Increasing Access to Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) in Rural Primary Care Practices (R18) | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the name of this grant opportunity?

The grant opportunity is titled "Increasing Access to Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) in Rural Primary Care Practices (R18)."

What is the funding opportunity number (FON)?

The funding opportunity number is RFA HS 16 001.

Which federal agency administers this program?

This is a discretionary federal grant program administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).

When was the opportunity created and posted?

The opportunity was created and posted on December 3, 2015.

What was the application closing date?

The application closing date was March 4, 2016.

What CFDA number is associated with this funding activity?

The opportunity is associated with CFDA 93.226.

What funding mechanism does this program use?

The program uses the R18 demonstration research project mechanism, which generally focuses on practical, real-world testing of interventions in clinical settings (rather than purely theoretical or laboratory research).

What is the main purpose of this grant?

The central purpose is to fund demonstration research projects that implement Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder within rural primary care practices across the United States.

How does this opportunity define Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)?

MAT is described as an evidence-based treatment that combines FDA-approved medications for opioid use disorder with counseling and behavioral supports, delivered using a coordinated care approach.

Why does the program focus on rural primary care practices?

The focus is on rural primary care because specialty addiction services are often scarce in rural communities, and primary care clinics may be the main (or only) consistent point of contact for patients who need opioid use disorder treatment.

Is this grant only about expanding access to treatment?

No. In addition to increasing access, the program prioritizes learning what it takes to make MAT work in rural primary care environments and turning those lessons into tools and resources that others can reuse.

What types of projects are expected to be funded?

The initiative is intended to support demonstration research projects that implement MAT in rural primary care and test strategies to address real-world barriers to implementation, while producing practical outputs such as training and implementation resources.

What kinds of barriers to MAT implementation does the opportunity expect applicants to address?

The opportunity highlights common barriers such as limited clinician training and experience, staffing constraints, workflow disruptions, limited access to counseling or behavioral health partners, stigma, regulatory and administrative burdens, challenges with medication logistics, and patient-level barriers like transportation and continuity of care.

What are the expected deliverables or outputs from funded projects?

A key expected output is the creation of training and implementation resources that can support replication by other rural practices. The intent is for results and tools to be useful beyond the funded sites.

How many awards were anticipated?

The agency anticipated making four awards.

What is the maximum award amount per project?

The award ceiling is $1,000,000 per project.

What does the funding structure suggest about the scope of projects?

With an award ceiling of $1,000,000 and an anticipated four awards, the structure suggests support for a small number of relatively well-resourced demonstration projects capable of generating actionable evidence and practical implementation products.

What kinds of outcomes might strong projects be expected to measure?

Because the emphasis is on demonstration research, strong projects would generally be expected to measure both clinical and implementation outcomes. Examples mentioned include treatment uptake, retention in care, patient safety, provider readiness, workflow feasibility, and the effectiveness of strategies used to overcome barriers, along with documentation of how and why the approach worked in a rural primary care context.

Who is eligible to apply for this grant?

Eligibility is broad and includes county governments; city or township governments; special district governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; and other Native American tribal organizations beyond federally recognized governments.

Does the eligibility list allow for additional types of applicants?

Yes. The listing notes that additional entities may be eligible depending on further clarification in the opportunity's eligibility details, indicating openness to a range of organizations positioned to run or partner with rural primary care practices.

Is the grant limited to a single type of organization, like universities or governments?

No. The eligibility list spans multiple public-sector entities and both public and private institutions of higher education, as well as tribal governments and tribal organizations.

What is the overarching goal of the program beyond the funded sites?

The program is positioned as a targeted effort to move MAT from specialized programs into routine rural primary care, while producing tested implementation strategies and training resources that could accelerate adoption in other rural communities.

Is the program national in scope?

Yes. The initiative is aimed at rural primary care practices across the United States.

What makes this opportunity "demonstration research" instead of basic research?

The R18 mechanism and the description emphasize practical, real-world implementation and testing in clinical settings, including documenting what works, what barriers arise, and what strategies help integrate MAT into everyday rural primary care workflows.

What is the expected relationship between service delivery and research in this grant?

The opportunity combines service expansion (implementing MAT to increase access) with structured learning (evaluating implementation and outcomes) and dissemination (creating reusable training and implementation resources).