Substance Use and Misuse in Rural Areas – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Substance Use and Misuse in Rural Areas.
Health Panel Comment Letter – HHS Smoking Cessation Framework 2023
Offers comments in response to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Request for Information on the draft HHS 2023 Framework to Support and Accelerate Smoking Cessation. Discusses tobacco use in rural areas, incorporating payment strategies to incentivize clinical providers and health plans to address tobacco cessation, the importance of culturally competent interventions, and more.
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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Offers comments in response to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Request for Information on the draft HHS 2023 Framework to Support and Accelerate Smoking Cessation. Discusses tobacco use in rural areas, incorporating payment strategies to incentivize clinical providers and health plans to address tobacco cessation, the importance of culturally competent interventions, and more.
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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The Frontier of Harm Reduction: Expanding Services for Rural People Who Use Drugs
Describes how harm reduction approaches help reduce health risks related to substance use and explains how these approaches are being adapted in rural areas. Highlights innovative harm reduction strategies being used in rural communities in Alaska, Wisconsin, and South Dakota.
Author(s): Brendan Stermer
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Describes how harm reduction approaches help reduce health risks related to substance use and explains how these approaches are being adapted in rural areas. Highlights innovative harm reduction strategies being used in rural communities in Alaska, Wisconsin, and South Dakota.
Author(s): Brendan Stermer
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Indian Health Service Program Evaluation Services: Community Opioid Intervention Pilot Projects FY 2021-2022 Report
Report evaluates the Indian Health Service's Community Opioid Intervention Pilot Project aimed at addressing opioid use disorder in American Indian and Alaska Native communities. Collects and evaluates data from grantees after the program's first year, April 1, 2021-March 31, 2022. Explores grantees' progress in building organizational capacity, community and educational events, and professional trainings, among other measures.
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Indian Health Service
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Report evaluates the Indian Health Service's Community Opioid Intervention Pilot Project aimed at addressing opioid use disorder in American Indian and Alaska Native communities. Collects and evaluates data from grantees after the program's first year, April 1, 2021-March 31, 2022. Explores grantees' progress in building organizational capacity, community and educational events, and professional trainings, among other measures.
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Indian Health Service
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Addressing the Opioid Crisis: A Look at the Evolving Landscape of Federal OUD Treatment Policies
Provides an overview of five federal policies that impacted the provision of opioid use disorder (OUD) treatments during the COVID-19 pandemic. Covers regulations related to buprenorphine medication, methadone dispensing programs, overdose prevention and reversal methods, and leveraging Medicaid for pre- and post-release from prison OUD treatment services. Discusses how state laws may limit federal efforts.
Author(s): Heather Saunders, Nirmita Panchal
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Provides an overview of five federal policies that impacted the provision of opioid use disorder (OUD) treatments during the COVID-19 pandemic. Covers regulations related to buprenorphine medication, methadone dispensing programs, overdose prevention and reversal methods, and leveraging Medicaid for pre- and post-release from prison OUD treatment services. Discusses how state laws may limit federal efforts.
Author(s): Heather Saunders, Nirmita Panchal
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Access to Medications for Opioid Use Disorder in Rural Versus Urban Veterans Health Administration Facilities
Explores rural veterans' access to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) via the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) system. Highlights VHA efforts to expand access to MOUD within VHA facilities and aims to identify access levels for rural veterans via the VA's Community Care program. Breaks down data by type of MOUD and by rural or urban location.
Author(s): Jessica J. Wyse, Sarah Shull, Stephan Lindner, et al.
Citation: Journal of General Internal Medicine, 38(8), 1871-1876
Date: 06/2023
Type: Document
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Explores rural veterans' access to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) via the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) system. Highlights VHA efforts to expand access to MOUD within VHA facilities and aims to identify access levels for rural veterans via the VA's Community Care program. Breaks down data by type of MOUD and by rural or urban location.
Author(s): Jessica J. Wyse, Sarah Shull, Stephan Lindner, et al.
Citation: Journal of General Internal Medicine, 38(8), 1871-1876
Date: 06/2023
Type: Document
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TIP 64: Incorporating Peer Support Into Substance Use Disorder Treatment Services
Details guidelines for implementing peer support services (PSS) into programs for substance use treatment and recovery. Discusses the role of peer support workers in the recovery process in SUD treatment centers, recovery centers and residencies, and hospitals, among others. Breaks down the guidelines for PSS, such as professional supervision and peer worker training and certification. Includes a section on delivering peer support in rural areas on page 45 and other rural mentions throughout.
Date: 06/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Details guidelines for implementing peer support services (PSS) into programs for substance use treatment and recovery. Discusses the role of peer support workers in the recovery process in SUD treatment centers, recovery centers and residencies, and hospitals, among others. Breaks down the guidelines for PSS, such as professional supervision and peer worker training and certification. Includes a section on delivering peer support in rural areas on page 45 and other rural mentions throughout.
Date: 06/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Pain in the Nation: The Epidemics of Alcohol, Drug, and Suicide Deaths - Special Feature: Youth Mental Health and Well-Being
Presents the rates of drug, alcohol, and suicide deaths in the U.S. in 2021 and from 1999 to 2021. Discusses the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on deaths of despair and the state of the ongoing opioid crisis. Includes a special feature focusing on youth mental health and well being. Highlights data on rural and urban communities.
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Trust for America's Health
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Presents the rates of drug, alcohol, and suicide deaths in the U.S. in 2021 and from 1999 to 2021. Discusses the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on deaths of despair and the state of the ongoing opioid crisis. Includes a special feature focusing on youth mental health and well being. Highlights data on rural and urban communities.
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Trust for America's Health
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Achieving Behavioral Health Care Integration in Rural America
Provides an overview of behavioral health and primary care integration and how integration may be different in rural areas than in urban and suburban areas. Examines the barriers to integration in rural areas and opportunities for policies that can improve access to care. Offers policy recommendations to better coordinate and integrate primary care and behavioral health services for high-risk groups and expand the ability of primary care providers to handle the lower-acuity behavioral health needs of patients through enhanced payments, training, and improved access to behavioral health providers for consultation and referral. Builds on the March 2021 report, Tackling America's Mental Health and Addiction Crisis Through Primary Care Integration.
Author(s): Kendall Strong, Michele Gilbert, Julia Harris, et al.
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
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Provides an overview of behavioral health and primary care integration and how integration may be different in rural areas than in urban and suburban areas. Examines the barriers to integration in rural areas and opportunities for policies that can improve access to care. Offers policy recommendations to better coordinate and integrate primary care and behavioral health services for high-risk groups and expand the ability of primary care providers to handle the lower-acuity behavioral health needs of patients through enhanced payments, training, and improved access to behavioral health providers for consultation and referral. Builds on the March 2021 report, Tackling America's Mental Health and Addiction Crisis Through Primary Care Integration.
Author(s): Kendall Strong, Michele Gilbert, Julia Harris, et al.
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
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Understanding the U.S. Behavioral Health Workforce Shortage
Discusses the shortage of behavioral health professionals across the country and highlights some of the contributing factors. Breaks down factors affecting licensed providers, clinical supporters, community care workers, and frontline workers. Makes recommendations for policymakers and includes considerations for rural areas.
Author(s): Nathaniel Counts
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Discusses the shortage of behavioral health professionals across the country and highlights some of the contributing factors. Breaks down factors affecting licensed providers, clinical supporters, community care workers, and frontline workers. Makes recommendations for policymakers and includes considerations for rural areas.
Author(s): Nathaniel Counts
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Rural Healthy People 2030: Common Challenges, Rural Nuances
Policy brief focused on Rural Healthy People 2030, a companion piece to the Healthy People 2030 initiative with a focus on health priorities of rural populations. Features rural stakeholder perspectives on the top 20 Rural Healthy People priorities with breakdowns by census region, Medicaid expansion status, gender, age, race, and field of employment.
Author(s): Morgan Kassabian, Aakriti Shrestha, Timothy Callaghan, et al.
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Southwest Rural Health Research Center
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Policy brief focused on Rural Healthy People 2030, a companion piece to the Healthy People 2030 initiative with a focus on health priorities of rural populations. Features rural stakeholder perspectives on the top 20 Rural Healthy People priorities with breakdowns by census region, Medicaid expansion status, gender, age, race, and field of employment.
Author(s): Morgan Kassabian, Aakriti Shrestha, Timothy Callaghan, et al.
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Southwest Rural 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: 5/29/2024