Substance Use and Misuse in Rural Areas – News
News stories from the past 60 days.
Aug 18, 2026 - Highlights research finding that recent flooding in rural Appalachia increased opioid overdose deaths due to the stress of the event, disrupted treatment, and weakened support systems in the aftermath. Discusses data trends following severe floods and how lessons learned from one destructive flood prepared providers for future flooding disasters.
Source: Medical Xpress
Jul 17, 2026 - Shares discussion from the 8th annual Opioid Response
Summit, held in Bangor, Maine, on creative approaches to
bring recovery supports to remote areas of the state. Maine
has 19 recovery community centers, where people with
substance use disorder can attend support groups.
Source: The Maine Monitor
Jul 15, 2026 - Describes a North Carolina network offering training and support for healthcare providers offering medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) through a hub-and-spoke model. Discusses how the model works in rural communities and integrating the treatment into primary care.
Source: The Daily Yonder
Jun 29, 2026 - The Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) has announced new funding for rural communities, including funding for rural substance use prevention, treatment, and recovery services; expansion of medical residencies; strengthening rural healthcare networks, and advancing telehealth.
Source: Health Resources & Services Administration
Related funding:
Delta Rural Integrated Health Network Program · Rural Communities Opioid Response Program – Impact (RCORP – Impact) · Rural Communities Opioid Response Program – Planning (RCORP – Planning) · Rural Health Network Advancement Program · Rural Northern Border Region Network Planning Program · Rural Residency Planning and Development Program · Technology-Enabled Collaborative Learning Program · Telehealth Nutrition Services Network Grant Program