Dissemination Methods for Substance Use Disorder Programs

Rural substance use disorder (SUD) programs can use various methods and approaches to share information effectively. Common dissemination approaches include print and digital media, mass media, and meetings and conferences.

For more effective communication, rural SUD programs may develop a dissemination plan. A dissemination plan describes the types of information that will be shared, methods and formats for sharing this information, and priority audiences.

Print or Digital Media

Print or digital media allows for outreach to specific populations of interest and easy distribution of materials. Formats include:

• Monthly, quarterly, and annual reports
• Newsletters
• Fact sheets, infographics, posters, and flyers
• Manuals or toolkits for program replication
• Webinars and videos
• Social media posts on platforms such as Facebook or Instagram
• Program or consortium websites

Media

Media campaigns help programs reach broader audiences and increase public awareness. Examples include:

• National and regional campaigns, for example:
  • United States Drug Enforcement Administration's One Pill Can Kill Campaign
  • Washington State's Stop Overdose Campaign
  • The Ohio State University's Generation Rx Project
  • North Dakota's Lock. Monitor. Take Back. Campaign
  • Up and Away and Out of Sight
  • Partnership to End Addiction
• National observances and awareness campaigns, for example:
  • Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services National Recovery Month
  • National Institute on Drug Abuse National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week
  • The Penington Institute's International Overdose Awareness Day
  • National Fentanyl Awareness Day
• Press conferences and releases to newspapers and media outlets
• Local television and radio programs, including public service announcements (for example, naloxone training promotions or community safety meetings)
• Podcasts, such as the Association for Multidisciplinary Education and Research in Substance Use and Addiction's Stigma and Substance Use: Rewriting the Narrative and Innovation in Action: Building Stronger Communities Series

Meetings and Conferences

Conferences and community meetings provide opportunities for knowledge-sharing and networking. Relevant events include:

• Town hall or neighborhood meetings
• American Society of Addiction Medicine Conference
• Annual National Association of Local Boards of Health Conference
• Annual American Public Health Association Meeting & Expo
• Association for Multidisciplinary Education and Research in Substance Use and Addiction Annual Conference
• International Drug Policy Reform Conference
• Public Health Law Conference
• Prevention of Youth Substance Abuse Conference
• National Rural Health Association Annual Rural Health Conference
• National Association of Community Health Centers Community Health Institute and Expo
• National Conference on Addiction Disorders
• National Rural Institute on Alcohol, Drugs and Addictions Conference
• Regional conferences, like the:
  • Colorado Health Symposium
  • Northwest Conventions for Community Health Centers (CHAMPS/NWRPCA)
  • Appalachian Addiction & Prescription Drug Abuse Conference