Rural Response to the Opioid Crisis – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Response to the Opioid Crisis.
Federal and State Reimbursement for Youth Behavioral Health Services
Report details Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage of behavioral health services for rural people under 21 years of age. Breaks down reimbursement eligibility for behavioral health providers in all 50 states and discusses barriers to access in rural areas.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Report details Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage of behavioral health services for rural people under 21 years of age. Breaks down reimbursement eligibility for behavioral health providers in all 50 states and discusses barriers to access in rural areas.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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The Rural and Urban Supply of Clinicians With a DEA Waiver to Prescribe Buprenorphine in 2022 Prior to the Elimination of the Waiver Requirement
Report explores the differences in rates of clinicians with DEA waivers to prescribe buprenorphine in 2022 in rural versus urban counties. Highlights the rural gaps in access to buprenorphine to treat opioid use disorder prior to the elimination of the DEA waiver requirement in 2023. Provides rural, urban, and regional comparisons.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Report explores the differences in rates of clinicians with DEA waivers to prescribe buprenorphine in 2022 in rural versus urban counties. Highlights the rural gaps in access to buprenorphine to treat opioid use disorder prior to the elimination of the DEA waiver requirement in 2023. Provides rural, urban, and regional comparisons.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Enhancing Rural Access to Medications for Opioid Use Disorder: Policy Brief and Recommendations to the Secretary
Provides an overview of issues related to opioid use disorder (OUD) in rural areas. Discusses access to medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD), MOUD workforce, telehealth to support access to MOUD, and Medicaid 1115 demonstrations that address OUD. Offers policy recommendations related to regulatory barriers, reimbursement flexibility, workforce, and service site expansion to increase access to MOUD in rural areas.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Provides an overview of issues related to opioid use disorder (OUD) in rural areas. Discusses access to medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD), MOUD workforce, telehealth to support access to MOUD, and Medicaid 1115 demonstrations that address OUD. Offers policy recommendations related to regulatory barriers, reimbursement flexibility, workforce, and service site expansion to increase access to MOUD in rural areas.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Assessing the Needs of Rural Families Affected by the Opioid Crisis: Issue Brief and Recommendations to the Secretary
Explores the considerations for addressing social determinants of health that influence opioid use disorder (OUD) and the role of community efforts in prevention, treatment, and recovery in rural areas, with a focus on prevention efforts in Las Vegas, New Mexico. Discusses youth and family prevention and well-being; stigma; adverse childhood experience; school-based health centers and youth and family resource centers; access to stable housing, food, and other social supports; the importance of trusted community resources for support; and workforce. Offers recommendations related to reducing stigma and promoting the enhanced utilization of the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) to help rural communities address OUD and substance use disorders.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Explores the considerations for addressing social determinants of health that influence opioid use disorder (OUD) and the role of community efforts in prevention, treatment, and recovery in rural areas, with a focus on prevention efforts in Las Vegas, New Mexico. Discusses youth and family prevention and well-being; stigma; adverse childhood experience; school-based health centers and youth and family resource centers; access to stable housing, food, and other social supports; the importance of trusted community resources for support; and workforce. Offers recommendations related to reducing stigma and promoting the enhanced utilization of the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) to help rural communities address OUD and substance use disorders.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Opioid Use Among Rural Medicare Beneficiaries
Examines trends in prescription opioid use among Medicare beneficiaries in rural areas, utilizing 2010-2017 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) data. Provides data on receipt of opioid prescriptions among community-dwelling and facility-dwelling beneficiaries, associations between prescribing and chronic overlapping pain conditions (COPCs), and prescriptions exceeding CDC guidelines. Includes rural-urban comparisons.
Author(s): Yvonne Jonk, Heidi O'Connor, Karen Pearson, et al.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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Examines trends in prescription opioid use among Medicare beneficiaries in rural areas, utilizing 2010-2017 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) data. Provides data on receipt of opioid prescriptions among community-dwelling and facility-dwelling beneficiaries, associations between prescribing and chronic overlapping pain conditions (COPCs), and prescriptions exceeding CDC guidelines. Includes rural-urban comparisons.
Author(s): Yvonne Jonk, Heidi O'Connor, Karen Pearson, et al.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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Community Opioid Overdose Reversal Medications (OORMs) Planning Toolkit
Provides planning and strategy resources for organizations and communities to expand access to naloxone and other opioid overdose reversal medications (OORMs). Includes templates, implementation strategies and program examples, and more. Discusses rural considerations and programs throughout, including the Rural EMS Training Program and Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP).
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Provides planning and strategy resources for organizations and communities to expand access to naloxone and other opioid overdose reversal medications (OORMs). Includes templates, implementation strategies and program examples, and more. Discusses rural considerations and programs throughout, including the Rural EMS Training Program and Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP).
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Implementation of Mobile Medication Units: Findings from a Qualitative Study
Provides a brief overview of the development of policy regarding the approval of mobile medication units (MMUs) operated by opioid treatment programs (OTPs). Presents findings from an environmental scan and key informant interviews regarding MMU implementation. Discusses barriers to establishing, sustaining, and expanding MMU services. Describes opportunities to increase access to methadone in underserved communities. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organizations: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Mathematica
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Provides a brief overview of the development of policy regarding the approval of mobile medication units (MMUs) operated by opioid treatment programs (OTPs). Presents findings from an environmental scan and key informant interviews regarding MMU implementation. Discusses barriers to establishing, sustaining, and expanding MMU services. Describes opportunities to increase access to methadone in underserved communities. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organizations: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Mathematica
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Expanding the Opioid Use Disorder Medication Treatment Workforce in Rural Communities Through the RCORP Initiative
Examines the impact of the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) on the workforce supply of Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)-waivered clinicians in rural areas, who are able to prescribe buprenorphine. Analyzes 2017–2022 DEA lists of waivered clinicians to report on counties with a waivered clinician, clinician-to-population ratios, and treatment slot-to-population ratios. Discusses the impact of RCORP funding on Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) recovery services in rural communities.
Author(s): C. Holly A. Andrilla, Sara C. Woolcock, Kathleen Meyers, Davis G. Patterson
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12867
Date: 2025
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Examines the impact of the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) on the workforce supply of Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)-waivered clinicians in rural areas, who are able to prescribe buprenorphine. Analyzes 2017–2022 DEA lists of waivered clinicians to report on counties with a waivered clinician, clinician-to-population ratios, and treatment slot-to-population ratios. Discusses the impact of RCORP funding on Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) recovery services in rural communities.
Author(s): C. Holly A. Andrilla, Sara C. Woolcock, Kathleen Meyers, Davis G. Patterson
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12867
Date: 2025
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Understanding MAT Access in the Context of Unused MAT Capacity in the United States: When Increasing Rural MAT Capacity is Not Enough
Examines the factors related to buprenorphine prescriptions to treat opioid use disorder (OUD) and the impacts of the federal DATA waiver to increase provider capacity. Utilizes multiple data sources to describe medication-assisted treatment (MAT) capacity, access, barriers, availability of MAT, and service area need in rural areas.
Author(s): Carolyn Carpenedo Mun, Rachel Zambrano, Eileen Tallman, et al.
Citation: Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy, 19, 47
Date: 12/2024
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Examines the factors related to buprenorphine prescriptions to treat opioid use disorder (OUD) and the impacts of the federal DATA waiver to increase provider capacity. Utilizes multiple data sources to describe medication-assisted treatment (MAT) capacity, access, barriers, availability of MAT, and service area need in rural areas.
Author(s): Carolyn Carpenedo Mun, Rachel Zambrano, Eileen Tallman, et al.
Citation: Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy, 19, 47
Date: 12/2024
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The Effects of Message Framing on US Police Chiefs' Support for Interventions for Opioid Use Disorder: A Randomized Survey Experiment
Examines how U.S. police chiefs frame cultural messages surrounding opioid use disorder interventions and the focus on public health and harm reduction versus public safety. Analyzes data from 276 police chiefs related to overdose prevention centers, syringe service programs (SSPs), Good Samaritan laws, Narcan distribution, collaboration for public health and safety, and acceptance of officers in recovery. Includes demographic breakdowns of police chiefs, such as region, urbanicity, and population per officer.
Author(s): Brandon del Pozo, Saba Rouhani, Amelia Bailey, et al.
Citation: Health & Justice, 12, 50
Date: 12/2024
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Examines how U.S. police chiefs frame cultural messages surrounding opioid use disorder interventions and the focus on public health and harm reduction versus public safety. Analyzes data from 276 police chiefs related to overdose prevention centers, syringe service programs (SSPs), Good Samaritan laws, Narcan distribution, collaboration for public health and safety, and acceptance of officers in recovery. Includes demographic breakdowns of police chiefs, such as region, urbanicity, and population per officer.
Author(s): Brandon del Pozo, Saba Rouhani, Amelia Bailey, et al.
Citation: Health & Justice, 12, 50
Date: 12/2024
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Last Updated: 4/29/2025