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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Illicit drug use

Vermont Hub-and-Spoke Model of Care for Opioid Use Disorders: An Evaluation
Details an evaluation of Vermont's hub-and-spoke model of medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid addiction. Discusses the system's successes and areas that need focus and improvement.
Additional links: Summary Brief
Author(s): Richard A. Rawson
Date: 12/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Vermont Center on Behavior & Health
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Pain in the Nation: The Drug, Alcohol and Suicide Crises and the Need for a National Resilience Strategy
Examines current trends, causes, costs, and potential solutions to the drug, alcohol, and suicide crises in the U.S. Includes rural data and discussion of rural-specific issues.
Author(s): Laura M. Segal, Anne De Biasi, Jennifer L. Mueller, Kendra May, Molly Warren
Date: 11/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Trust for America's Health
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Health Impacts of Methamphetamine Use in Alaska
Presents a report on methamphetamine use in Alaska. Analyzes rates of usage and mortality by demographics, such as age, race, and region of the state, among others.
Author(s): Laura Coughlin, Deborah Hull-Jilly
Citation: State of Alaska Epidemiology Bulletin, 19(4)
Date: 11/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Alaska Division of Public Health
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The Front Lines of the Opioid Crisis: Perspectives from States, Communities, and Providers
Video recording details the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee hearing on the opioid epidemic. Features testimony detailing efforts to combat opioid addiction from representatives of the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry; the Rhode Island Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals; the Wisconsin Prescription Drug Monitoring Program; and the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet.
Date: 11/2017
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
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Rural America in Crisis: The Changing Opioid Overdose Epidemic
Discusses the history of the opioid epidemic and its effect on rural communities, as well as key functions of public health programs that can help prevent opioid overdoses. Lists several resources regarding opioids and overdose prevention.
Author(s): Rita Noonan
Date: 11/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Robert Pack & Maggie Elehwany: VRHA Keynoters--and VRHA Board President Summer Sage
Recording from the 2017 Virginia Rural Health Association (VRHA)'s Rural Health Providers Conference. Discussion of new rural healthcare-related education initiatives and resources, grant funding to help combat the Virginia opioid crisis, and rural health policy developments on the federal level and their impact on rural areas.
Date: 11/2017
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organizations: Center for Rural Affairs, National Rural Education Association
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The President's Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis
Includes recommendations set forth by the Trump Administration President's Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis to combat the opioid epidemic. Discussed plans for federal funding, prevention, treatment, education, and research, as well as the role of the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Justice in facilitating the proposed course of action.
Date: 11/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: The President's Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis
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Silence Surrounding Hepatitis C Status in Risk Relationships among Rural People Who Use Drugs
Highlights a study on hepatitis C (HCV) status among rural people who use drugs by injection (PWIDs). Discusses the rates at which HCV-positive PWIDs disclosed their diagnosis to their partners, close friends, and family.
Author(s): Megan G. Hofmeister, Jennifer R. Havens, April M. Young
Citation: The Journal of Primary Prevention, 38(5), 481-494
Date: 10/2017
Type: Document
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The Opioid Epidemic and Federal Efforts to Address It: Frequently Asked Questions
Provides an overview of America's opioid problem, including information on abuse and supply, and discusses federal agencies and programs that address opioid abuse. Also discusses recent federal legislation and state-level policies that seek to combat the opioid problem.
Date: 10/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Opioid Use Disorders: HHS Needs Measures to Assess the Effectiveness of Efforts to Expand Access to Medication-Assisted Treatment
Reviews U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) efforts to expand access to and the use of medication assisted treatment (MAT) for treating opioid use disorders. Includes a discussion of rural-specific programs and makes recommendations for improving future efforts and overall program evaluation.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 10/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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