Rural Advancement for Maryland Peers - Workforce Development and Adult Learning

The Rural Advancement for Maryland Peers (RAMP) program is helping more Marylanders in rural communities access support to address their substance use by alleviating the shortage of Certified Peer Recovery Specialists (CPRS) in our state. A CPRS leverages a combination of personal experience of recovery from substance use or mental health challenges and formalized training to support others with their recovery journey. Through RAMP, grant funds will be competitively awarded to organizations that commit to:

• Provide free training and certification to prospective peer recovery specialists to become certified in the state of Maryland.
• Increase growth, advancement, and retention opportunities for current certified peer recovery specialists through professional development opportunities that prepare them for higher-level behavioral health roles.

The Maryland Department of Labor administers the RAMP program through a $2 million award from the Maryland Office of Overdose Response’s  Opioid Restitution Fund.

Eligible applicants must be able to demonstrate their ability to serve residents in rural areas, defined in Maryland law as: Allegany, Calvert, Carolin​​e, Carroll, Cecil, Charles, Dorchester, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Kent, Queen Anne’s, Somerset, St. Mary’s, Talbot, Washington, Wicomico, and Worcester counties Organizations may each apply for up to $200,000 in grant funds to conduct RAMP activities between February 1, 2026 to May 31, 2028.

To attend the virtual pre-proposal conference scheduled for Wednesday, September 10, at 1:00 p.m., please RSVP to Anna Whitney, anna.whitney@maryland.gov.

Interested in Becoming a Peer Recovery Specialist?

If you’re an individual with lived experience in recovery from substance use and/or mental health challenges and are interested in supporting others on their recovery journey, you may consider becoming a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS) in Maryland. Although the RAMP grant does not provide funding directly to individuals, you may qualify for financial assistance to cover your application or retest fees. To learn more please visit: https://www.mabpcb.com/2025-cprs-rps-retest-application-funding

To learn more about the process for becoming a peer specialist, please visit the Maryland Addiction and Behavioral-health Professionals Certification Board (MABPCB): https://www.mabpcb.com/.

Application Documents

Rural Advancement for Maryland Peers (RAMP) Policy (PDF)

Rural Advancement for Maryland Peers (RAMP) Narrative Application (Word)

Rural Advancement for Maryland Peers (RAMP) Budget Application (XLSX)

Maryland Overdose Data Dashboard

Maryland Addiction and Behavioral Health Professionals Certification Board

Maryland State Office of Rural Health

For additional information, contact:
Anna Whitney
Program Manager, Office of Strategic Initiatives
Division of Workforce Development and Adult Learning
Maryland Department of Labor