Rural Project Examples: Substance use and misuse
Promising Examples
Contingency Management Smoking Cessation in Appalachia
Updated/reviewed June 2022
Updated/reviewed June 2022
- Need: To reduce smoking rates of pregnant women and adolescents in Appalachian regions of eastern Kentucky and Ohio.
- Intervention: A web-based smoking cessation program that offered monetary incentives to reducing smoking.
- Results: Participants significantly reduced smoking rates or quit altogether.

Updated/reviewed October 2021
- Need: To address and treat substance use disorder (SUD) and depression in the Upper Great Lakes region.
- Intervention: Cross-Walk, a program that integrates behavioral healthcare into primary care services, was developed in Michigan's Marquette County.
- Results: The collaborative efforts strengthened care management services in local healthcare facilities as primary care patients were referred to a behavioral health specialist.
Communities that Care Coalition
Updated/reviewed May 2019
Updated/reviewed May 2019
- Need: A way to improve the health and well-being of young people by addressing substance abuse in rural areas of Massachusetts's Franklin County and the North Quabbin.
- Intervention: A community-based prevention initiative was formed to reduce youth violence, delinquency, alcohol and tobacco use, and to promote proper nutrition and physical activity.
- Results: CTC has seen significant reductions in substance abuse among local youth in the 30 rural towns they serve.
Other Project Examples
Recovery Kentucky
Added February 2023
Added February 2023
- Need: To provide housing and recovery services for rural Kentuckians dealing with substance use.
- Intervention: Recovery Kentucky has 8 rural locations and provides apartments within a congregate living environment and an opportunity to begin recovery from substance use disorder in a structured, peer-led 12-step environment.
- Results: The rural and urban centers serve up to 2,200 people annually. An independent university-led resident outcome evaluation showed significant improvements in clients' drug and alcohol use, housing and employment status, decrease in criminal justice improvement, and improved health and mental health.

Updated/reviewed January 2023
- Need: To reduce the number of overdoses and overdose-related deaths from opioids in rural Pennsylvania.
- Intervention: ARMOT provides 1) case management and recovery support services to individuals with substance use disorders and 2) education and support to rural hospital staff, patients, and their loved ones.
- Results: Since 2015, ARMOT has received over 2,956 referrals.
Positively Living & Choice Health Network
Updated/reviewed December 2022
Updated/reviewed December 2022
- Need: To provide healthcare and support to thousands of East Tennesseans living with HIV/AIDS, mental illness, substance use disorder, and homelessness and dealing with LGBT discrimination.
- Intervention: Positively Living & Choice Health Network provides services like a medical clinic and pharmacy, therapy, client services like housing aid and transportation, and a harm reduction program.
- Results: The program currently serves 5,000 individuals and families through its offices in Knoxville, Chattanooga, Memphis, and rural Cookeville and its mobile medical unit for rural communities.


Updated/reviewed September 2022
- Need: Improved approach in addressing the behavioral health and primary care disparities of Indiana's underserved rural counties.
- Intervention: A network was established that trained community health workers (CHW) to be certified health insurance enrollment navigators and provide mental health services.
- Results: This year, ASPIN trained 230 CHWs, cross-trained 70 behavioral health case managers as CHWs, and 35 individuals in the Indiana Navigator Pre-certification Education.
Morrison County Accountable Community for Health
Updated/reviewed September 2022
Updated/reviewed September 2022
- Need: To combat prescription drug misuse in rural Morrison County, Minnesota.
- Intervention: The Morrison County ACH brought together primary care, social services, law enforcement, and other partners to make sure that patients receive treatment and support.
- Results: One pharmacy saw a 40% reduction in the number of prescribed opioids, and the ACH was able to taper 684 patients off opioids completely.
Camp Mariposa
Updated/reviewed August 2022
Updated/reviewed August 2022
- Need: To help children whose family members are struggling with substance misuse.
- Intervention: A year-round program provides mentoring as well as substance use prevention education.
- Results: In 2021, Camp Mariposa served a total of 76 youth in its three rural locations in Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia.
Isanti County SafeCab Program
Updated/reviewed August 2022
Updated/reviewed August 2022
- Need: To reduce the number of deaths and injuries caused by drunk driving in Isanti County.
- Intervention: The SafeCab program provides alternative transportation home for bar patrons who would otherwise drive impaired.
- Results: The program is credited with a significant decrease in DUI (Driving Under the Influence) arrests and the lower average corresponding BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) levels in Isanti County.
For examples from other sources, see: