Substance Use and Misuse in Rural Areas – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Substance Use and Misuse in Rural Areas.
Using Technology-Based Therapeutic Tools in Behavioral Health Services
Report discusses the use of telehealth to provide behavioral health services. Explores the benefits of telehealth as a bridge to accessing behavioral healthcare and presents implementation guidance, such as state and licensing regulations and reimbursement considerations.
Date: 2021
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Report discusses the use of telehealth to provide behavioral health services. Explores the benefits of telehealth as a bridge to accessing behavioral healthcare and presents implementation guidance, such as state and licensing regulations and reimbursement considerations.
Date: 2021
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Treating a Public Health Crisis for Rural Moms – A Comparative Analysis of Four Rural States Addressing Maternal Opioid Misuse with Medicaid Innovation Models
Discusses how 4 states - Colorado, Indiana, Maine, and Missouri - have used the Maternal Opioid Misuse (MOM) model to address maternal opioid use disorders among rural Medicaid beneficiaries. Compares different approaches taken by each state, including benefit eligibility, health insurance payers and health systems partnerships, and telehealth utilization.
Author(s): Jason Semprini
Citation: Online Journal of Rural Research & Policy, 16(2)
Date: 2021
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Discusses how 4 states - Colorado, Indiana, Maine, and Missouri - have used the Maternal Opioid Misuse (MOM) model to address maternal opioid use disorders among rural Medicaid beneficiaries. Compares different approaches taken by each state, including benefit eligibility, health insurance payers and health systems partnerships, and telehealth utilization.
Author(s): Jason Semprini
Citation: Online Journal of Rural Research & Policy, 16(2)
Date: 2021
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Community of Practice: Preventing and Reducing the Stigma of Substance Use Disorders in Rural Communities - Implementation and Lessons Learned
Report discusses strategies for reducing stigma around substance use disorders (SUDs) and SUD treatment in rural communities. Details the implementation of Communities of Practice sessions with participants and breaks down participant data and session timeline.
Date: 2021
Sponsoring organizations: Great Lakes PTTC, Prevention Technology Transfer Center Network
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Report discusses strategies for reducing stigma around substance use disorders (SUDs) and SUD treatment in rural communities. Details the implementation of Communities of Practice sessions with participants and breaks down participant data and session timeline.
Date: 2021
Sponsoring organizations: Great Lakes PTTC, Prevention Technology Transfer Center Network
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Behavioral Health Barometer: United States, Volume 6
Provides a broad overview of behavioral health in the U.S. with an emphasis on illicit drug, alcohol, and tobacco use, as well as the estimated percentage of people living with serious mental illness. Breaks down data by demographic information, such as age, sex, and others, as well as by metro or nonmetro location. Data is from the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health and the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services.
Date: 12/2020
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Provides a broad overview of behavioral health in the U.S. with an emphasis on illicit drug, alcohol, and tobacco use, as well as the estimated percentage of people living with serious mental illness. Breaks down data by demographic information, such as age, sex, and others, as well as by metro or nonmetro location. Data is from the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health and the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services.
Date: 12/2020
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Prevalence and Geographic Distribution of Obstetrician-Gynecologists Who Treat Medicaid Enrollees and Are Trained to Prescribe Buprenorphine
Highlights a study on the geographic distribution of Medicaid-claimant obstetrician-gynecologists trained to prescribe buprenorphine for opioid use disorder. Compares provider prevalence in rural versus urban counties.
Author(s): Max Jordan Nguemeni Tiako, Jennifer Culhane, Eugenia South, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 3(12), e2029043
Date: 12/2020
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Highlights a study on the geographic distribution of Medicaid-claimant obstetrician-gynecologists trained to prescribe buprenorphine for opioid use disorder. Compares provider prevalence in rural versus urban counties.
Author(s): Max Jordan Nguemeni Tiako, Jennifer Culhane, Eugenia South, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 3(12), e2029043
Date: 12/2020
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How Does DATA-Waiver Provider Patient Capacity Relate to Opioid and Buprenorphine Prescribing?
Explores if regulatory changes to increase the patient capacity among buprenorphine waivered providers effects buprenorphine and opioids prescription rates at the county-level. Compares prescription rates by metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties.
Author(s): Robin Ghertner, Mir M. Ali
Date: 12/2020
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Explores if regulatory changes to increase the patient capacity among buprenorphine waivered providers effects buprenorphine and opioids prescription rates at the county-level. Compares prescription rates by metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties.
Author(s): Robin Ghertner, Mir M. Ali
Date: 12/2020
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Substance Use Disorder: Reliable Data Needed for Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant Program
Reviews what is known about the number of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment facilities and services, overall treatment capacity, and barriers to expanding capacity. Describes the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant (SABG), State Targeted Response to the Opioid Crisis (STR) and State Opioid Response (SOR) programs, and examines how seven states utilized these programs. Evaluates the data used to assess the effectiveness of these programs, and offers recommendations to improve the reliability of data collected on individuals served by the SABG program.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 12/2020
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Reviews what is known about the number of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment facilities and services, overall treatment capacity, and barriers to expanding capacity. Describes the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant (SABG), State Targeted Response to the Opioid Crisis (STR) and State Opioid Response (SOR) programs, and examines how seven states utilized these programs. Evaluates the data used to assess the effectiveness of these programs, and offers recommendations to improve the reliability of data collected on individuals served by the SABG program.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 12/2020
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Promoting Access to Care for Women of Reproductive Age with Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders in Rural Communities
Report highlights the barriers to mental healthcare and substance use disorder treatment for rural women of reproductive age. Discusses continuity of care, access to medication-assisted treatment (MAT), and workforce shortages among other barriers. Presents recommendations, such as telehealth and care coordination, and provides program examples from different states.
Date: 11/2020
Sponsoring organizations: Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs, Georgia Health Policy Center
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Report highlights the barriers to mental healthcare and substance use disorder treatment for rural women of reproductive age. Discusses continuity of care, access to medication-assisted treatment (MAT), and workforce shortages among other barriers. Presents recommendations, such as telehealth and care coordination, and provides program examples from different states.
Date: 11/2020
Sponsoring organizations: Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs, Georgia Health Policy Center
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Risky Substance Use Behaviors Among Adults Residing in Non-Metropolitan and Metropolitan Counties in the United States, 2017-2018
Compares the prevalence of risky substance use among adults living in rural and urban counties. Features statistics with breakdowns by use within the past year and within the past 30 days, for alcohol, tobacco, and 10 types of illicit drugs.
Author(s): Tyrone F. Borders, Michael D. Singleton, Katherine Youngen
Date: 11/2020
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
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Compares the prevalence of risky substance use among adults living in rural and urban counties. Features statistics with breakdowns by use within the past year and within the past 30 days, for alcohol, tobacco, and 10 types of illicit drugs.
Author(s): Tyrone F. Borders, Michael D. Singleton, Katherine Youngen
Date: 11/2020
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
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Risky Substance Use Behaviors Among Adolescents Residing in Non-Metropolitan and Metropolitan Counties in the United States, 2017-2018
Compares the prevalence of risky substance use among people ages 12-17 who are living in rural and urban counties. Features statistics with breakdowns by use within the past year and within the past 30 days, for alcohol, tobacco, and 10 types of illicit drugs.
Author(s): Tyrone F. Borders, Michael D. Singleton, Katherine Youngen
Date: 11/2020
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
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Compares the prevalence of risky substance use among people ages 12-17 who are living in rural and urban counties. Features statistics with breakdowns by use within the past year and within the past 30 days, for alcohol, tobacco, and 10 types of illicit drugs.
Author(s): Tyrone F. Borders, Michael D. Singleton, Katherine Youngen
Date: 11/2020
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
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Additional resources are available related to this guide. See the full list of resources by topic for:
- Alcohol use
- Behavioral health
- Behavioral health workforce
- Illicit drug use
- Prescription drug misuse
- Substance use and misuse
- Tobacco use
Last Updated: 12/18/2025