Washington, DC, Sept. 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) 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.
“In order to have a healthy Appalachian economy, we must make sure we …