The CAREER Act of 2023 extends and expands federal programs that help people recover from addiction and get back to work. The bill renews funding for two main initiatives through 2028: a grant program that supports employment and reentry services for people in recovery, and a recovery housing program that provides stable housing for those overcoming substance use disorders.

The bill makes these programs smarter by changing how grant money gets distributed to states. Instead of using old data from 2013-2017, states now get evaluated based on more recent information about drug overdose deaths, unemployment rates, and labor force participation. States hit hardest by the opioid crisis and with higher unemployment will receive more funding. The bill also allows grant money to pay for transportation to help people get to work, job training, or treatment services—removing a practical barrier that often prevents people in recovery from accessing these opportunities.

Financially, the bill significantly increases support, raising funding from $5 million per year to $36 million per year for the employment and reentry program. This expansion reflects a stronger federal commitment to helping people with addiction histories rebuild their lives through stable housing, employment, and recovery support services.

CAREER Act of 2023

McConnell, Mitch

Comprehensive Addiction Recovery through Effective Employment and Reentry Act of 2023 or the CAREER Act of 2023This bill reauthorizes through FY2028 the Treatment, Recovery, and Workforce Support Grant Program and the Recovery Housing Program.The bill also specifies that the data used to determine which states to prioritize for grants (e.g., overdose mortality rates and unemployment rates) must be based on the five-year period immediately preceding the grant cycle. It also allows grants under the Treatment, Recovery, and Workforce Support Grant Program to be used for transportation services to and from the individual's work, training, or treatment or recovery services.The Treatment, Recovery, and Workforce Support Grant Program supports the ability of&nbsp;individuals who are in substance-use disorder treatment and recovery to live independently and participate in the workforce. The Recovery Housing Program supports the provision of transitional housing for those who are in recovery from a substance-use disorder for up to two years or until the individual finds permanent housing, whichever is earlier.&nbsp; &nbsp;