Substance Use and Misuse in Rural Areas – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Substance Use and Misuse in Rural Areas.
Evaluation of the Maternal Opioid Misuse (MOM) Model: Fourth Annual Report (Implementation Year 3)
Provides an overview of the Maternal Opioid Misuse Model, which provides evidence-based integrated care and care coordination for pregnant and postpartum Medicaid beneficiaries with opioid use disorder (OUD). Describes activities MOM Model awardees undertook during the MOM Model's second implementation year, July 1, 2023–June 30, 2024, and summarizes qualitative and beneficiary-level process data findings by state awardee. Discusses barriers pregnant and postpartum women with OUD face in accessing high-quality, continuous care, specifically in rural areas.
Additional links: Findings at a Glance
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Westat
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Provides an overview of the Maternal Opioid Misuse Model, which provides evidence-based integrated care and care coordination for pregnant and postpartum Medicaid beneficiaries with opioid use disorder (OUD). Describes activities MOM Model awardees undertook during the MOM Model's second implementation year, July 1, 2023–June 30, 2024, and summarizes qualitative and beneficiary-level process data findings by state awardee. Discusses barriers pregnant and postpartum women with OUD face in accessing high-quality, continuous care, specifically in rural areas.
Additional links: Findings at a Glance
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Westat
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Continuity of Pain Clinic Care among Rural and Urban Veterans
Presents a study exploring the differences in continuity of pain care through the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) for rural and urban veterans. Breaks down data by age, sex, pain severity, and behavioral health disorders, among other measures.
Author(s): Katherine Hadlandsmyth, Rena E. Courtney, Jenna L. Adamowicz, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(2), e70031
Date: 05/2025
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Presents a study exploring the differences in continuity of pain care through the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) for rural and urban veterans. Breaks down data by age, sex, pain severity, and behavioral health disorders, among other measures.
Author(s): Katherine Hadlandsmyth, Rena E. Courtney, Jenna L. Adamowicz, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(2), e70031
Date: 05/2025
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Different Forms of Stigma and Rural Primary Care Professionals' Willingness to Prescribe Buprenorphine
Presents a study exploring the different types of stigma affecting buprenorphine and other medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) prescribing rates in rural primary care settings. Details perceived stigmas around MOUD by providers, such as the fear of being harmed by patients, fear of their professional image being harmed, and the fear of the medications harming their patients.
Author(s): Berkeley Franz, Lindsay Y. Dhanani, Sean Bogart, et al.
Citation: Journal of Substance Use & Addiction Treatment, 171, 209633
Date: 04/2025
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Presents a study exploring the different types of stigma affecting buprenorphine and other medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) prescribing rates in rural primary care settings. Details perceived stigmas around MOUD by providers, such as the fear of being harmed by patients, fear of their professional image being harmed, and the fear of the medications harming their patients.
Author(s): Berkeley Franz, Lindsay Y. Dhanani, Sean Bogart, et al.
Citation: Journal of Substance Use & Addiction Treatment, 171, 209633
Date: 04/2025
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Medicare Beneficiary Receipt of Methadone by Drive Time to Opioid Treatment Programs
Examines availability of methadone at opioid treatment programs for Medicare beneficiaries who have been diagnosed with an opioid use disorder. Utilizes data from 640,706 Medicare beneficiaries and analyzes their respective drive time to a treatment facility as well as receipt of methadone treatment. Includes U.S. map showing locations of opioid treatment programs and rural versus urban comparisons of patient drive times.
Author(s): Jonathan Cantor, Helin G. Hernandez, Aaron Kofner, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 8(4), e253099
Date: 04/2025
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Examines availability of methadone at opioid treatment programs for Medicare beneficiaries who have been diagnosed with an opioid use disorder. Utilizes data from 640,706 Medicare beneficiaries and analyzes their respective drive time to a treatment facility as well as receipt of methadone treatment. Includes U.S. map showing locations of opioid treatment programs and rural versus urban comparisons of patient drive times.
Author(s): Jonathan Cantor, Helin G. Hernandez, Aaron Kofner, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 8(4), e253099
Date: 04/2025
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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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Delivering Medications for Opioid Use Disorder in Primary Care: Environmental Scan
Report provides a literature review and interviews with key informants to outline the opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment environment and make policy recommendations. Discusses how changes to regulations have affected access to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), how the opioid use environment has changed, and what models and evidence-based tools exist to facilitate OUD treatment, among other issues.
Author(s): Collette Sosnowy, Danielle Durant, Garrett Moran, et al.
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Report provides a literature review and interviews with key informants to outline the opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment environment and make policy recommendations. Discusses how changes to regulations have affected access to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), how the opioid use environment has changed, and what models and evidence-based tools exist to facilitate OUD treatment, among other issues.
Author(s): Collette Sosnowy, Danielle Durant, Garrett Moran, et al.
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Beliefs of US Chiefs of Police about Substance Use Disorder, Fentanyl Exposure, Overdose Response, and Use of Discretion: Results from a National Survey
Examines police chief perceptions regarding substance use. Focuses on issues such as discretion when making arrests, overdose response, risks of fentanyl exposure, de-escalation practices, harmful drugs in their communities, and buprenorphine obtained via illicit means. Analyzes survey data from 276 police chiefs regarding their knowledge and attitudes on addiction and policing, with breakdowns according to their region, urbanicity, and experience.
Author(s): Amelia Bailey, Barbara Andraka-Christou, Saba Rouhani, et al.
Citation: Health & Justice, 13, 13
Date: 03/2025
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Examines police chief perceptions regarding substance use. Focuses on issues such as discretion when making arrests, overdose response, risks of fentanyl exposure, de-escalation practices, harmful drugs in their communities, and buprenorphine obtained via illicit means. Analyzes survey data from 276 police chiefs regarding their knowledge and attitudes on addiction and policing, with breakdowns according to their region, urbanicity, and experience.
Author(s): Amelia Bailey, Barbara Andraka-Christou, Saba Rouhani, et al.
Citation: Health & Justice, 13, 13
Date: 03/2025
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Ethics for Behavioral Health Professionals in Rural Areas
Webinar recording discussing ethics as it relates to the delivery of behavioral healthcare services in rural areas. Provides guidance for behavioral health professionals on shaping care through ethical decision-making models and highlights topics relevant to rural communities.
Additional links: Webinar Slides
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Addiction Technology Transfer Center Network
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Webinar recording discussing ethics as it relates to the delivery of behavioral healthcare services in rural areas. Provides guidance for behavioral health professionals on shaping care through ethical decision-making models and highlights topics relevant to rural communities.
Additional links: Webinar Slides
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Addiction Technology Transfer Center Network
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Disparities in Substance Use Disorder Telehealth Services
Results of a study examining telehealth's association with changes in disparities in substance use disorder telehealth utilization across payers and rurality, from 2019-2023. Features statistics including breakdowns by urban and rural areas.
Author(s): Lauryn Saxe Walker, Manying Cui, Jonathan Cantor, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 8(2), e2459606
Date: 02/2025
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Results of a study examining telehealth's association with changes in disparities in substance use disorder telehealth utilization across payers and rurality, from 2019-2023. Features statistics including breakdowns by urban and rural areas.
Author(s): Lauryn Saxe Walker, Manying Cui, Jonathan Cantor, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 8(2), e2459606
Date: 02/2025
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Social Network Barriers to Extended-Release Naltrexone Within Rural Appalachia: Perspectives from Justice-Involved Clients and Clinicians
Presents a study on the role of family, friends, and clinicians can play in influencing naltrexone treatment uptake of people with opioid use disorder (POUD) who are incarcerated in Appalachia. Bases findings on interviews with clinicians and breaks down data by sociodemographic characteristics, substance use, and social network composition, among other measures.
Author(s): Amanda M. Bunting, Carrie B. Oser, Marisa Booty, et al.
Citation: Substance Use & Misuse, 60(5), 758-765
Date: 01/2025
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Presents a study on the role of family, friends, and clinicians can play in influencing naltrexone treatment uptake of people with opioid use disorder (POUD) who are incarcerated in Appalachia. Bases findings on interviews with clinicians and breaks down data by sociodemographic characteristics, substance use, and social network composition, among other measures.
Author(s): Amanda M. Bunting, Carrie B. Oser, Marisa Booty, et al.
Citation: Substance Use & Misuse, 60(5), 758-765
Date: 01/2025
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