Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub
Rural Health Information Hub

Substance Use and Misuse in Rural Areas – News

News stories from the past 60 days.

Jul 12, 2024 - The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will hold a joint meeting of the National Advisory Councils, the Advisory Committee for Women's Services (ACWS), and the Tribal Technical Advisory Committee (TTAC) on August 28, 2024. Agenda items include remarks from the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use and presentations and discussions on youth engagement efforts, criminal justice, suicide prevention, and general discussions and public comments. Registration is required to attend the meeting. Individuals interested in making oral presentations must notify Carlos Castillo by August 21, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
Jul 12, 2024 - The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will hold a public meeting of the Tribal Technical Advisory Committee (TTAC) on August 27, 2024, from 1:00 – 4:30 p.m. Eastern. SAMHSA TTAC provides a venue wherein Tribal leadership and SAMHSA staff can exchange information about public health issues, identify urgent mental health and substance abuse needs, and discuss collaborative approaches to addressing these behavioral health issues and needs. Meeting information will be posted on the SAMHSA Council's website. Pre-registration is required.
Source: Federal Register
Jul 11, 2024 - The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' proposed calendar year 2025 physician fee schedule rule includes new payments and coverage for digital health and telehealth services. The draft rule contains significant provisions for Rural Health Clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers and gives opioid treatment programs more flexibility in their use of telehealth services.
Source: Fierce Healthcare
Jul 11, 2024 - Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear announced that Breathitt, Jessamine, Lee, and Nelson counties have been certified as Recovery Ready Communities. These counties have established addiction services including peer support services, mental health treatment, addiction treatment, employment services, and a stigma-free environment for recovery.
Source: Kentucky.gov
Jul 11, 2024 - Notice from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announcing a public meeting of the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention National Advisory Council (CSAP NAC) on August 27, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Eastern. Agenda items will include an update from the CSAP NAC Substance Use Prevention Workforce Subcommittee and an overview and discussion on CSAP's primary prevention portfolio. Registration is required. Individuals interested in making oral presentations must notify Jennifer Fan by 1:00 p.m. Eastern on August 20, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
Jul 10, 2024 - The Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System and Ambulatory Surgical Center proposed rule would increase access to care and advance health equity. The proposal introduces new requirements for maternal quality improvement efforts, increases access to services in tribal, rural, and other underserved communities, addresses barriers to Medicare coverage for those recently incarcerated, and supports the agency's goals of reducing opioid overdoses.
Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Jul 8, 2024 - Announces funding opportunities through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, to support women's behavioral health. The grants will help expand access to services and enhance the ability of healthcare providers to identify and address mental health conditions, substance use, and gender-based violence.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Jul 5, 2024 - Describes process by which Randolph County, Illinois used grant funding to transform part of an underused county-owned nursing home into a behavioral health center. The county held stakeholder meetings to address initial opposition among community members and created a consensus around development of a center.
Source: National Association of Counties
Jul 3, 2024 - The Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Prevention of Underage Drinking (ICCPUD) seeking comments on the Alcohol Intake and Health Methodology, which will be used to perform a series of studies assessing the relationship between alcohol intake and related health conditions. The methodology is available on the ICCPUD Study on Alcohol Intake and Health website. Comments are due by August 2, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
Jul 3, 2024 - Highlights a program providing recovery housing for people with opioid use disorder (OUD) in rural North Carolina. Details the program's structure, background, and funding. Discusses models referenced in the program's design.
Source: The Daily Yonder
Last Updated: 7/12/2024