Kittanning, PA – Leaders from Pennsylvania's Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) made stops in Armstrong County today as part of the Shapiro Administration’s broader effort to support rural communities battling substance use disorder (SUD) and the opioid epidemic.
"We know rural communities are on the front lines of Pennsylvania's opioid crisis," DDAP Secretary Dr. Latika Davis-Jones said. "They face systemic hurdles that impact access to SUD treatment and supports, from workforce shortages to hospital closures to lack of transportation infrastructure. While these challenges are complex, our mission today is simple: listen to the boots-on-the-ground teams, learn from their experiences, and work together to continue to develop ways to improve access to life-saving services."
Secretary Davis-Jones joined the Armstrong-Indiana-Clarion Drug and Alcohol Commission, the county's drug and alcohol office, as well as local officials, treatment providers, and other stakeholders at the Armstrong Center for Medicine and Health for a roundtable discussion on expanding access to care in rural areas through screenings and referrals as well as workforce initiatives, all of which are strategies to improve outcomes for people with SUD and are included in the department's forthcoming state plan.
Today’s visit marked the first of several stops planned for "DDAP on the Move: Your Voice, Your Community," the next phase of an ongoing statewide engagement tour and commitment by the Department to hear firsthand from those providing and receiving SUD prevention, treatment, and recovery support services. Community input collected during these visits will continue to play a critical role in shaping DDAP's regulatory reform efforts, easing administrative burdens, and advancing statewide initiatives to improve access to care.
Local county drug and alcohol officials with the Commission shared information about successful programs, including:
- Addiction Recovery Mobile Outreach Team (ARMOT): The team, embedded in local hospitals, conducts bedside assessments, facilitates treatment referrals, and educates people with SUD and their families about the recovery process. Over 90 percent of people in the hospital who have agreed to an SUD assessment have opted for treatment after discharge from a hospital.
- 24-hour Warmline: A crisis service that provides immediate, local support to Armstrong, Indiana, and Clarion County residents and helps to bridge the gap until professional treatment can be accessed.
- Harm Reduction: As a DDAP Overdose Prevention Partner, the Commission holds monthly naloxone drive-throughs and maintains vending machines that dispense Narcan and drug testing strips.
- Recovery Hub: As one of DDAP's regional recovery hubs, the Commission provides technical assistance and support to recovery service providers across 22 counties in western Pennsylvania, significantly enhancing local recovery capacity.
"We have made real progress with innovative efforts to expand treatment and recovery services, but there's still work to do," said Kami Anderson, Executive Director of the Armstrong-Indiana-Clarion Drug and Alcohol Commission. "Addressing workforce capacity is critical to helping us improve access to care in our rural communities."
Addressing Rural Workforce and Treatment Gaps
Pennsylvania is projected to face a shortage of more than 6,300 behavioral health professionals by 2026, with rural regions facing the brunt of this challenge. The Shapiro Administration has implemented several initiatives to address this, including:
- Establishing telehealth licenses to expand treatment accessibility statewide
- Licensing Pennsylvania's first mobile opioid treatment program to pave the way for increased access to medication-assisted treatment
- Launching a workforce development pilot program with Carlow and Waynesburg universities to accelerate the training of new substance use treatment professionals
- Providing nearly $20 million in student loan repayments to approximately 350 substance use disorder professionals statewide to support workforce retention
To build on that success, Governor Josh Shapiro's proposed 2025-26 budget includes an additional $10 million to expand loan repayment programs, reinforcing Pennsylvania's commitment to growing and sustaining a strong behavioral health workforce.
Ongoing Community Engagement and Regulatory Reform
Other stops today included a tour of ARC Manor, a local treatment provider specializing in medication-assisted treatment and residential care, and a recovery wellness activity with Recovery Capital, a recovery support center under the supervision of the Commission.
Future visits will cover Schuylkill and Northampton counties as well as Adams and York counties.
Learn more about the Shapiro Administration's efforts in combating the overdose crisis at ddap.pa.gov.
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