In recognition of National Recovery Month, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for Investments Supporting Partnerships In Recovery Ecosystems (INSPIRE), a $10 million initiative to address the Region’s substance abuse crisis by creating or expanding a recovery ecosystem leading to workforce entry or re-entry. Awards made via the INSPIRE Initiative will support the post-treatment to employment continuum, which could include investments in healthcare networks that support substance abuse recovery professionals, recovery-focused job training programs, as well as initiatives designed to coordinate, or link, recovery services and training that support the recovery ecosystem, among others.
INSPIRE draws on the work and recommendations developed by ARC’s Substance Abuse Advisory Council (SAAC) to address the disproportionate impact substance abuse continues to have on the Region’s workforce in comparison to the rest of the country. More information about the SAAC and their findings is available at www.arc.gov/SUD.
“Confronting the substance abuse crisis in the Appalachian Region has been a priority of President Trump and his administration, and I was encouraged when he signed into law legislation providing for these critical investments in the Region,” said ARC Federal Co-Chairman Tim Thomas. “The INSPIRE Initiative seeks to elevate the best ideas in the region to address the most critical needs communities face in creating recovery ecosystems, ideas that build a bridge to employment and encourage successful long-term recovery outcomes.”
The application process for INSPIRE begins with a Letter of Intent, which is due October 16. Read more at www.arc.gov/SUD.