Rural health network development planning grant program

Appalachian Center for Hope Inc. received a $200,000 Rural Health Network Development Planning Grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) under the Rural Healthcare Services Programs (CFDA 93.912), effective July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. This planning grant supports the development of an integrated rural health care network across the Mount Rogers Health District in southwestern Virginia, encompassing Bland, Carroll, Grayson, Smyth, and Wythe counties, and the City of Galax. The awardee will deliver network planning and development services with three primary objectives: cultivating interagency collaboration among regional stakeholders to build network capacity; completing a comprehensive analysis of substance use disorder (SUD) prevention, treatment, and recovery needs and opportunities; and developing a sustainability plan for integrating residential and outpatient SUD services across the region.

The grant deliverables focus on establishing the foundational infrastructure and strategic direction for expanding access to SUD treatment and recovery services in a designated Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA). Through structured planning activities, Appalachian Center for Hope will facilitate coordination among key community partners and healthcare providers to identify service gaps and develop actionable implementation strategies. The Rural Health Network Development Planning Program specifically targets entities without established formal collaborative histories, using network development as a mechanism to strengthen collective capacity and improve healthcare delivery in underserved rural communities.