HRSA Awards Funding For Rural Health Priorities, Opioid Treatment

Inside Health Policy

September 30, 2024 11:02 am

The Health Resources and Services (HRSA) is awarding nearly $75 million in funding for health care services in rural areas, including for opioid treatment and recovery programs, maternal health initiatives and rural hospitals, HHS announced Tuesday (Sept. 24).

A statement on the awards says they support key factors driving rural health disparities. A full list can be found on HRSA’s website.

For substance use disorder in rural communities, HRSA is awarding nearly $54 million to 18 organizations for uses including creating access points for treatment, supporting the behavioral health workforce and collaborating with social services.

About $9 million is being awarded to five organizations in southern states to expand access to health care services before, during and after pregnancy.

HRSA is also providing about $12 million In funding for technical assistance to rural hospitals to help them add services and improve financial sustainability of facilities that often struggle to remain solvent.

“The Biden-Harris Administration believes health care should be available to everyone regardless of where they live. That’s why we are investing heavily in rural communities, which have historically lacked resources and access to health services” HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said.

Rep. Carol Miller (R-WV) and several other sponsors recently introduced legislation to permanently authorize the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program, a HRSA program that provides grants for substance abuse disorder treatment facilities in rural areas and is currently not codified in law.

“The Rural Communities Opioid Response Program provides funding to rural communities that are in need of recovery facilities, and the program should be authorized to provide certainty for communities and providers,” Miller said in a statement. “I thank my colleagues for partnering with me on this bipartisan issue to establish addiction prevention services in the most rural areas of the United States.”