New national ‘Reaching Rural’ initiative launched

The Rural Justice Collaborative has a new training and coaching opportunity for rural communities and stakeholders. 

The “Reaching Rural: Advancing Collaborative Solutions” initiative is a one-year program grounded in the value of “for rural, by rural” and features learning from rural practitioners and facilitating engagement across rural communities. Its goal is to strengthen cross-sector partnerships to respond to the impact of substance use in rural communities.

Judge Michelle M. Rick of the Michigan Court of Appeals, a member of the Rural Justice Collaborative, said the Reaching Rural initiative is available to rural agency leaders or mid-level professionals working in counties, cities or tribes as justice, public safety, public health or behavioral health practitioners.

The program, cosponsored by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Association of Counties and the State Justice Institute, is looking for individual practitioners or cross-sector teams from the same community or region who are interested in adopting bold solutions and reimagining how diverse organizations and agencies with different missions can engage with one another to address the persistent challenge of substance use and misuse in rural communities, according to a press release.

Participation is limited to up to 20 individual practitioners and up to 10 cross-sector teams. Those chosen to participate will receive coaching and participate in skill-building workshops as well as virtual and in-person learning experiences over the course of the year.

Participation in the program includes:

• Travel and per diem costs to participate in an orientation, a field visit to observe the implementation of evidence-informed practices in a rural setting, and a closing session at the end of the 12 months. This is not a grant opportunity.
• Monthly mentorship and guidance aimed toward your local needs.
• Monthly assignments that help you apply core concepts to your local community or region.
• Access to a diverse network of rural peers, innovative rural communities, and technical assistance providers.
• Formal recognition for completing the planning initiative.

An informational webinar on the Reaching Rural initiative will be held Aug. 31 at 2 p.m. Those interested can register at http://s.iir.com/Reaching_Rural or email questions to [email protected].

The deadline to apply for the program is Sept. 30 at 5 p.m.