HRSA to award grants to expand rural substance use disorder services

The Health Resources and Services Administration's Federal Office of Rural Health Policy plans to award about 75 grants of up to $1 million each to expand opioid and other substance use disorder services in high-risk rural communities. The agency expects to release a notice on the funding opportunity in the next few weeks. Organizations applying for the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program implementation grants must be part of an established network or consortium that includes at least three other separately-owned entities, at least two of which are located in a HRSA-designated rural area, the agency said. HRSA also plans to award $24 million in RCORP planning grants this year, and to launch a pilot grant program aimed at expanding the number of small rural hospitals and clinics that provide medication-assisted treatment.