Skip to main content


Appalachian Regional Commission

          
CLOSE
        Appalachian Region
              Data Overview of the Appalachian Region
                      Appalachian States
                      Appalachian Counties Served by ARC
                      County Economic Status and Distressed Areas in Appalachia
                      Tribal Communities in the Appalachian Region
                      Congressional Districts in Appalachia
                      Local Development Districts in Appalachia
      Investment Priorities
              Building Businesses
                      Workforce Ecosystems
                              Addressing Substance Use Disorder
                      Community Infrastructure
                              Transportation in Appalachia
                      Regional Culture and Tourism
                      Community Leaders and Capacity
                              READY Appalachia
                      Investments in Action
      Grants and Opportunities
              About ARC Grants
                              Match Requirements for ARC Grants
                      Funding Opportunities
                              Area Development ProgramOpen
                                      ARISE InitiativeOpen
                                      INSPIRE Initiative
                                      POWER InitiativeOpen
                                      WORC InitiativeOpen
                      Capacity Building Opportunities
                              Academies and Institutes
                                      READY Appalachia
                      Additional Opportunities
                              Access to Capital Program
                                      Appalachian Regional Energy Hub Initiative
                                      J-1 Visa Waiver Program
                                      Local Access Road Program
                      Contract Opportunities
                      Applicant Resources
                      Grantee Resources
                      Approved ARC Projects
      Research and Data
              Research Reports
                      Evaluations
                      Maps
                      Data Report Tool
                      Fact Sheets and Infographics
      Academies and Institutes
              Appalachian Collegiate Research Initiative
                      Appalachian Entrepreneurship Academy
                      Appalachian Leadership Institute
                      Appalachian STEM Academy
      About ARC
              History and Work
                      Structure and Leadership
                              ARC Offices & Staff
                                      State Partners
                                      Local Development Districts
                                      Office of Inspector General
                      Budget, Performance, and Policy
                      Newsroom
                      Careers at ARC
                      Internships at ARC
      SearchSearch
    Search

              Events
      Newsroom
      Get ARC Updates
      Inspector GeneralFacebook
      Twitter
      Youtube
      LinkedIn You are here
    HomeNewsroomNewsARC Awards Nearly $14 Million to 43 Projects Supporting Appalachians Recovering from Substance Use Disorder

      	
	
ARC Awards Nearly $14 Million to 43 Projects Supporting Appalachians Recovering from Substance Use Disorder
	
			September 11, 2023
                **Media Contact:**
											Janiene BohannonHealth and Substance Use DisorderPress Release
	
				
	
	
	*Investments Supporting Partnerships In Recovery Ecosystems (INSPIRE) Initiative funding will help partners continue building and expanding services in the recovery ecosystem.*

**WASHINGTON, D.C., September 11, 2023**—Today, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) awarded nearly $14 million to 43 projects through its Investments Supporting Partnerships In Recovery Ecosystems (INSPIRE) Initiative, which aims to address Appalachia’s substance use disorder (SUD) crisis with investments in projects that create or expand services in the recovery ecosystem leading to workforce entry and re-entry.

ARC Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin made the award announcement with ARC 2023 States’ Co-Chair Governor Andy Beshear of Kentucky, and grantees during a press conference at the Paramount Arts Center in Ashland, Kentucky, in advance of ARC’s 2023 Annual Conference.

In addition to the nearly $14 million INSPIRE award package, Federal Co-Chair Manchin also announced additional funding for a $265,607 ARISEplanning grant to the Upper Cumberland Development District that will strengthen a network of SUD recovery-to-work efforts across six Appalachian states—Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. In collaboration with their state partners, the Upper Cumberland Development District will use the ARISE funding to create a multi-state employer toolkit and long-term strategy to engage individuals across Appalachia in SUD recovery into the workforce.

“At ARC, we know that substance use disorder recovery isn’t a singular event, but a continuum. Both workforce training and ending the stigma surrounding substance use disorder are equally important in providing a renewed sense of hope and purpose to Appalachians in recovery,” said **ARC Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin**. “These INSPIRE grantees are doing the important work to remove all barriers to entry when it comes to recovery-to-work projects across the region, ensuring that all Appalachians have a chance at a bright future.”

These INSPIRE awardees will support the SUD recovery ecosystem in 11 Appalachian states by developing and deepening cross-sector recovery-focused partnerships, expanding peer recovery support networks, planning and implementing workforce training programs, strengthening community engagement and wraparound services, and more. Additionally, the projects will bring INSPIRE’s impact to 60 Appalachian counties for the first time, increasing the initiative’s reach to 83% of the region. Today’s announcement has brought INSPIRE to a grand total of nearly $42 million invested across 126 projects since the initiative launched in April 2021. Together, the projects will impact 349 Appalachian counties, improve 2,178 businesses and help prepare 9,772 individuals for new opportunities in the workforce.

“In Kentucky and across the Appalachian region, we believe all of our people are entitled to healthy and happy lives,” said **ARC 2023 States’ Co-Chair, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear**. “We want anyone battling addiction to know they are not alone, and they matter. No matter how long the road to recovery may be, Kentucky and leaders across the ARC region are here to support them.”

INSPIRE was informed by ARC’s Substance Use Disorder Advisory Council, which developed initial recommendations to address the disproportionate impact SUD had on the workforce in Appalachia compared to the rest of the country – a gap that has only widened since the COVID-19 pandemic. According to recently released CDC data featured in ARC’s report, *Appalachian Diseases of Despair*, overdose-related mortality rates for the region’s 25–54-year-old age group—those in their prime working years—were 72 percent higher in 2021 than for the same age group in the country’s non-Appalachian areas.

To help communities address this outsized impact, the Development District Association of Appalachia produced new INSPIRE-funded resources. *The Recovery-to-Work (RTW) Ecosystem Builders Guide* is an interactive toolkit for community practitioners interested in coordinating regional stakeholders, engaging employers, and providing support to businesses and workers in SUD recovery. The toolkit provides a step-by-step guide, templates for creating, building, or expanding a SUD ecosystem, and is designed to be a living document that will constantly be added to as new resources and evidence-based practices emerge.

ARC is expecting to issue a Notice of Solicitation for Applications (NOSA) for the next round of INSPIRE grant opportunities in January 2024. Additional information and resources are available at **arc.gov/SUD**.





	



Meet a Few 2023 Awardees    
    
    Investment in Action      
      MagCor Industries: Expanding Mississippi’s Recovery Ecosystem

      Kodak Camera
																				
																	

  Investment in Action      
      New Vision Renewable Energy:  Empowering West Virginia’s At-Risk Youth





	



Investment in Action      
      Shawnee State University: Building a Behavioral Health Workforce
																				
																	

  Investment in Action      
      South Carolina Office of Rural Health: Dreaming Up New Recovery Solutions

**About the Appalachian Regional Commission**The Appalachian Regional Commissionis an economic development entity of the federal government and 13 state governments focusing on 423 counties across the Appalachian Region. ARC’s mission is to innovate, partner, and invest to build community capacity and strengthen economic growth in Appalachia to help the Region achieve socioeconomic parity with the nation. Appalachian Regional Commission

          About ARC Grants
      Grants and Opportunities
      Newsroom
      Contract Opportunities
      Contact ARC
      Careers

  Get ARC News and Updates
    
    
                
  Sign Up Here
    Web and Privacy Policy