New England Rural Health Association Awarded $1.6 Million HRSA Northern Border RCORP Grant
Equipping 100+ Future PAs with Advanced Skills in Behavioral Health and SUD Care
West Lebanon, NH – October 15, 2025 – The New England Rural Health Association (NERHA) is proud to announce it has received a Notice of Award from the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (HRSA FORHP) for the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP), Northern Border Rural Workforce Grant. The award totals $1.6 million over four years and will support training, placement, and sustainability efforts to strengthen the behavioral health workforce across rural Vermont and New Hampshire.
NERHA will lead the development of the Vermont/New Hampshire Rural Behavioral Health Workforce Training Network (VT/NH RBHWTN), a consortium designed to expand access to care for individuals with substance use disorders (SUD). Consortium partners include:
Franklin Pierce University Physician Assistant Program
Northern New Hampshire AHEC
Southern New Hampshire AHEC
Southern Vermont AHEC
Additional support will be provided by the Vermont and New Hampshire State Offices of Rural Health and Northern Vermont AHEC.
Training
Over the four-year project period, working closely with Area Health Education Center (AHEC) partners, the program will train more than 100 Physician Assistant (PA) students in behavioral health and SUD treatment. Training will focus on competencies, including Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) prescribing, such as buprenorphine, as well as related areas like recovery coaching and therapy. Franklin Pierce University’s PA Program will lead both didactic and clinical experiential instruction.
“This initiative directly aligns with our mission to prepare Physician Assistant students to meet the complex needs of patients in rural communities,” said Jeffrey Waldron, Program Director and Assistant Professor in the Physician Assistant Studies Program at Franklin Pierce University. “By integrating advanced training in behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment into our curriculum, we are equipping future PAs with the knowledge and skills to make an immediate and lasting impact in the communities that need it most.”
Placement
Working closely with AHEC partners, the program will place graduating certified and licensed PAs in rural healthcare facilities, such as Critical Access Hospitals, Rural Health Clinics, Community Health Centers, and Community Mental Health Centers. These providers will expand rural access to evidence-based behavioral health care, with the ability to bill third-party payors for services.
“AHECs are deeply committed to strengthening the rural health workforce,” said Kristen van Bergen-Buteau, the Director of Northern NH AHEC. “This partnership ensures that Physician Assistant students not only receive the specialized training needed to address behavioral health and substance use disorders but also gain meaningful experience serving in rural communities. Together, we are creating a workforce pipeline that is both responsive to community needs and sustainable for the future.”
Sustainability
To ensure long-term impact, the consortium will develop a comprehensive Sustainability Plan beginning in year two. The plan will include a communications strategy, budget, funding strategy, and identification of ongoing resources to maintain the training and placement pipeline.
“This award represents a major step forward in building a sustainable rural behavioral health workforce,” said Andy Lowe, Executive Director of NERHA. “By equipping Physician Assistants with the skills to prescribe MAT and provide integrated behavioral health care, we will strengthen the rural health system and improve outcomes for patients across New England.”
Why It Matters
Rural communities in Vermont and New Hampshire face urgent challenges in accessing behavioral health services and treatment for substance use disorders. Workforce shortages, particularly in primary care and behavioral health, leave many patients without timely or local care. By training PA students to deliver evidence-based care—including MAT prescribing—and placing them directly into rural practices, this initiative creates a sustainable pipeline of providers equipped to meet community needs.
The program not only expands access to care but also builds resilience in the rural health workforce, ensuring that individuals and families in rural areas have the resources and support needed to recover, thrive, and stay healthy.
About New England Rural Health Association:
The New England Rural Health Association has worked to improve health and wellness in rural New England since 1997. Serving over 550 members across six states, NERHA builds partnerships and programs that expand and strengthen workforce, promote access, and foster sustainability in rural health.
For More Information:
Ann Marie Day
Chief Operating Officer, New England Rural Health Association
amday@newenglandrha.org
207-228-5966
PHOTOS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST
