News & Updates — FORE Announcements

FORE today announced four new awards, totaling $2.1 million, to organizations that are addressing systemic barriers to effective treatment and recovery — including workforce shortages and a dearth of programs tailored to the distinct needs of people at highest risk of overdose. The grants support efforts to expand and sustain peer support networks and culturally grounded treatment models. They also advance novel approaches to workforce development and training.

“FORE launched its Innovation Challenge program in 2022 to support new solutions to some of the most difficult issues related to the opioid and overdose crisis,” said Karen A. Scott, MD, MPH, President of FORE. “By investing in innovative programs that expand peer support, integrate culturally responsive care, and build a more sustainable behavioral health workforce, we are helping to create lasting solutions that improve lives and strengthen communities.”

• HELP USA, Inc., a national homeless services provider, is developing a counselor and peer support program that serves unhoused individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) living in HELP-operated transitional housing. The initiative will train staff as counselors and residents as peers in New York City’s Wards Island shelters to facilitate access to treatment, harm reduction, and recovery supports. Credentialed staff will run support groups, while shelter residents trained as recovery peers will provide one-on-one support. The peer mentors will receive stipends for their contributions, helping to create a sustainable support system driven by people with lived experience.
• The Bowen Center for Health Workforce Research at Indiana University School of Medicine is developing a national framework for training, credentialing, and sustaining the behavioral health and substance use paraprofessional workforce. Through a 50-state survey, key informant interviews, and labor market analysis, the initiative will provide actionable recommendations for standardizing education, regulations, and reimbursement models across states.
• The Center for Indigenous Health at Johns Hopkins University will work with the Lakota Equine-Assisted Therapy program to tailor its program to the needs of Indigenous adolescents and young adults at risk for or in recovery from OUD. Up to 30 youth from the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe in South Dakota will participate in weeklong camps that integrate equine therapy with traditional healing practices, such as drumming and storytelling. Johns Hopkins will evaluate the model’s impact on mental health, resilience, and cultural engagement and explore ways of scaling the program.
• The Agency for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP) will expand its Faith-Based Support Specialist (FBSS) training in partnership with state health departments and faith-based organizations. The two-day training program equips faith leaders with the knowledge and tools to better support individuals with substance use disorders and connect them to local resources. ASAP will continue offering the training in Alabama while initiating expansion into new states.

“These grants reflect FORE’s commitment to supporting innovative, evidence-based solutions that address opioid-related harms and improve outcomes for all individuals, families, and communities,” said Ken Shatzkes, PhD, Program Director at FORE. “By funding these innovative programs, we are helping to build a stronger, more sustainable response to the opioid and overdose crisis.”