HUNTINGTON, W.Va. -- The Marshall University Physician Assistant (PA) Program has received a grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to expand training for graduate-level health professional students who will care for patients with substance use disorder (SUD), particularly in rural and medically underserved communities. 

The project, led by Professor Khew-Voon Chin, Ph.D., and Jessica Dearman, MS PA-C., will expand substance use disorder education across four Marshall health professions programs over the three-year grant period, which begins Sept. 30, 2026. PA faculty will provide Providers Clinical Support System (PCSS) medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) training to students in Marshall’s Physician Assistant, Doctor of Pharmacy, Professional Master of Science in Athletic Training and Clinical Psychology Doctorate programs. The initiative is expected to train 70 to 80 students annually through September 2029. 

“Physician assistants are often on the front lines of health care, particularly in rural and underserved communities where access to care can be limited,” said Ben Spurlock, M.S., PA-C, PA program director. “Preparing our students to recognize and treat substance use disorder is an important part of preparing them to meet the needs of the patients and communities they will serve. This grant gives us an opportunity to strengthen that training and equip future providers with the knowledge and skills they need to make a difference in the lives of West Virginians.”  

West Virginia continues to face significant challenges related to substance use disorder while also experiencing a shortage of health professionals, particularly in rural and medically underserved communities. According to 2024 National Vital Statistics System data, West Virginia had the highest drug overdose mortality rate in the nation. 

The grant will help prepare future health professionals to recognize, evaluate and treat patients with substance use disorder. PA students will receive additional SUD education throughout their curriculum, including clinical medicine, clinical assessment, pharmacology and psychiatry. They also will have opportunities to encounter patients with SUD during clinical rotations in a variety of specialties and receive training in the use of Narcan. 

The project builds on the PA Program’s existing commitment to rural health education. Students routinely complete clinical rotations at rural sites throughout West Virginia, eastern Kentucky and southern Ohio, including communities with significant health professional shortages and high rates of substance use disorder. 

By providing interprofessional training across multiple graduate health programs, the initiative aims to strengthen the region’s future healthcare workforce and improve access to evidence-based substance use disorder care. 

The award (1H79TI088525-01) is funded through SAMHSA’s Center for Substance Abuse Treatment Projects of Regional and National Significance. The first-year award is $299,519, with recommended federal support over the three-year project totaling $898,197, subject to the availability of funds and satisfactory progress of the project. 

For more information about the Marshall University PA program, visit jcesom.marshall.edu/physicianassistant. 

Date Posted: Friday, October 9, 2026