Rural alaska recovery access network (RARAN): a project to amplify recovery community organization-led services in rural areas of alaska using a hub and spoke model

The Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration awarded Recover Alaska $349,809 on September 30, 2026, under the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment Projects of Regional and National Significance program (CFDA 93.490) to establish the Rural Alaska Recovery Access Network (RARAN), a three-year peer-led recovery support initiative serving adults with substance use disorders and co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders across rural Alaska.

RARAN combines itinerant peer recovery support services on the Lower Kenai Peninsula with a virtual recovery navigation peer support call line serving rural areas statewide. The hub, located in Seward, operates the call line; peer support specialists provide in-person services across communities including Homer, Seldovia, Nanwalek, Port Graham, Ninilchik, and surrounding areas on the Kenai Peninsula. The project targets 50 individuals in year one, 75 in year two, and 100 in year three, totaling 225 served across the three-year performance period ending September 29, 2029.

The award directly addresses Alaska's substance use crisis—the state's 2023 age-adjusted drug overdose mortality rate of 49.4 per 100,000 substantially exceeds the national average of 31.3 per 100,000. All service areas are designated rural and health professional shortage areas. The Kenai Peninsula Borough, the primary service region, has a population of 60,413. The project is structured to strengthen community-based recovery infrastructure consistent with the Make America Healthy Again agenda.

Abstract

Rural alaska recovery access network (RARAN) recover alaska proposes the rural alaska recovery access network (RARAN), a three-year, peer-led project expanding peer recovery support services for adults with substance use disorders (SUD) and CO-occurring substance use and mental health disorders (COD). Using the hub-and-spoke model, RARAN combines itinerant peer recovery support on the lower kenai peninsula, through kachemak BAY recovery connection, with a virtual recovery navigation (VRN) peer support call line serving rural areas across alaska and will serve 225 individuals over three years. RARAN is consistent with the make america healthy again (MAHA) agenda by strengthening community-based recovery infrastructure that supports overall health, wellness, and resilience for individuals affected by SUD and COD. Geographic area served: RARAN will serve rural communities across alaska through a VRN peer support call line from a hub in SEWARD. The program's itinerant peer support specialist will provide services across the lower kenai peninsula, including in homer, seldovia, nanwalek, port graham, ninilchik, and surrounding communities. Alaska's 2023 age-adjusted drug overdose mortality rate (49.4 per 100,000) far exceeds the national average (31.3). Hrsa considers all service areas rural and health professional shortage areas. Service area population and number of people to be served: the kenai peninsula borough, containing both the VRN call line hub (SEWARD) and the communities to be served by the itinerant peer support specialist, has a population of 60,413. RARAN will serve 50 unduplicated individuals in year 1, 75 in year 2, and 100 in year 3 (225 total). Age range and distribution of population to be served: the population of focus is adults (ages 18+) with SUD and COD within the catchment area described above. The region has a higher representation of both older adults (ages 65+) and veterans compared to the state distribution. The region's median household income is more than $15,000 below the state median. Population clinical characteristics: the age-adjusted prevalence of both binge drinking and opioid use within the past 30 days in the region is higher than the state average, underscoring the impact of the barriers of distance and peer support workforce shortage that prevent timely access to substance use treatment in rural alaska. Strategies and interventions: RARAN combines two evidence-based practices, PRSS and screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT), and two evidence-informed practices, the recovery capital framework (measured by the BARC-10) and a hub-and-spoke service model, delivered by certified peers with lived experience and guided by samhsa's core competencies for peer workers. Project goals and objectives: RARAN pursues four goals: (1) expanding access to peer recovery support services (PRSS), (2) building recovery capital and family stability, (3) improving employment and workforce participation, and (4) strengthening rural recovery infrastructure. All measurable objectives align with samhsa's strategic priorities. As an example, in alignment with the priority to help individuals achieve long-term recovery and sobriety, RARAN has outlined the following project objective: "by the end of the 3-year project period, at least 70% of participants who complete both baseline and follow-up assessments will demonstrate an increase in recovery capital as measured by the brief assessment of recovery capital (BARC-10)."