ARC awards $11M to 32 projects supporting Appalachians in recovery from substance use disorder
The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) this week awarded $11 million to 32 projects through its Investments Supporting Partnerships in Recovery Ecosystems (INSPIRE) Initiative, which aims to address workforce gaps and economic challenges due to the impact of substance use disorder (SUD) in Appalachia.
ARC’s 2025 INSPIRE grantees will strengthen the SUD recovery ecosystem in 165 counties across nine Appalachian states— Georgia, Kentucky, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia —by providing community support to help individuals in SUD recovery enter or re-enter the workforce while maintaining their recovery. Twenty of the impacted counties are first-time INSPIRE award recipients.
Ohio's six awards include:
Project Title: Stronger Futures Initiative: Career Transitions for Recovery
Grantee: Community Action Committee of Pike County
Award Amount: $500,000
Announcement Date: September 2025
Project Summary: ARC Grant of $500,000 to the Community Action Committee (CAC) of Pike County in Piketon, Ohio, for the Stronger Futures Initiative: Career Transitions to Recovery. Focusing on Adams, Brown, Pike and Scioto counties, the project partners – including Community Action Organization of Scioto County and Adams-Brown Community Action Partnership - will work with CAC Pike County to coordinate and provide workforce training and recovery support services. This project will enhance their existing Transitions program to strengthen the regional recovery ecosystem through personalized case management, workforce training and recovery support services. It is anticipated that 80 workers and 50 businesses will be served, and 70 workers and 35 businesses will be improved through participation in the project.
Project Title: Expanding Behavioral, Rural, and Community Health Educational and Career Opportunities for Our Regional Recovery Ecosystem
Grantee: Shawnee State University
Award Amount: $500,000
Announcement Date: September 2025
Project Summary: ARC grant of $500,000 to Shawnee State University in Portsmouth, Ohio, for the Expanding Behavioral, Rural, and Community Health Educational and Career Opportunities for Our Regional Recovery Ecosystem project. This project will expand substance use disorder (SUD) recovery support services, as well as education and workforce development programs in the health field that will strengthen the regional SUD recovery ecosystem in eight economically distressed and at-risk counties in Appalachian Ohio and Kentucky. The programs supported with this grant will also help address the need for more educational and professional development opportunities in social work, human services, and the behavioral and community health fields to expand the workforce to meet the need for more recovery professionals in the region. It is anticipated that the project will improve 15 businesses and 124 students through workforce development programming. Appalachian Regional Commission, September 2025 Page 6 distressed and at-risk counties in Appalachian Ohio and Kentucky. The programs supported with this grant will also help address the need for more educational and professional development opportunities in social work, human services, and the behavioral and community health fields to expand the workforce to meet the need for more recovery professionals in the region. It is anticipated that the project will improve 15 businesses and 124 students through workforce development programming.
Project Title: A Good Start: Recovery to Work Job Readiness Program
Grantee: Youngstown Area Goodwill Industries, Inc.
Award Amount: $500,000
Announcement Date: September 2025
Project Summary: ARC grant of $500,000 to Youngstown Area Goodwill Industries, Inc. in Youngstown, Ohio, for A Good Start: Recovery to Work Job Readiness Program. Focusing on Columbiana, Mahoning, and Trumbull counties, this project will utilize a three-phase approach to providing general job readiness and industry- specific workforce training to individuals in recovery. Along with employer, recovery, and training provider partners, Goodwill Youngstown will work with individuals in recovery to prepare for and find meaningful employment. It is anticipated that 168 workers/trainees will be served through securing jobs or advancing to further training, and 10 businesses will be served and improved by hiring program participants.
Project Title: Peer Recovery Organization - Access to Core Community and Employment Support Services
Grantee: On Our Way Home, Inc.
Award Amount: $473,037
Announcement Date: September 2025
Project Summary: ARC grant of $473,037 to On Our Way Home, Inc. in New Richmond, Ohio, for the Peer Recovery Organization - Access to Core Community and Employment Support Services (PRO-ACCESS) project. In partnership with One Ohio Foundation and Ohio Department of Medicaid, On Our Way Home, Inc. will provide recovery support services to individuals in Brown County. The services will focus on providing safe and stable housing and support services to overcome and manage health conditions, facilitate employment skill development, and foster community and social networks. It is anticipated the project will serve 30 workers, 12 businesses, nine communities, 76 participants, and three students over three years.
Project Title: LIFT-UP: Planning for Workforce Training Program in Drone Operations for Individuals in Recovery
Grantee: Kent State University
Award Amount: $100,000
Announcement Date: September 2025
Project Summary: ARC grant of $100,00 to Kent State University (KSU) in Kent, Ohio, for the LIFT-UP: Planning for Workforce Training Program in Drone Operations for Individuals in Recovery project. This project will research and develop a workforce training program in drone operations for individuals in SUD recovery in Ashtabula and Trumbull counties by creating a framework across three key program components: nature-based experiential learning through outdoor drone training, behavioral health support with integrated counseling and peer mentoring, and entrepreneurship development that prepares participants for self-employment opportunities in the drone industry. The project will result in the production of a program design needs assessment, partnership strategy and workforce integration plan, FAA workforce training curriculum, and long-term funding plan.
Project Title: Recovery Housing as Workforce Housing: Strengthening the Recovery Ecosystem with Data Driven Solutions
Grantee: Ohio Recovery Housing, Inc.
Award Amount: $85,213
Announcement Date: September 2025
Project Summary: ARC grant of $85,213 to Ohio Recovery Housing, Inc. (ORH) in Columbus, Ohio, for the Recovery Housing as Workforce Housing: Strengthening the Recovery Ecosystem with Data Driven Solutions project. This project will focus on a comprehensive research and evaluation assessment on substance use disorder (SUD) recovery and workforce housing needs in 32 Appalachian Ohio counties. The assessment will identify gaps, cost-benefits, and broader systemic needs, culminating in a strategic Action Plan designed to support local operators, community members, and regional leaders in strengthening recovery-to-work ecosystems. As a result of the project, five plans will be developed and shared through targeted reports, planning tools, and other mediums designed to inform local planning, resource allocation, and workforce development programs that include people in SUD recovery.
“In order to have a healthy Appalachian economy, we must make sure we have a healthy Appalachian workforce,” said ARC Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin. “I am so proud of the way ARC’s INSPIRE initiative ecosystem empowers Appalachians in substance use disorder recovery to gain the training, resources and support they need to enter or re-enter the workforce while also becoming productive members of their families and communities.”
“Everyone knows someone affected by substance use. It will take all of us working together to get those in recovery back on their feet,” said ARC 2025 States’ Co-Chair, Maryland Governor Wes Moore. “Today’s announcement accelerates our work to help those in need, while also building fresh pathwas to work, wages and wealth for all. This is good news for public health, good news for economic growth, and good news for mounting prosperity across the region.”
Since April 2021, ARC’s INSPIRE Initiative has invested $65.7 million in 200 projects that have impacted 380 counties across all 13 Appalachian states. These investments have secured an additional $48.1 million in matching project funds and are projected to improve nearly 4,000 businesses and help prepare over 18,100 individuals for new job opportunities.
New Data Reveals Reduction in SUD-related Deaths in Appalachia
SUD recovery-to-work initiatives may be starting to make an impact on overdose mortality, according to a new ARC research report that examines trends in diseases of despair including overdose, suicide, and liver disease. From 2021 to 2023, the overdose mortality rate decreased 10 percent in the Appalachian Region. However, work remains to be done, as these rates—in both Appalachia and the rest of the country—remain much higher than the pre-pandemic figures of 2019.
Learn more about ARC’s INSPIRE Initiative and our new INSPIRE grantees at arc.gov/SUD.
About the Appalachian Regional Commission
The Appalachian Regional Commission is 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.