Sponsors (9)
The bill provides predictable federal funding and technical support to expand and sustain rural substance use disorder services, but increases federal spending, restricts capital investments, and may favor better-resourced applicants over smaller rural providers.
Rural communities (including Medicaid beneficiaries) receive predictable federal funding to expand substance use prevention, treatment, and recovery services through an authorized $165 million per year for FY2026–2030.
Rural residents gain expanded access to prevention, treatment, and recovery services for opioid and other substance use disorders via grant-funded programs.
Tribal nations and state rural health offices can obtain multi-year (up to five-year) grants, enabling sustained program planning and more stable service delivery.
Taxpayers face increased federal spending (about $165 million annually through 2030), which could be criticized if program outcomes are uncertain.
Grantees cannot use funds for real property acquisition or major facility improvements, limiting ability to build or substantially upgrade clinics and other physical infrastructure in rural areas.
Smaller or less-resourced rural organizations may struggle to compete for grants because they lack capacity to prepare detailed applications and local engagement plans, which could concentrate benefits with better-resourced providers.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Creates a HRSA Rural Communities Opioid Response Program to award grants for prevention, treatment, recovery, technical assistance, and evaluation in rural areas, authorizing $165M/year for FY2026–2030.
Official title: To amend the Public Health Service Act to maintain the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program, and for other purposes.
Introduced December 3, 2025 by Carol Devine Miller · Last progress December 3, 2025
Creates a new Rural Communities Opioid Response Program at HRSA to expand prevention, treatment, and recovery services for substance use disorders (including opioid use disorder) in rural areas. The program authorizes HRSA to award grants or cooperative agreements to states, tribes, rural health offices, and other eligible domestic entities for planning, implementation of evidence-based models, technical assistance, evaluation, and related activities. Grants may run up to five years and can be fully funded at award; applications must show rural population involvement. The bill authorizes $165 million per year for fiscal years 2026 through 2030 for program activities, excluding funding for acquisition or improvement of real property.