Substance Use and Misuse in Rural Areas – Resources

Availability of Behavioral Health Providers and Services in Rural Areas, with Holly Andrilla
An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Holly Andrilla, Deputy Director of the WWAMI Rural Health Research Center. Focuses on rural availability of psychiatrists, psychologists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, social workers, and counselors, as well as recent developments in access to medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD).
Date: 03/2023
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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How One New Mexico County is Taking a Community-Wide Approach to Treating Alcohol and Substance Use Disorders
Features a McKinley County, New Mexico community consortium that takes a holistic approach to recovery. Describes the growth of the collaboration over time and the range of local organizations involved.
Author(s): Gretel Kauffman
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 02/2023
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Strategies to Recruit Rural Primary Care Providers to Implement a Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) Focused Integrated Care Model
Highlights a study on an intervention aimed at addressing systemic barriers to accessing medications for opioid used disorder (MOUD) for rural patients via an integrated care model. Breaks down the intervention structure and discusses project replication and sustainability.
Author(s): Renee M. Cloutier, Evan S. Cole, Brianna L. McDonough, et al.
Citation: Implementation Research and Practice, 4, 1-12
Date: 01/2023
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Over the Hills and Through the Hollers: How One Program is Assisting Residents of Appalachia with Opioid Use Recovery
Results of a study evaluating the Kentucky Access to Recovery Program (KATR), which provides services to low-income adults recovering from opioid addiction in several rural eastern Kentucky counties. Examines the impact of KATR on service recipients' access to recovery services and supports.
Author(s): Aubrey E. Jones, Jayme E. Walters, Aaron R. Brown
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 4(3), 71-86
Date: 01/2023
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Rural Resource Guide: Affordable Housing and Recovery in Rural Communities
Provides an overview on federal regulations related to housing applicants with substance use disorder (SUD) and/or criminal charges. Reports on housing programs provided by Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Discusses affordable housing in rural areas as a necessary component in SUD recovery.
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organization: Housing Assistance Council
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Filling the Gaps in the Behavioral Health Workforce
Discusses the shortage of licensed behavioral health workers in rural and underserved communities. Explores the roles of behavioral health support specialists and community-initiated care to support licensed behavioral health professionals. Offers policy recommendations to strengthen the roles of the nonclinical workforce.
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
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Rural Healthy People 2030
Presents literature reviews of 20 rural public health priority topics identified through a survey of rural stakeholders. Reviews the scope of each topic, discusses related goals and objectives from the national Healthy People 2030 initiative, identifies affected populations, highlights interventions and solutions, and more. Topics include mental health, substance use, social determinants of health, access to care, quality of care, chronic health conditions, and COVID-19.
Author(s): Alva O. Ferdinand, Jane N. Bolin, Timothy Callaghan, et al.
Date: 2023
Sponsoring organization: Southwest Rural Health Research Center
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Mental and Substance Use Disorders Prevalence Study: Findings Report
Report discusses the lifetime and past-year prevalence of mental health disorders and past-year substance use across the United States. Breaks down prevalence data by age, diagnosis, and rurality, among other measures.
Author(s): H. Ringeisen, M. Edlund, H. Guyer, et al.
Date: 2023
Sponsoring organization: RTI International
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Rural Communities Face More than an Opioid Crisis: Reimagining Funding Assistance to Address Polysubstance Use, Associated Health Problems, and Limited Rural Service Capacity
Examines progress reports from the first 4 quarters of the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) to identify both substances of concern (including but not limited to opioids) and related health issues in funded communities. Data highlights which substances and related health issues are of greatest concern and that communities have the least capacity to address. Includes guidance on future funding strategies for opioid and other substance use projects.
Author(s): Carolyn Carpenedo Mun, Heather Schuler, Robin Baker, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 39(4), 795-803
Date: 2023
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Early Interventions for Psychosis - First Episodes and High Risk Populations: Proceedings of a Workshop
Highlights the proceedings of a 2022 workshop hosted by the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine and discusses how early interventions can improve outcomes for those who are as high risk of behavioral health issues. Details the challenges rurality can present to providers and patients.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Forum on Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders
Date: 2023
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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