ANNAPOLIS, MD—Gov. Wes Moore has launched a $1.6 million grant program aimed at combating substance use in rural communities across Maryland. The program, called Rural Advancement for Maryland Peers (RAMP), will expand and strengthen the state’s workforce of certified peer recovery specialists.
The RAMP program is a partnership between the Maryland Department of Labor and the Maryland Department of Health. It will award grants of up to $200,000 each to organizations that provide free training, certification, and career advancement opportunities for peer recovery specialists.
“Every Marylander knows someone touched by substance use,” Moore said in a press release. “This latest chapter in our work to uplift Marylanders struggling with dependence targets new resources to rural parts of the state—the very communities that have too often gone overlooked and left behind.”
The funding, made available through Maryland’s Opioid Restitution Fund, is expected to train approximately 250 professionals, enabling them to provide critical support to an estimated 1,000 individuals in recovery.
Eligible applicants for the grant include nonprofit organizations, local governments, and higher education institutions in Maryland’s 18 rural counties. Grantees will be required to partner with community-based organizations for outreach and recruitment, as well as with employers to offer paid internships and jobs to program participants.
“Peer recovery specialists are a lifeline for individuals and families struggling with substance use,” said Maryland Department of Labor Secretary Portia Wu. “This investment will help ensure that rural Maryland communities have access to trained, certified peers who bring empathy, experience, and real-world insight to their work. Through RAMP, we’re both providing critical support for Marylanders pursuing recovery and building pathways to high-impact, gratifying careers in behavioral health.”
“Lived experience is one of the most powerful tools we have in supporting recovery, which is why peer recovery specialists are integrated at Maryland Department of Health facilities and hospitals throughout Maryland,” said Maryland Department of Health Secretary Dr. Meena Seshamani. “Through programs like RAMP, we can ensure that people in rural Maryland have access to compassionate, skilled professionals who not only know the science of recovery but also embody its possibility.”
In addition to training new peer recovery specialists, RAMP will also support the career growth and retention of current behavioral health professionals. Grant funds can be used for occupational training, supportive services such as transportation and childcare, and paid work experiences.
Proposals for the RAMP program are due Nov. 21, with grants set to begin on Feb. 1, 2026. Prospective applicants are invited to a pre-proposal conference on Sept. 10.
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