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Rural Health Information Hub
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
News by Topic: Substance use and misuse

Jul 5, 2024 - Describes process by which Randolph County, Illinois used grant funding to transform part of an underused county-owned nursing home into a behavioral health center. The county held stakeholder meetings to address initial opposition among community members and created a consensus around development of a center.
Source: National Association of Counties
Jul 3, 2024 - The Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Prevention of Underage Drinking (ICCPUD) seeking comments on the Alcohol Intake and Health Methodology, which will be used to perform a series of studies assessing the relationship between alcohol intake and related health conditions. The methodology is available on the ICCPUD Study on Alcohol Intake and Health website. Comments are due by August 2, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
Jul 3, 2024 - Highlights a program providing recovery housing for people with opioid use disorder (OUD) in rural North Carolina. Details the program's structure, background, and funding. Discusses models referenced in the program's design.
Source: The Daily Yonder
Jun 29, 2024 - Describes Snohomish County, Washington's "community conversations" program, providing information about opioid use misconceptions and stigma. The events are part of Snohomish County's efforts to address racial, income and geographic barriers in behavioral health care.
Source: HeraldNet
Jun 24, 2024 - Describes the launch of a pilot program supporting Life Care Specialist positions at two rural Georgia hospitals. Describes services offered by Life Care Specialists, including pain medication education, pain management planning, development of healthy coping skills, and local resource referrals.
Source: Mercer University
Jun 10, 2024 - The USDA Rural Housing Service is accepting applications for the Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) for fiscal year 2024. RCDI provides funding for private, nonprofit, and public intermediary organizations to support housing, community facilities, and community and economic development projects in rural areas. Applications that will assist rural communities reduce climate pollution and increase resilience to the impacts of climate change through economic support, ensure rural residents have equitable access to Rural Development programs and benefits from Rural Development funded projects, and assist rural communities recover economically through more and better market opportunities and through improved infrastructure are encouraged. Electronic applications are due by July 10, 2024, and paper applications must be received by July 15, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
Related funding: Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI)
May 31, 2024 - Features a harm reduction program serving residents of Alaska's rural Kenai Peninsula. Explores strategies for making services, including syringe exchange and opioid-overdose treatment distribution, accessible to remote populations.
Source: Alaska Public Media, PBS, NPR
May 28, 2024 - Notice from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) seeking comments on a proposed information collection titled "Needle Exchange Utilization Survey (NEXUS)." The purpose of NEXUS is to develop a surveillance system to monitor drug use, prevention behaviors, and the infectious disease consequences of drug use in select urban and non-urban areas of the U.S. impacted by the opioid crisis. Comments are due by July 29, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
May 28, 2024 - Covers the launch of a harm reduction vending machine serving residents of Delaware County, Oklahoma. Discusses concerns from some local residents and efforts by providers to address misconceptions around addiction.
Source: Public Radio Tulsa