Substance use recovery requires collaborative action to help individuals become stable contributors to the workforce. See below reports and other resources for supporting your Recovery-to-Work Ecosystem.
Tools and Guides
Overdose Mapping Tool
This tool from the NROC offers users a nice, dynamic, interactive map of overdoses in the Appalachian region. Various race, education, and socioeconomic variables can be layered over overdose data. Filters can also provide a county-by-county exploration of the data. Additionally, a national map with data through 2021 can be accessed here. All data comes from publicly available sources.
February 6, 2020
The Rural Community Action Guide is a compilation of qualitative data collected from numerous community organizations, and data arranged by category. The guide aims to educate the public by providing an overview of the key challenges rural communities face when addressing the consequences of prescription opioid misuse and the use of illicit substances. It also showcases localized efforts implemented to help mitigate the impact of substance use disorder.
The guide addresses the stigma surrounding addiction, how to effectively use and interpret data, the impacts of addiction on rural communities, and best practices for treatment, prevention, and recovery. The report focuses on the involvement of faith communities and housing as crucial elements of recovery and stresses the need for centralizing the recovery ecosystem around the experiences of those engaging with it.
ARC Addressing Appalachia’s Substance Abuse Crisis
This is an information landing page hosted by ARC that features a collection of tools and resources the ARC has published to address the SUDs crisis in the region. Most (if not all) of these resources are detailed elsewhere in this document, but the page serves as a useful primer on the issue. Would be a good starting resource to share to raise awareness of the problem.
Ohio developed this Opioid Toolkit containing several resources free of charge to any company that is doing business in Ohio.
This 5-module course (13-16 min. per module) gives an overview of the legal and operational issues an employer must consider in dealing with an employee’s use of opioids and other substances. The modules include best practices around how, when and why to drug test; how to handle a situation if the employee confesses or is discovered to be using harmful substances; and much more. Although each module contains valuable information, it is not necessary that they be watched in order or in their entirety. Additional informational resources are available as well.
The Toolkit includes resources and materials to help Local Workforce Boards get started, including:
- a basic understanding of the causes and symptoms of opioid use disorder;
- a listing of local organizations to partner with and an overview of the services they provide;
- tips for creating more in-depth case management services for individuals in recovery;
- methods for tracking the progress of individuals as they secure and maintain employment;
- tools for developing recovery-friendly workplaces;
- training information and guides to build staff skills;
- new policies to consider adopting to better serve individuals with substance use disorder; and
- key action steps and example documents to kick-off local activities.
Guidance to States: Recommendations for Developing Family Drug Court Guidelines
2013 (revised 2015)
This report provides information on best practices and collaborative principles to develop and sustain Family Drug Courts (FDCs) including best practices for states looking to issue guidelines or accountability standards. FDCs address substance abuse and parenting in the child welfare system with a focus on abuse and neglect cases. These Guidelines will assist policy makers and practitioners to enhance and expand these programs across the country. This is the culmination of a 2-year project of Children and Family Futures. Initial conceptualization and significant contribution were provided by a devoted workgroup of experts from the fields of substance abuse, child welfare and courts.
Here you’ll find most frequently asked questions and find valuable resources for people suffering from substance use disorders (SUDs) from Addiction Group. Addiction Group is an informational web guide that was founded in 2019. Their website was created to help those struggling with alcohol use disorders (AUD), substance use disorders (SUD), and/or co-occurring mental health disorders find treatment for their addiction. Addiction Group is owned and funded by Treatment Pathway LLC, an informational marketing company that specializes in producing authoritative medical content based on addiction literature, accredited scientific journals, and current research in the field.
Grants, Programs, and Initiatives
Various HHS Grants
Ending homelessness requires housing combined with many other areas of support. This page outlines funding opportunities and programs offered by HHS agencies. Links included provide more information on programs including those within the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
FY 2025 Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Site-based Program (COSSAP)
Solicitation Status: Closed
Fiscal Year: 2025
Closing Date: May 11, 2026
Solicitation Type: Competitive
The Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Program (COSSAP) was developed as part of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) legislation. COSSAP’s purpose is to provide financial and technical assistance to states, units of local government, and Indian tribal governments to develop, implement, or expand comprehensive efforts to identify, respond to, treat, and support those impacted by illicit opioids, stimulants, and other drugs of abuse.
COSSAP aims to reduce the impact of these substances on individuals and communities, including a reduction in the number of overdose fatalities, as well as mitigate the impacts on crime victims by supporting comprehensive, collaborative initiatives.
Continuum of Care (CoC) Program
HUD’s Continuum of Care (CoC) Program is designed to promote communitywide commitment to the goal of ending homelessness; provide funding for efforts by nonprofit providers, and State and local governments to quickly rehouse homeless individuals and families while minimizing the trauma and dislocation caused to homeless individuals, families, and communities by homelessness; promote access to and effect utilization of mainstream programs by homeless individuals and families; and optimize self-sufficiency among individuals and families experiencing homelessness.
This link contains support and background materials for the CoC program, including a program toolkit. This toolkit provides user guides, tools, webinars, and other resources on the following topics: Introduction to the CoC Program, CoC Responsibilities and Duties, Determining and Documenting Homelessness, CoC Program Components and Eligible Costs, and Grant Administration (Includes Recordkeeping and Financial).
This page contains resources for the program as well as information about how to apply and who is served by the program. The bonds provided by the program are intended to help “at-risk” hard- to place job seekers by covering the first six months of employment at no cost to the applicant or employer.
The purpose of this FOA is to establish, by cooperative agreement, Regional Partnership Grants (RPG) projects designed to increase well-being, improve permanency, and enhance the safety of children who are in, or at risk of, an out-of-home placement as a result of a parent’s or caregiver’s opioid or other substance abuse. These RPG projects will provide activities and services through interagency collaboration and integration of programs. Successful applicants will have a collaborative infrastructure in place that is capable of building the region’s capacity to meet a broad range of needs for families involved with child welfare systems, substance use disorder treatment, courts, and other related service organizations.
Rural Health and Safety Education Competitive Grants Program (RHSE)
Applications for this program round closed June 23, 2026.
NIFA requests applications for the Rural Health and Safety Education (RHSE) Competitive Grant Program for fiscal year (FY) 2026 to address the needs of rural Americans by providing individual and family health education programs. The amount anticipated to be available for support of this program in FY 2026 is approximately $3 million. This notice identifies the objectives for RHSE projects, deadline dates, funding information, eligibility criteria for projects and applicants, and application forms and associated instructions needed to apply for a RHSE grant. Proposals will be accepted which focus on the prevention and/or reduction of opioid misuse and abuse.
Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Grants
Applications for this program closed July 16, 2026.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), accepted applications for fiscal year (FY) 2026 Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Grants (Short Title: ROTA). The purpose of this program is to develop and disseminate training and technical assistance for rural communities on addressing opioid issues affecting these communities. It is expected that grantees will facilitate the identification of model programs, develop and update materials related to the prevention, treatment and recovery activities for opioid use disorder (OUD), and ensure that high-quality training is provided.
Through this program, SAMHSA will build upon a collaboration with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The USDA provides Cooperative Extension Services programs to improve the quality of people’s lives by providing research-based knowledge to strengthen the social, economic and environmental well-being of families, communities and agriculture enterprises. Extension experts focus on issues which affect rural communities. The USDA has recently identified opioid misuse in rural America to be one of the areas of focus of these programs. SAMHSA’s ROTA grants will build upon these Cooperative Extensions through expanding their reach.
This program integrates work funded through three previous CDC funding opportunities. This three-year funding opportunity will continue work focused on: increasing comprehensiveness and timeliness of surveillance data; building state and local capacity for public health programs determined to be promising based on research evidence; making Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs) easier to use and access; and working with health systems, insurers, and communities to improve opioid prescribing. It adds new work focused on linkages to care and other areas of innovation supported by evidence-based practice. Follow the link to learn more details about the program and to stay up to date.
Applications due: October 1, 2026
This page outlines a grant opportunity from the DOJ’s Bureau of Justice Assistance for restorative initiatives around opioid and wider substance use. The program provides funding for the development, implementation, or expansion of comprehensive programs that respond to overdose deaths, opioids, stimulants, and other substances. Visit the website for a full breakdown of eligibility and requirements.
Index of available information on rural programs to address opioid crisis
This guide will help you learn about activities underway to address the opioid crisis in rural communities at the national, state, and local levels across the country. It identifies: Initiatives and funding opportunities, Rural program examples, and Tools and resources focused on prevention, harm reduction, and treatment.
Rural Communities Opioid Response Program
Applications for this program closed March 10, 2025. A similar timeline is anticipated annually according to Grants Office.
The purpose of RCORP – Overdose Response is to support improving health care in rural areas by addressing their immediate and short-term needs related to the provision of substance use disorder services. RCORP-Overdose Response aims to reduce and prevent the risk of overdoses in rural areas.
Below is a list of funding opportunities released by HHS SAMHSA on July 6, 2026. They cover a wide range of proposals around substance use, addiction, and recovery. Below are links to each and short descriptions. Click here for the original press release.
Reports, Presentations, and Other Literature
Discovering Workforce Strategies for the Recovery Community of Appalachia
- Gain greater understanding of the return-on-investment for recovery housing
- Connect employers and educational opportunities to existing recovery housing
- Deliver entrepreneurship supports in recovery housing environments
- Increase or redirect investment in recovery housing and recovery housing infrastructure
- Help Oxford House, NARR, and state NARR affiliates connect with state leadership and policy makers
DDAA Recovery-to-Work Cohort Learning Academy Reports
This page provides an overview of DDAA’s work and includes three reports. Through the Recovery-to-Work Cohort Learning Academy, DDAA has refined the concept of a “recovery-to-work ecosystem” by assisting four regions in ecosystem development. The lessons from the Learning Academy helped produce the “Recovery-to-Work Ecosystem Framework”: a series of goals, challenges, solutions, and action items that regions can undertake to support recovery-to-work ecosystems. This Framework provides a “menu” of possible activities that a region might prioritize in building their ecosystem. It includes examples of different activities from several regions, lessons from the process, and deep dives into issues including housing and transportation. You can find this Framework within the first report on the page.
The Cohort Learning Academy process itself provided a glimpse into the on-the-ground process of building a recovery-to-work ecosystem, resulting in two supplemental reports. The “Recovery-to-Work Cohort Learning Academy Final Report” discusses the Learning Academy process including how the Learning Academy was developed and descriptions of the activities and facilitation provided during the Learning Academy. “The Four Regions of Cohort I” looks at each regions history with substance use disorder, the composition of their team, their action planning processes, and how they worked to implement the plans developed during the Learning Academy
The Relationship Between Addiction and Job Problems
On this page, the Addiction Center outlines important data points around substance misuse the workplace and how it impacts over 8% of the population. Additionally, the page includes details on how to spot those who may be struggling within the workplace, and the potential impacts SUD can have on the workplace environment.
Report of Recommendations: ARC’s Substance Abuse Advisory Council
August 30, 2019
This report includes 14 recommendations developed by ARC’s Substance Abuse Advisory Council to support a robust recovery ecosystem in Appalachia. Additionally, the report lays out the ARC’s definition of a Recovery to Work Ecosystem.
This is a good grounding resource for new entrants to the project and should likely be front and center in any deliverables submitted to ARC.
Opioids in Appalachia: the role of counties in reversing a regional epidemic
May 2019
This report from the National Association of Counties (NACo) details a list of recommendations for local action that counties in the region may undertake to address the SUDs crisis.
Recommendations:
-
-
- Exercise strategic local leadership
- Create and strengthen preventive and educational initiatives
- Expand access to addiction treatments
- Implement a criminal justice response to illegal opioid sales and provide treatment and services to justice-involved individuals with opioid use disorders
- Mitigate local economic impacts and consider new economic development
-
How Data Can Help in the Fight Against the Opioid Epidemic in the United States
November 18, 2019
This report examines four key areas where data has the greatest potential to help: ensuring health care providers properly prescribe opioids; identifying risk factors for prescription opioid abuse; scrutinizing the prescription opioid supply chain; and improving intervention effectiveness. Fortunately, government agencies, public health officials, and other stakeholders have made headway in using data in all four areas. However, significant obstacles remain, and many opportunities are still out of reach.
The scope of this paper is limited to opportunities to better leverage data to help address problems primarily related to the abuse of prescription opioids, rather than the abuse of illicitly manufactured opioids such as heroin and fentanyl. While these issues may overlap, such as when a person develops an opioid use disorder from prescribed opioids and then seeks heroin when they are unable to obtain more from their doctor, the opportunities to address the abuse of prescription opioids are more clear-cut.
Emerging Trends in the Evolving Opioid Overdose Epidemic
April 9, 2019
This short document explores some of the recent historical trends in the overdose epidemic. Notably, in the past five years, overdoses due to heroine and prescribed opioids have equalized and leveled off, while overdoses due to other synthetic opioids such as fentanyl have skyrocketed. Poly drug overdoses, meaning fentanyl mixed with another drug such as meth or heroine, appear to be a large contributing factor to this rising statistic.
Rural Communities in Crisis: Strategies to Address the Opioid Crisis
April 2016
The growth in opioid use and the related health care and social problems call for a comprehensive community-based public health approach (Office of the President 2011; Kolodny, et al. 2015; Crawford 2014). This policy paper outlines strategies to help curb the current opioid crisis in rural America.
Communicating about Opioids in Appalachia: challenges, opportunities, and best practices
This report summarizes findings from interviews and focus groups conducted by the CDC, ARC, NCIPC, and ORAU of subject matter experts, community activist members, and those in recovery from opioid addiction. The goal as the understand how the opioid crisis impacts communities and to identify messaging strategies. Findings include similarities and differences between the two groups across issues of health, crime, the local economy, and families.
Opioid Use Disorder: Challenges and Opportunities in Rural Communities
February 2019
This fact sheet describes some of the challenges rural communities face in providing access to evidence-based treatment and strategies used by federal and state agencies to enhance treatment capacity, including how one rural community responded to the opioid epidemic by addressing the specific needs of its residents. The policies and programs described are not an exhaustive list but are intended to be illustrative.
This website provides a list of resources to support the work by the substance use and addictions workforce with those affected by opioid use.
Employment in Recovery: Job Resources for Recovering Addicts in Sober Living
August 16, 2018
This page works through some of the common problems people experience when seeking employment during recovery and provides resources for employment help for recovering addicts. Additionally, the site features a selection of good jobs for recovering addicts: a substance abuse counselor or therapist, an addiction treatment admissions specialist or support person, a detox nurse or medical support person, and a sober coach or recovery specialist.
This short brief from 2019 describes how the 2018 SUPPORT Act enabled HUD to help those struggling with SUDs obtain proper housing to help them in recovery. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities goes on to explain the unique obstacles people face and how new avenues of funding can help provide supportive and recovery housing options, along with tenant-based rental assistance. You can learn more about the SUPPORT Act’s history and its recent 2025 reauthorization here.
June 24, 2019
A study conducted for HUD found that people without stable housing are less able to engage in medication-assisted treatment (MAT). Further, although MAT has been well documented as an evidence-based practice (EBP) to treat opioid use disorder (OUD), individuals without housing who are receiving MAT still experience barriers to supportive housing because of misconceptions about medications used for MAT.
Despite the strong relationship between OUD and housing instability, the researchers found few programs that specifically targeted individuals with OUD who also had housing instability. The most relevant models they identified include: the Housing First Model, other permanent supportive housing that follow housing first approaches, and recovery housing.
Final Report Appalachian Regional Commission Recovery-to-Work Listening Sessions
July 2019
This report summarizes the outcomes of six Recovery-to-Work Listening Sessions hosted by the Appalachian Regional Commission December 2018–April 2019. In each of the six sessions ARC leadership discussed substance abuse related workforce issues with representatives from local and state government, treatment and recovery service providers, workforce development entities, employers, law enforcement, and individuals currently in recovery.
April 22, 2019
This research investigates the effects of state-level Naloxone access laws on opioid overdose death rates. Models reveal that no matter how the access law is measured, the only consistent result is positive indirect effects on overdose death rates. These results indicate that Naloxone access provisions have regional impacts via spillover effects in neighboring states. Looking across multiple provisions, findings show that, except for third party authorization, there are significant positive effects on overdose death rates. When access laws are evaluated in isolation of any other state level policy response to opioids, increasing access to Naloxone does not reduce overdose death rates, but leads to an overall increase. Thus, the moral hazard problem stemming from this public health policy may be an accurate assessment of the outcome.
Family Treatment Court Program
This program overview outlines the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention’s (OJJDP) Family Treatment Court Program, which works to assist an entire family’s needs through treatment, recovery and other services. The page includes relevant publications, webinars, and information for state-supported initiatives and training opportunities.
Tracking Federal Funding to Combat the Opioid Crisis
March 2019
Media
Last Updated May 13, 2025
The DEA has announced a proposed rule that will ensure healthcare providers can use telehealth to diagnose and treat patients suffering from substance use disorders. You can find the final version of the rule here.
U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., was out front on the issue, helping draft and pass the Senate’s comprehensive substance abuse treatment bill, which included a provision directing the Department of Justice, in consultation with the Department of Health and Human Services, to create a process for exempting certain health care providers for the purpose of providing telehealth services for substance use disorder.
Bryan Helps Job-seekers Break Down Barriers
March 3, 2020
A story about Christy Bryan, a western Pennsylvania native, and her journey through recovery. Her story illustrates the struggles many people experience and provides a unique lens on how she helps others navigate recovery.
Ride-to-recovery pilot in Huntington, West Virginia
August 1, 2019
This is a press release about how ARC support will be used in Huntington, WV to provide ridesharing to address transportation gaps for those in recovery. The article also features a small story on an ARC ATP summer fellow from 2019.
Appalachia creating hope at third annual Substance Use Disorder Education event
Mar 02, 2020
This article speaks about the third annual Health Provider Substance Use Disorder Education hosted by Shaping Our Appalachian Region (SOAR), Operation UNITE and the University of Pikeville. With discussions from researchers, healthcare workers, and state leaders, as well as educational resources and NARCAN training, the event served as a way to show the options and obstacles present across the region when dealing with addiction recovery.
The Opioid Epidemic Might Be Much Worse Than We Thought
February 27, 2020
This article discusses a report by Elaine Hill and Andrew Boslett, economists at the University of Rochester, which stemmed from their study on how deaths from overdoses of opioids, such as heroin or OxyContin, were influenced by the decline of coal mining and the rise of shale gas fracking. The researchers noticed that in a significant amount (about 20%) of drug overdose deaths, the type of drug was not specified. So, they set out to try to determine the real causes behind those unspecified drug overdoses.
Relevant Organizations, Offices, and Agencies
Jobs & Hope West Virginia is the state’s comprehensive response to the substance use disorder crisis. Established by Governor Jim Justice and the West Virginia Legislature, this program offers support through a statewide collaboration of agencies that provide West Virginians in recovery the opportunity to obtain career training and to ultimately secure meaningful employment.
Treatment Communities of America
The Big Cities Health Coalition (BCHC) is a forum for the leaders of America’s largest metropolitan health departments to exchange strategies and jointly address issues to promote and protect the health and safety of the 62 million people they serve. Together, these public health officials directly affect the health and well-being of nearly one in five Americans.
Office of National Drug Control Policy
ONDCP is the main executive office that handles federal activities around the president’s drug policy. The webpage has a brief history of the Office’s creation, authorizing legislation and executive orders, and current grants, programs, and research the office and administration are supporting.
Core Team Call Recordings
February 20, 2020 – Recovery to Work Cohort Learning Academy Kickoff
Recovery to Work Cohort Learning Academy Kickoff
April 14, 2020 – Jeff Schwartz, Appalachian Regional Commission
April 21, 2020 – Betty-Ann Bryce, US Department of Agriculture
April 30, 2020 – Heather Schimke and John Tucker, Solid Comfort
May 5, 2020 – Tara Kunkel, Rulo Strategies
May 18, 2020 – Jesse Battle, TROSA and Kayla Parsons, Addiction Recovery Care