Rural Response to the Opioid Crisis – Models and Innovations

These stories feature model programs and successful rural projects that can serve as a source of ideas and provide lessons others have learned. Some of the projects or programs may no longer be active. Read about the criteria and evidence-base for programs included.

Other Project Examples

New Horizons Substance Use Recovery Network

Updated/reviewed August 2021

• Need: In northern Michigan, a need for an integrated approach to deliver medication-assisted treatment for established patients of Federally Qualified Health Centers with opioid use disorder.
• Intervention: Collaboration between one FQHC across 3 sites, a local waivered prescriber group, and a behavioral health organization created an integrated treatment approach for opioid use disorder.
• Results: Increased access to medication-assisted treatment and comprehensive substance use disorder services leading to increased retention in treatment and increased engagement in stable recovery from opioid and alcohol use disorders.

SLV N.E.E.D.: Naloxone Education Empowerment Distribution Program

Updated/reviewed August 2020

• Need: Growing concern in rural Colorado communities regarding prescription and illegal opioid overdoses.
• Intervention: Education efforts for health workers and the larger community, in addition to establishing a naloxone overdose reversal drug program.
• Results: In addition to continuing to train nearly all first responders to administer naloxone, the organization provides harm reduction education in various community settings.

Foundations Family Medicine's HIV, HCV, Opioid and Substance Use Disorder Services

Added November 2018

• Need: Due to the opioid crisis, Austin, Indiana has seen the largest concentrated outbreak of HIV in rural America's recent history. Since 2015, over 200 residents have been diagnosed with the virus.
• Intervention: Foundations Family Medicine began offering testing and treatment services for HIV, hepatitis C, and opioid/substance use disorder. Education, care coordination and behavioral health services were also offered as an integrated part of their primary care clinic.
• Results: Although the virus continues to spread throughout Scott County, the rate has significantly decreased, outdoing national suppression rates by a large margin (76% compared to national average of 49%).

Items per page: 10 100 All