Substance Use and Misuse in Rural Areas – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Substance Use and Misuse in Rural Areas.
Depression, Alcohol and Farm Stress: Addressing Co-Occurring Disorders in Rural America
Offers resources to help rural healthcare providers screen farmers, farmworkers, and farm families for alcohol use disorder and depression. Discusses farm stress and covers 3 categories of barriers to rural substance use and mental health services: accessibility, availability, and acceptability. Includes a hypothetical case scenario to illustrate the obstacles and challenges rural farm families experience when attempting to receive care for co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.
Author(s): Maridee Shogren, Robin Landwehr, David Terry, Abby Roach-Moore, Andrew McLean
Date: 04/2020
Sponsoring organizations: Addiction Technology Transfer Center Network, Mental Health Technology Transfer Center Network, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Offers resources to help rural healthcare providers screen farmers, farmworkers, and farm families for alcohol use disorder and depression. Discusses farm stress and covers 3 categories of barriers to rural substance use and mental health services: accessibility, availability, and acceptability. Includes a hypothetical case scenario to illustrate the obstacles and challenges rural farm families experience when attempting to receive care for co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.
Author(s): Maridee Shogren, Robin Landwehr, David Terry, Abby Roach-Moore, Andrew McLean
Date: 04/2020
Sponsoring organizations: Addiction Technology Transfer Center Network, Mental Health Technology Transfer Center Network, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Improving Access to Evidence-Based Medical Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder: Strategies to Address Key Barriers Within the Treatment System
Presents a study on the barriers to evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD). Identifies nine common barriers to evidence-based care for people with OUD, including stigma, workforce training, and financial barriers, among others. Includes rural references throughout.
Author(s): Bertha K. Madras, N. Jia Ahmad, Jenny Wen, et al.
Citation: NAM Perspectives
Date: 04/2020
Sponsoring organization: National Academy of Medicine
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Presents a study on the barriers to evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD). Identifies nine common barriers to evidence-based care for people with OUD, including stigma, workforce training, and financial barriers, among others. Includes rural references throughout.
Author(s): Bertha K. Madras, N. Jia Ahmad, Jenny Wen, et al.
Citation: NAM Perspectives
Date: 04/2020
Sponsoring organization: National Academy of Medicine
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Rural Health Care and Medicaid Telehealth Flexibilities, and Guidance Regarding Section 1009 of the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act (Pub. L. 115-271), entitled Medicaid Substance Use Disorder Treatment via Telehealth
Discusses the benefits of utilizing telehealth services to expand access to Medicaid services in rural areas and the flexibility states have in covering these services. Provides guidance on options states have to receive federal reimbursement for substance use disorder treatments provided via telehealth services.
Date: 04/2020
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Discusses the benefits of utilizing telehealth services to expand access to Medicaid services in rural areas and the flexibility states have in covering these services. Provides guidance on options states have to receive federal reimbursement for substance use disorder treatments provided via telehealth services.
Date: 04/2020
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Low Burden Strategies Are Needed to Reduce Smoking in Rural Healthcare Settings: A Lesson from Cancer Clinics
Details a study on the effectiveness of an electronic health record-based smoking cessation module in providing cessation services to rural cancer patients. Presents data by patient characteristics, services accessed, and rural versus urban location, among other measures.
Author(s): Alex T. Ramsey, Timothy B. Baker, Giang Pham, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(5), 1728
Date: 03/2020
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Details a study on the effectiveness of an electronic health record-based smoking cessation module in providing cessation services to rural cancer patients. Presents data by patient characteristics, services accessed, and rural versus urban location, among other measures.
Author(s): Alex T. Ramsey, Timothy B. Baker, Giang Pham, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(5), 1728
Date: 03/2020
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Touchpoints for Addressing Substance Use Issues in Home Visiting: Phase 1 Final Report
Report details information and guidance for addressing substance use issues encountered during home visiting. Discusses substance use issues and the way home visiting can address those issues while supporting families. Features a number of questions and answers and includes discussion regarding home visiting in rural areas.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Date: 03/2020
Sponsoring organizations: Administration for Children and Families, Mathematica, Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation
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Report details information and guidance for addressing substance use issues encountered during home visiting. Discusses substance use issues and the way home visiting can address those issues while supporting families. Features a number of questions and answers and includes discussion regarding home visiting in rural areas.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Date: 03/2020
Sponsoring organizations: Administration for Children and Families, Mathematica, Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation
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Patterns and Characteristics of Methamphetamine Use Among Adults — United States, 2015–2018
Reports on methamphetamine use rates in the U.S. and identifies characteristics associated with past-year methamphetamine use. Includes data on past-year meth use by county of residence for large metropolitan, small metro, and nonmetro counties.
Author(s): Christopher M. Jones, Wilson M. Compton, Desiree Mustaquim
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 69(12), 317-323
Date: 03/2020
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Reports on methamphetamine use rates in the U.S. and identifies characteristics associated with past-year methamphetamine use. Includes data on past-year meth use by county of residence for large metropolitan, small metro, and nonmetro counties.
Author(s): Christopher M. Jones, Wilson M. Compton, Desiree Mustaquim
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 69(12), 317-323
Date: 03/2020
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Drug and Opioid-Involved Overdose Deaths — United States, 2017–2018
Examines drug overdose deaths involving all opioids, prescription opioids, heroin, and synthetic opioids other than methadone. Includes data by county urbanization level for metropolitan and nonmetro counties.
Author(s): Nana Wilson, Mbabazi Kariisa, Puja Seth, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 69(11), 290-297
Date: 03/2020
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Examines drug overdose deaths involving all opioids, prescription opioids, heroin, and synthetic opioids other than methadone. Includes data by county urbanization level for metropolitan and nonmetro counties.
Author(s): Nana Wilson, Mbabazi Kariisa, Puja Seth, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 69(11), 290-297
Date: 03/2020
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Predictors of Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health Treatment Use Among Rural Adults using Stimulants over Three Years
Details a study on the factors that predict mental health and substance use treatment utilization among rural stimulant users. Breaks down data from 2002 to 2008 by race, age, and substance use, among other measures.
Author(s): Michael A. Cucciare, Songthip T. Ounpraseuth, Geoffrey M. Curran, Brenda M. Booth
Citation: Substance Abuse, 40(3), 363-370
Date: 02/2020
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Details a study on the factors that predict mental health and substance use treatment utilization among rural stimulant users. Breaks down data from 2002 to 2008 by race, age, and substance use, among other measures.
Author(s): Michael A. Cucciare, Songthip T. Ounpraseuth, Geoffrey M. Curran, Brenda M. Booth
Citation: Substance Abuse, 40(3), 363-370
Date: 02/2020
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Medications for Opioid Use Disorder: The Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) 63
Details guidelines for implementing medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) for healthcare professionals, policymakers, patients, and families. Discusses the different medications available to treat OUD, how and when to administer them, as well as challenges to expanding access to MOUD treatment.
Date: 02/2020
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Details guidelines for implementing medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) for healthcare professionals, policymakers, patients, and families. Discusses the different medications available to treat OUD, how and when to administer them, as well as challenges to expanding access to MOUD treatment.
Date: 02/2020
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Rural Community Action Guide: Building Stronger, Healthy, Drug-Free Rural Communities
Provides an overview of challenges rural communities face related to substance use disorder (SUD), including prescription opioid misuse. Identifies action steps rural communities can take related to prevention, treatment, recovery, and SUD-related issues such as stigma, transportation barriers, and lack of employment opportunities. Features programs that are working to address these issues in rural communities.
Additional links: Promising Practices Supplement
Date: 01/2020
Sponsoring organization: Office of National Drug Control Policy
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Provides an overview of challenges rural communities face related to substance use disorder (SUD), including prescription opioid misuse. Identifies action steps rural communities can take related to prevention, treatment, recovery, and SUD-related issues such as stigma, transportation barriers, and lack of employment opportunities. Features programs that are working to address these issues in rural communities.
Additional links: Promising Practices Supplement
Date: 01/2020
Sponsoring organization: Office of National Drug Control Policy
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Additional resources are available related to this guide. See the full list of resources by topic for:
- Alcohol use
- Behavioral health
- Behavioral health workforce
- Illicit drug use
- Prescription drug misuse
- Substance use and misuse
- Tobacco use
Last Updated: 2/2/2026