The Rural Communities Opioid Response Program – Northern Border Workforce aims to bolster the behavioral health workforce in rural areas of Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont. With an application deadline of April 11, 2025, this initiative, led by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, allocates up to $3.2 million to fund projects that foster the training and placement of behavioral health professionals. Eligible applicants include public and private organizations, provided they collaborate in networks of at least four entities, with half located in the target service area. The program emphasizes a network-based approach to develop innovative training, ensuring that participants secure well-compensated employment in their communities post-training. The funding supports a four-year performance period, including an initial year for planning and networking, followed by three years dedicated to training implementation. The focus is on creating sustainable, long-term solutions to counteract the critical shortage of mental health professionals in the targeted rural settings, responding effectively to the ongoing opioid crisis. Applications will be assessed based on their approach, organizational capacity, work planning, and effectiveness in achieving the program's goals of training, placement, and sustainability.