WASHINGTON D.C. — Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development Anne Hazlett recently announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is giving funding priority in two key grant programs to address opioid misuse in rural communities.

“The opioid epidemic is dramatically impacting prosperity in many small towns and rural places across the country,” Hazlett said. “With this focused investment, we are targeting our resources to be a strong partner to rural communities in building an effective local response to this significant challenge.”

USDA is reserving $5 million in the Community Facilities Grant Program and is giving priority to Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant Program applications proposing innovative projects to address the opioid epidemic in rural communities.

“This is an unprecedented concentration of resources to benefit rural communities,” said USDA Rural Director for Michigan Jason Allen.  “With the deadline only two months away, I urge eligible organizations reach out to USDA and submit their applications.”

In the Community Facilities grant program, rural communities, non-profit organizations and federally recognized tribes can apply through the usual Community Facilities grant application process for grants up to $150,000 for innovative projects such as mobile treatment clinics. Community Facilities grants may fund up to 75 percent of an eligible project.

Distance Learning and Telemedicine grant program applicants will receive priority for telemedicine projects with the primary purpose of providing opioid prevention, treatment or recovery services. Eligible proposals can receive 10 priority points on their applications.

Funding for both programs was made available through the FY 2018 Omnibus spending bill.

Applications for Community Facilities grants funded with this National Office reserve should be submitted on or before June 4, 2018. Applications submitted after this date will be considered for regular, state-allocated funding.  To learn more, visit USDA Rural Development in Michigan on the web at rd.usda.gov/mi or contact one of the area offices at the following locations:

• Gladstone at (906) 428-1060 ext. 4

• Traverse City at (231) 941-0951 ext. 4,

• Grand Rapids at (616) 942-4111 ext. 6,

• Caro at (989) 673-8173 ext. 4,

• Mason at (517) 676-4644 ext. 4.

The application deadline for Distance Learning and Telemedicine grants is June 4, 2018. Applications can be submitted electronically at Grants.gov or in hardcopy to: USDA Rural Development Telecommunications Programs, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Room 2844, STOP 1597, Washington, DC 20250-1597.

The National Center for Health Statistics estimates that nearly 64,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2016. More than half of those deaths involved opioids, including prescription drugs and heroin.

USDA is an important partner to rural communities addressing this national emergency., according to USDA officials. The Department is investing in treatment facilities and services, e-Connectivity and telemedicine, and public education efforts. In addition to program investment, USDA is helping communities share information about best practices to address the crisis. Visit USDA’s Rural Opioid Misuse webpage for more information.

In April 2017, President Donald J. Trump established the Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity to identify legislative, regulatory and policy changes that could promote agriculture and prosperity in rural communities. In January 2018, Secretary Perdue presented the Task Force’s findings to President Trump. In the area of quality of life, the Task Force included a recommendation to modernize health care access through innovative approaches like telemedicine, according to USDA officials.

USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community services such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural areas. For more information, visit rd.usda.gov.