A diverse group of people sitting around a conference table having a discussion in a meeting room.

Reaching Rural

From 2022 to 2025, the Reaching Rural initiative brought together rural practitioners from across the country, representing a range of disciplines and communities, to strengthen their leadership capacity and advance practical, community-driven responses to the complex and persistent challenges of substance use. Reaching Rural was led by the Institute for Intergovernmental Research, supported by Rulo Strategies, and jointly sponsored by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the State Justice Institute.

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It might be naïve, but I believe this program put me on a different path than I was on regarding how to work within my community, ideas, and programs that are already out there, that need to be out there, etc. It helped change my thinking and opened my eyes to ways to help my community that I never considered. Thank you so much for your hard work in this program. I know it took a village to handle all this, and I have nothing but praise for you all!

Reaching Rural Fellow

Reaching Rural fellows were selected through a competitive application process to participate in the initiative through one of two tracks: either as part of a cross-sector team from their community or as individuals. Throughout the year-long program, fellows learned directly from rural practitioners and each other, received coaching, and participated in skill-building workshops and peer-to-peer learning experiences. Upon completion of the planning initiative, communities were eligible to apply for funding to implement a project planned during their fellowship.

Group of diverse people posing outdoors on a cloudy day, standing in front of leafless trees and a building, with some smiling, waving, or making peace signs.

2022-2023 Reaching Rural Fellows

Large group of diverse people standing outdoors on grass, posing for a group photo with joyful expressions and various gestures like waving and peace signs.

2023-2024 Reaching Rural Fellows

2025 Reaching Rural Fellows

Reaching Rural Successes

Celebrating Success.

  • A woman with brown hair and glasses speaking at a podium during a presentation, with a slide behind her reading 'Research Review' and 'Community Café'.

    Camden Life Center

    The Camden Life Center project sought to enhance support services for justice-involved individuals in Western Oneida County’s five town courts through intensive case management and program coordination, as part of an alternative-to-incarceration initiative developed under the Reaching Rural Initiative. The Camden Life Center has made significant strides in 2024, including securing a grant from the Cabrini Health Foundation to launch its Community Café initiative and staffing key leadership roles. The organization also opened New York State’s first Recovery Café Network site. Camden Life Center has also been selected as a rural site for an NIH mental health project with Syracuse University.

    - Jessica Perusse, Reaching Rural Individual Fellow

  • Five people seated at a long table during a panel discussion or meeting, with one man speaking into a microphone.

    Stevens County, WA

    The Stevens County project sought to establish the county’s first Certified Recovery Home for justice-involved men with substance use disorders by hiring a Project Manager to lead accreditation, policy development, and long-term planning for sustainable recovery housing. They recently opened a 70-unit low-income housing complex in partnership with Catholic Charities. In addition, the community identified a need for a reentry coordinator in the jail. The reentry coordinator is connecting to community resources and overseeing a new data collection system to better understand the needs of individuals reentering the community.

    - Stevens County, WA Reaching Rural Team