Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Opioids
Academic Detailing to Advance Naloxone Prescribing in Rural Primary Care: A 2-Year Pilot Study
Presents a study exploring the feasibility of implementing an intervention to improve primary care providers' (PCPs) knowledge, confidence, and adoption of naloxone-related practices in rural Federally Qualified Health Centers. Study involves 30 PCPs in rural Arkansas, with 15 receiving a 30-minute virtual training on naloxone. Breaks down data by PCP profession type as well as Health Professional Shortage Area status and score.
Author(s): Leah Tobey-Moore, Meghan N. Breckling, Teresa J. Hudson, et al.
Citation: Journal of Primary Care & Community Health, 16
Date: 11/2025
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Presents a study exploring the feasibility of implementing an intervention to improve primary care providers' (PCPs) knowledge, confidence, and adoption of naloxone-related practices in rural Federally Qualified Health Centers. Study involves 30 PCPs in rural Arkansas, with 15 receiving a 30-minute virtual training on naloxone. Breaks down data by PCP profession type as well as Health Professional Shortage Area status and score.
Author(s): Leah Tobey-Moore, Meghan N. Breckling, Teresa J. Hudson, et al.
Citation: Journal of Primary Care & Community Health, 16
Date: 11/2025
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How States Can Boost Behavioral Health Services in Rural Communities
Explores ways state officials can utilize federal funds to increase mental health and substance use treatment for rural communities. Highlights strategies for increasing access to behavioral health services in rural communities that can be funded through the Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program.
Author(s): Alexandra Duncan, Kristen Mizzi Angelone
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Pew Research Center
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Explores ways state officials can utilize federal funds to increase mental health and substance use treatment for rural communities. Highlights strategies for increasing access to behavioral health services in rural communities that can be funded through the Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program.
Author(s): Alexandra Duncan, Kristen Mizzi Angelone
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Pew Research Center
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Cost of Implementing Evidence-Based Practices to Reduce Opioid Overdose Fatalities in New York State Communities
Presents a study on the cost of implementing an intervention to deploy opioid education, naloxone distribution, and medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) during the COVID-19 pandemic in rural and urban locations in New York. Evaluates data from two time periods, or waves, from January 2020 to June 2022 and July 2022 to December 2023.
Author(s): Jazmine M. Li, Dawn Gruss, Timothy Hunt, et al.
Citation: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 20, 77
Date: 10/2025
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Presents a study on the cost of implementing an intervention to deploy opioid education, naloxone distribution, and medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) during the COVID-19 pandemic in rural and urban locations in New York. Evaluates data from two time periods, or waves, from January 2020 to June 2022 and July 2022 to December 2023.
Author(s): Jazmine M. Li, Dawn Gruss, Timothy Hunt, et al.
Citation: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 20, 77
Date: 10/2025
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Examining Trends in Polydrug Overdose Deaths Across Rural Midwest Counties in the United States, 2022 Through 2024
Highlights a study examining the presence of the drug xylazine in postmortem toxicology of drug overdose deaths in rural Minnesota. Breaks down data by county, drugs co-occurring with xylazine, and demographic characteristics of the deceased, among other measures.
Author(s): Bradley R. Ray, Shane Sheets, Patti Constant, et al.
Citation: Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 275, 112832
Date: 10/2025
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Highlights a study examining the presence of the drug xylazine in postmortem toxicology of drug overdose deaths in rural Minnesota. Breaks down data by county, drugs co-occurring with xylazine, and demographic characteristics of the deceased, among other measures.
Author(s): Bradley R. Ray, Shane Sheets, Patti Constant, et al.
Citation: Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 275, 112832
Date: 10/2025
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Implementing a Mobile Clinic for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment in an Urban and Rural Context
Highlights a study on the efficacy of the mobile clinic model at providing opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment in rural and urban areas. Compares and evaluates mobile OUD treatment programs in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and rural Robeson County, North Carolina. Evaluates programs on the basis of community engagement, cost, and partnerships with local pharmacies, among other measures.
Author(s): Orrin D. Ware, Divya Venkat, Robyn Jordan, et al.
Citation: Substance Use & Addiction Journal, 46(4), 799–805
Date: 10/2025
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Highlights a study on the efficacy of the mobile clinic model at providing opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment in rural and urban areas. Compares and evaluates mobile OUD treatment programs in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and rural Robeson County, North Carolina. Evaluates programs on the basis of community engagement, cost, and partnerships with local pharmacies, among other measures.
Author(s): Orrin D. Ware, Divya Venkat, Robyn Jordan, et al.
Citation: Substance Use & Addiction Journal, 46(4), 799–805
Date: 10/2025
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HRSA Rural Communities Opioid Response Program Award Recipients Generally Met All Core Activities and Benchmarks
Examines whether Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) Expansion award recipients met the five required core activities and three proposed benchmarks between September 2019 and August 2022. Summarizes results of a performance audit of RCORP MAT Expansion award recipients, including site visits to each awardee. Appendix C covers the challenges and barriers award recipients faced while establishing or expanding their MAT programs.
Additional links: Report Highlights
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Examines whether Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) Expansion award recipients met the five required core activities and three proposed benchmarks between September 2019 and August 2022. Summarizes results of a performance audit of RCORP MAT Expansion award recipients, including site visits to each awardee. Appendix C covers the challenges and barriers award recipients faced while establishing or expanding their MAT programs.
Additional links: Report Highlights
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Best Practices for Implementing the Continuum of Crisis Services Under Medicaid and CHIP
Provides guidance for states to maintain a continuum of behavioral health crisis care for patients covered by Medicaid and CHIP. Details core elements of the continuum of crisis care and how Medicaid and CHIP function within that framework. Highlights considerations for rural communities.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Provides guidance for states to maintain a continuum of behavioral health crisis care for patients covered by Medicaid and CHIP. Details core elements of the continuum of crisis care and how Medicaid and CHIP function within that framework. Highlights considerations for rural communities.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Treatment Initiations and Opioid Overdoses among Recently Incarcerated People after Adoption of the Take-Home Methadone Policy
Explores the effect flexible methadone policies implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic had on opioid overdoses and treatment initiation and uptake among incarcerated people upon release. Highlights the effect this policy had on rural areas and communities that lack access to opioid treatment.
Author(s): Benjamin A. Barsky, Shapei Yan, Meredith B. Rosenthal
Citation: Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 274, 112775
Date: 09/2025
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Explores the effect flexible methadone policies implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic had on opioid overdoses and treatment initiation and uptake among incarcerated people upon release. Highlights the effect this policy had on rural areas and communities that lack access to opioid treatment.
Author(s): Benjamin A. Barsky, Shapei Yan, Meredith B. Rosenthal
Citation: Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 274, 112775
Date: 09/2025
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Introducing Public Health Vending Machines in Rural Communities: Protocol for a Study Using a Community-Based Participatory Approach
Provides a study protocol focused on creating a community-engaged approach to implementing public health vending machines (PHVMs) that distribute naloxone in rural North Carolina. Discusses the need to engage people who have experienced substance use when developing public health interventions to prevent drug overdose.
Author(s): Meghan Guter, Lauren Harrell, Kathleen L Egan, Reese Hiatt, Lori Ann Eldridge
Citation: JMIR Research Protocols, 14
Date: 09/2025
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Provides a study protocol focused on creating a community-engaged approach to implementing public health vending machines (PHVMs) that distribute naloxone in rural North Carolina. Discusses the need to engage people who have experienced substance use when developing public health interventions to prevent drug overdose.
Author(s): Meghan Guter, Lauren Harrell, Kathleen L Egan, Reese Hiatt, Lori Ann Eldridge
Citation: JMIR Research Protocols, 14
Date: 09/2025
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Rural Providers' Attitudes Toward Integrating Harm Reduction Strategies and PrEP Prescribing into Rural Primary Care Settings in the US. Southeast and Midwest
Examines the perceptions of providers working in rural primary care settings toward buprenorphine, methadone, comprehensive harm reduction, and PrEP prescriptions. Analyzes 409 providers treating either a person with opioid use disorder or a person with HIV and provides data breakdowns on PrEP prescriptions, medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), and perceptions toward harm reduction integration.
Author(s): Phillip L. Marotta, Miryam Biaid, Robert Heimer, et al.
Citation: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 20, 73
Date: 09/2025
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Examines the perceptions of providers working in rural primary care settings toward buprenorphine, methadone, comprehensive harm reduction, and PrEP prescriptions. Analyzes 409 providers treating either a person with opioid use disorder or a person with HIV and provides data breakdowns on PrEP prescriptions, medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), and perceptions toward harm reduction integration.
Author(s): Phillip L. Marotta, Miryam Biaid, Robert Heimer, et al.
Citation: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 20, 73
Date: 09/2025
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