Southwest Missouri receives job-assistance grant funds

The Missouri Division of Workforce Development will receive $2.4 million in federal grant money to assist laid-off workers in Missouri, including those in the southwest region.

The funds are being provided as a National Emergency Grant from the U.S. Department of Labor and are made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, according to a news release from U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill.

The Division of Workforce Development has identified three Missouri regions - the Ozark region, the southeast region and the south central region - that will receive grant money. Those regions encompass 32 counties, including Greene, Christian, Dallas, Polk, Stone, Taney, Webster and Ozark.

The regions were affected by layoffs and plant closures at 11 companies in industries such as distribution, health care, manufacturing and telecommunications, according to the news release.

The grant money will go toward providing job-related services such as skills assessment, training and job search assistance.