participants in maintaining employment for 12 months. During their first six months of employment, participants must receive career services to facilitate job retention, which may include any of the following services:

• case management and support services, including a continuation of the pre-employment career and training services described above;

• a continuation of skills training or career and technical education, or other training described above as pre-employment training services, which is conducted in collaboration with the employers of such participants;

• mentorship services and job retention support for such participants; or

• targeted training for managers, human resource representatives, and mentors or other workers working with such participants in the business in which such participants are employed.

Local workforce development boards, in coordination with organizations from the Participating Partnership, must provide at least one of the program activities and services outlined below.

Outlying areas and Tribal entities are encouraged to develop partnerships with organizations from the list of Participating Partnerships, and must provide at least one of the following services:

Employer Engagement

Employers are essential partners to address the economic and workforce impacts of substance and opioid misuse in local communities. Employers can play an active role in various aspects of the program design and delivery, including defining program goals and activities, informing training design, identifying necessary skills and competencies for targeted occupations, and offering innovative and creative ways for skills attainment throughout the grant period of performance.

The Participating Partnership, outlying areas, and Tribal organizations may engage employer support for a variety of activities, such as to:

• learn about and provide the support needed by employers to obtain their commitment and test creative solutions to employ and retain program participants and individuals with a substance use disorder;

• connect small to mid-size businesses with community resources such as the Employer Resource Network to provide participants with job retention services, work supports, and training opportunities to support entry-level employees;

• connect employers to program participants receiving concurrent outpatient treatment and job training services;

• encourage hiring individuals with barriers to employment by promoting programs to support their employment, such as the Federal Bonding Program and the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, when those individuals meet relevant eligibility criteria;

• assist employers in identifying and providing reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities, including those in recovery from a substance use disorder;

• help employers employ program participants or such individuals engaging in a work-based learning program for a transitional period before hiring such a program participant or individual for full-time employment of not less than 30 hours a week;

• connect employers and workers to on-the-job or customized training programs before or after layoff to facilitate reemployment;

• connect employers with an education provider to develop classroom instruction to complement on-the-job learning for program participants and such individuals;

• help employers develop and design curricula for work-based learning programs for program participants and such individuals; or

• learn about the skill and hiring requirements of employers.

Screening Services

Upon determination of eligibility, applicants may use evidenced-based screening services to assess individuals seeking participation in the grant to identify the appropriate course of action to support grant participants. Applicants may conduct further assessments of the individual to determine the services needed for the individual to obtain or retain employment, including an assessment of strengths and general work readiness. Section VIII.E. Evidenced-based Screening Resources provides links to resources for more information on evidence-based screening methods that could support applicants’ efforts during the participant intake and screening process.

Individual Treatment Plan

State workforce agencies making sub grants to local workforce development board(s) and State workforce agencies of outlying areas must develop WIOA Individual Employment Plans, with an added component for treatment services, for each participant. Tribal organizations may develop Individual Treatment and Employment Plans (ITEP) for each participant, in coordination with other services provided to participants. Case managers must work with each participant to develop their ITEPs, which may include:

• identifying employment and career goals;

• exploring career pathways that lead to employment in in-demand industries and sectors, as determined by the State board and the head of the State workforce agency or, as applicable, the Tribal entity; or

• setting appropriate achievement objectives to attain, and/or developing the appropriate combination of services to enable the participant to achieve, the identified employment and career goals.

Outpatient Treatment Recovery Care

Applicants may provide individualized and group outpatient treatment and recovery services during the day and evening, and on weekends. Participating Partnerships that are serving workers who are personally affected by substance use disorders (as described in Section III.C.3.a(1) Eligible Participants) may use up to 10 percent of grant funds for these services.

Outlying areas and Tribal organizations serving workers who are personally affected by substance use disorders may propose up to 20 percent of grant funds.

These treatment and recovery services must be based on a model that utilizes combined behavioral interventions and other evidence-based or evidence-informed interventions, and may include additional services, such as:

• health, mental health, addiction, or other forms of outpatient treatment that may impact a substance use disorder and co-occurring conditions;

• drug testing for a current substance use disorder prior to enrollment in career or training services or prior to employment; and

• linkages to community services, such as the Employer Resource Network, including services offered by partner organizations designed to support program participants, or referrals to health care, including referrals to substance use disorder treatment and mental health services.

Supportive Services

Applicants may provide Supportive Services. Participating Partnerships providing supportive services may use up to 10 percent of grant funds to provide supportive services to participants. Outlying areas and Tribal organizations may propose up to 20 percent of grant funds to provide supportive services. These services may include the following:

• coordinated wraparound services to provide maximum support for program participants. These services aim to assist program participants in maintaining their employment and recovery for at least 12 months;

• assistance in establishing eligibility for assistance under Federal, State, Tribal, and local programs providing health services, mental health services, vocational services, housing services, transportation services, social services, or services through early childhood education programs (as defined in section 103 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. § 1003));

• services offered through providers of peer recovery support services;

• networking and mentorship opportunities; or

• any supportive services determined necessary.

B. COST SHARING OR MATCHING

This program does not require cost sharing or matching funds. Including such funds is not one of the application screening criteria and applications that include any form of cost sharing or match will not receive additional consideration during the review process. Instead, the agency considers any resources contributed to the project beyond the funds provided by the agency as leveraged resources. Section IV.B.2 provides more information on leveraged resources.

C. OTHER INFORMATION

1. Application Screening Criteria

You should use the checklist below as a guide when preparing your application package to ensure that the application has met all of the screening criteria. Note that this checklist is only an aid for applicants and should not be included in the application package. We urge you to use this checklist to ensure that your application contains all required items. If your application does not meet all of the screening criteria, it will not move forward through the merit review process.

Application Requirement Instructions Complete?

The deadline submission requirements are met Section IV.C

Eligibility of Lead Applicant Section III.A

If submitted through Grants.gov, the components of the application are saved in any of the specified formats and are not corrupt. (We will attempt to open the document, but will not take any additional measures in the event of problems with opening.)

Section IV.C.2

Application Federal funds request does not fall below $500,000 or exceed the ceiling amount of $5 million Section II.A

SAM Registration Section IV.B.1

SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance Section IV.B.1

SF-424 includes a DUNS Number Section IV.B.1

SF-424A, Budget Information Form Section IV.B.2

Budget Narrative Section IV.B.2

Project Narrative Section IV.B.3 Documentation of Commitment from:

• Local workforce development board(s), if the applicant is a State Workforce Agency (excluding those applying from States designated as single state local area);

• A State workforce board, if the applicant is a single area state or a state that has a waiver allowing its State workforce board to act as local board;

• A local workforce development board or a local entity to implement the grant’s

Section IV.B.4.(a)(2)

2. Number of Applications Applicants May Submit

We will consider only one application from each eligible lead applicant. If we receive multiple applications from the same entity, we will only consider the most recently received application that met the deadline. If the most recent application is disqualified for any reason, we will not replace it with an earlier application.

3. Eligible Participants

Participants Eligible to Receive Training

Applicants may serve one or both of the populations of workers outlined below.

(1) Workers Personally Affected by the Opioid Crisis

Individuals eligible to be served by this grant are workers, including dislocated workers, individuals with barriers to employment, new entrants to the workforce, or incumbent workers, who are personally affected by substance use disorders, defined as individuals who themselves or whose friends or family members have been impacted by substance use disorders. According to section 8041(e)(2)(A) of the SUPPORT Act, these workers must also voluntarily confirm that they themselves, or a friend or family member, have a history of opioid misuse or another substance use disorder.

Grant recipients must operate their programs in compliance with nondiscrimination and EEO obligations set forth in federal nondiscrimination law, as applicable. Accordingly, grant recipients should be aware of requirements pertaining to the gathering and confidentiality of medical information and their obligations under Department civil rights regulations pertaining to protections for individuals with disabilities. Additionally, grant recipients must ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, as applicable.

Applicants and their subgrantees (if applicable) must establish processes and procedures to obtain this voluntary disclosure from the individual seeking grant-funded services.

Grantees may not exclude an individual who does not disclose this information from receiving grant-funded services. Individuals who voluntarily disclose their substance misuse history are eligible to receive any services under the grant, including training in occupations not related to supporting opioid-impacted individuals. However, if the person does not disclose, he or she is eligible only to be served within the FOA’s other target population in Section III.E.3.a(2) Workers Seeking to Enter Professions that Could Help Address the Opioid Crisis and Its Causes. Please see Attachment 1: Disability and Medical Information Protections for Grant Participants for more details.

proposed training activities and services, if the applicant is an outlying area.

(2) Workers Seeking to Enter Professions That Could Help Address the Opioid Crisis and Its Causes

Workers, including dislocated workers, individuals with barriers to employment, new entrants to the workforce, or incumbent workers, who seek to transition to…