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Rural Community Solutions to Address Substance Use Disorder Series, Article Five: Intercept 4—Reentry
Article - 2/18/2025
The Rural Responses to the Opioid Epidemic (RROE) project, co-funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the State Justice Institute, supported 21 rural sites across the country to develop or enhance efforts to strengthen epidemiologic surveillance and public health data infrastructure; implement effective community-level opioid overdose prevention activities; and establish or enhance public safety, public health, and behavioral health collaborations. Sites could also expand peer recovery and recovery support services that help people start and stay in recovery. This series explores how RROE sites’ efforts aligned at each point of the Sequential Intercept Model (SIM) and the public safety/public health partnerships that strengthened these efforts. Learn more about the RROE project at https://rural.cossup.org/.
Other articles in this series can be viewed at the following links:
- Article One: Intercept 0—Community Services https://www.cossup.org/Content/Documents/Articles/2024_Rural_Community_Solutions_to_Address_Substance_Use_Disorder_Intercept_0_Community_Services.pdf
- Article Two: Intercept 1—Law Enforcement https://www.cossup.org/Content/Documents/Articles/2024_Rural_Community_Solutions_to_Address_Substance_Use_Disorder_Intercept_1_Law_Enforcement.pdf
- Article Three: Intercept 2—Initial Detention/Initial Court Hearings https://www.cossup.org/Content/Documents/Articles/2024_Rural_Community_Solutions_to_Address_Substance_Use_Disorder_Intercept_2_Detention_Hearings.pdf
- Article Four: Intercept 3—Jails/Courts https://www.cossup.org/Content/Documents/Articles/2024_Rural_Community_Solutions_to_Address_Substance_Use_Disorder_Intercept_3_Jail_Courts.pdf
- Article Six: Intercept 5—Community Corrections https://www.cossup.org/Content/Documents/Articles/2024_Rural_Community_Solutions_to_Address_Substance_Use_Disorder_Intercept_5_Community_Corrections.pdf
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Rural Community Solutions to Address Substance Use Disorder Series, Article Four: Intercept 3—Jails/Courts
Article - 2/18/2025
The Rural Responses to the Opioid Epidemic (RROE) project, co-funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the State Justice Institute, supported 21 rural sites across the country to develop or enhance efforts to strengthen epidemiologic surveillance and public health data infrastructure; implement effective community-level opioid overdose prevention activities; and establish or enhance public safety, public health, and behavioral health collaborations. Sites could also expand peer recovery and recovery support services that help people start and stay in recovery. This series explores how RROE sites’ efforts aligned at each point of the Sequential Intercept Model (SIM) and the public safety/public health partnerships that strengthened these efforts. Learn more about the RROE project at https://rural.cossup.org/.
Other articles in this series can be viewed at the following links:
- Article One: Intercept 0—Community Services https://www.cossup.org/Content/Documents/Articles/2024_Rural_Community_Solutions_to_Address_Substance_Use_Disorder_Intercept_0_Community_Services.pdf
- Article Two: Intercept 1—Law Enforcement https://www.cossup.org/Content/Documents/Articles/2024_Rural_Community_Solutions_to_Address_Substance_Use_Disorder_Intercept_1_Law_Enforcement.pdf
- Article Three: Intercept 2—Initial Detention/Initial Court Hearings https://www.cossup.org/Content/Documents/Articles/2024_Rural_Community_Solutions_to_Address_Substance_Use_Disorder_Intercept_2_Detention_Hearings.pdf
- Article Five: Intercept 4—Reentry https://www.cossup.org/Content/Documents/Articles/2024_Rural_Community_Solutions_to_Address_Substance_Use_Disorder_Intercept_4_Reentry.pdf
- Article Six: Intercept 5—Community Corrections https://www.cossup.org/Content/Documents/Articles/2024_Rural_Community_Solutions_to_Address_Substance_Use_Disorder_Intercept_5_Community_Corrections.pdf
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Rural Community Solutions to Address Substance Use Disorder Series, Article One: Intercept 0—Community Services
Article - 2/18/2025
The Rural Responses to the Opioid Epidemic (RROE) project, co-funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the State Justice Institute, supported 21 rural sites across the country to develop or enhance efforts to strengthen epidemiologic surveillance and public health data infrastructure; implement effective community-level opioid overdose prevention activities; and establish or enhance public safety, public health, and behavioral health collaborations. Sites could also expand peer recovery and recovery support services that help people start and stay in recovery. This series explores how RROE sites’ efforts aligned at each point of the Sequential Intercept Model (SIM) and the public safety/public health partnerships that strengthened these efforts. Learn more about the RROE project at https://rural.cossup.org/.
Other articles in this series can be viewed at the following links:
- Article Two: Intercept 1—Law Enforcement https://www.cossup.org/Content/Documents/Articles/2024_Rural_Community_Solutions_to_Address_Substance_Use_Disorder_Intercept_1_Law_Enforcement.pdf
- Article Three: Intercept 2—Initial Detention/Initial Court Hearings https://www.cossup.org/Content/Documents/Articles/2024_Rural_Community_Solutions_to_Address_Substance_Use_Disorder_Intercept_2_Detention_Hearings.pdf
- Article Four: Intercept 3—Jails/Courts https://www.cossup.org/Content/Documents/Articles/2024_Rural_Community_Solutions_to_Address_Substance_Use_Disorder_Intercept_3_Jail_Courts.pdf
- Article Five: Intercept 4—Reentry https://www.cossup.org/Content/Documents/Articles/2024_Rural_Community_Solutions_to_Address_Substance_Use_Disorder_Intercept_4_Reentry.pdf
- Article Six: Intercept 5—Community Corrections https://www.cossup.org/Content/Documents/Articles/2024_Rural_Community_Solutions_to_Address_Substance_Use_Disorder_Intercept_5_Community_Corrections.pdf
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Rural Community Solutions to Address Substance Use Disorder Series, Article Six: Intercept 5—Community Corrections
Article - 2/18/2025
The Rural Responses to the Opioid Epidemic (RROE) project, co-funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the State Justice Institute, supported 21 rural sites across the country to develop or enhance efforts to strengthen epidemiologic surveillance and public health data infrastructure; implement effective community-level opioid overdose prevention activities; and establish or enhance public safety, public health, and behavioral health collaborations. Sites could also expand peer recovery and recovery support services that help people start and stay in recovery. This series explores how RROE sites’ efforts aligned at each point of the Sequential Intercept Model (SIM) and the public safety/public health partnerships that strengthened these efforts. Learn more about the RROE project at https://rural.cossup.org/.
Other articles in this series can be viewed at the following links:
- Article One: Intercept 0—Community Services https://www.cossup.org/Content/Documents/Articles/2024_Rural_Community_Solutions_to_Address_Substance_Use_Disorder_Intercept_0_Community_Services.pdf
- Article Two: Intercept 1—Law Enforcement https://www.cossup.org/Content/Documents/Articles/2024_Rural_Community_Solutions_to_Address_Substance_Use_Disorder_Intercept_1_Law_Enforcement.pdf
- Article Three: Intercept 2—Initial Detention/Initial Court Hearings https://www.cossup.org/Content/Documents/Articles/2024_Rural_Community_Solutions_to_Address_Substance_Use_Disorder_Intercept_2_Detention_Hearings.pdf
- Article Four: Intercept 3—Jails/Courts https://www.cossup.org/Content/Documents/Articles/2024_Rural_Community_Solutions_to_Address_Substance_Use_Disorder_Intercept_3_Jail_Courts.pdf
- Article Five: Intercept 4—Reentry https://www.cossup.org/Content/Documents/Articles/2024_Rural_Community_Solutions_to_Address_Substance_Use_Disorder_Intercept_4_Reentry.pdf
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Rural Community Solutions to Address Substance Use Disorder Series, Article Three: Intercept 2—Initial Detention/Initial Court Hearings
Article - 2/18/2025
The Rural Responses to the Opioid Epidemic (RROE) project, co-funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the State Justice Institute, supported 21 rural sites across the country to develop or enhance efforts to strengthen epidemiologic surveillance and public health data infrastructure; implement effective community-level opioid overdose prevention activities; and establish or enhance public safety, public health, and behavioral health collaborations. Sites could also expand peer recovery and recovery support services that help people start and stay in recovery. This series explores how RROE sites’ efforts aligned at each point of the Sequential Intercept Model (SIM) and the public safety/public health partnerships that strengthened these efforts. Learn more about the RROE project at https://rural.cossup.org/.
Other articles in this series can be viewed at the following links:
- Article One: Intercept 0—Community Services https://www.cossup.org/Content/Documents/Articles/2024_Rural_Community_Solutions_to_Address_Substance_Use_Disorder_Intercept_0_Community_Services.pdf
- Article Two: Intercept 1—Law Enforcement https://www.cossup.org/Content/Documents/Articles/2024_Rural_Community_Solutions_to_Address_Substance_Use_Disorder_Intercept_1_Law_Enforcement.pdf
- Article Four: Intercept 3—Jails/Courts https://www.cossup.org/Content/Documents/Articles/2024_Rural_Community_Solutions_to_Address_Substance_Use_Disorder_Intercept_3_Jail_Courts.pdf
- Article Five: Intercept 4—Reentry https://www.cossup.org/Content/Documents/Articles/2024_Rural_Community_Solutions_to_Address_Substance_Use_Disorder_Intercept_4_Reentry.pdf
- Article Six: Intercept 5—Community Corrections https://www.cossup.org/Content/Documents/Articles/2024_Rural_Community_Solutions_to_Address_Substance_Use_Disorder_Intercept_5_Community_Corrections.pdf
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Rural Community Solutions to Address Substance Use Disorder Series, Article Two: Intercept 1—Law Enforcement
Article - 2/18/2025
The Rural Responses to the Opioid Epidemic (RROE) project, co-funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the State Justice Institute, supported 21 rural sites across the country to develop or enhance efforts to strengthen epidemiologic surveillance and public health data infrastructure; implement effective community-level opioid overdose prevention activities; and establish or enhance public safety, public health, and behavioral health collaborations. Sites could also expand peer recovery and recovery support services that help people start and stay in recovery. This series explores how RROE sites’ efforts aligned at each point of the Sequential Intercept Model (SIM) and the public safety/public health partnerships that strengthened these efforts. Learn more about the RROE project at https://rural.cossup.org/.
Other articles in this series can be viewed at the following links:
- Article One: Intercept 0—Community Services https://www.cossup.org/Content/Documents/Articles/2024_Rural_Community_Solutions_to_Address_Substance_Use_Disorder_Intercept_0_Community_Services.pdf
- Article Three: Intercept 2—Initial Detention/Initial Court Hearings https://www.cossup.org/Content/Documents/Articles/2024_Rural_Community_Solutions_to_Address_Substance_Use_Disorder_Intercept_2_Detention_Hearings.pdf
- Article Four: Intercept 3—Jails/Courts https://www.cossup.org/Content/Documents/Articles/2024_Rural_Community_Solutions_to_Address_Substance_Use_Disorder_Intercept_3_Jail_Courts.pdf
- Article Five: Intercept 4—Reentry https://www.cossup.org/Content/Documents/Articles/2024_Rural_Community_Solutions_to_Address_Substance_Use_Disorder_Intercept_4_Reentry.pdf
- Article Six: Intercept 5—Community Corrections https://www.cossup.org/Content/Documents/Articles/2024_Rural_Community_Solutions_to_Address_Substance_Use_Disorder_Intercept_5_Community_Corrections.pdf
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Rural Court Perspectives on Addressing Substance Use Disorder in Justice-involved People
Report - 9/6/2024
This report summarizes highlights and lessons learned from a discussion with judges and court personnel from rural communities on barriers, successes, and innovations related to addressing substance use disorder for court-involved people, with a focus on strategies that are currently working well in rural courtrooms and an examination of ongoing challenges for rural judges and communities.
In July 2024, the State Justice Institute (SJI), in partnership with the Institute for Intergovernmental Research (IIR) and the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) convened a 1-day listening session for judges and court personnel from rural communities to discuss barriers, successes, and innovations related to addressing substance use disorder (SUD) for court-involved people and to identify opportunities to more effectively support children and families impacted by SUD. This report summarizes highlights from that discussion, with a focus on strategies that are currently working well in rural courtrooms and an examination of ongoing challenges for rural judges and communities.
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Just Outreach Teams For Substance Use In Rural Nevada
Podcast - 7/26/2024
In episode six of our Community-based Solutions for Substance Use Challenges season, Just Science sits down with Dr. Terry Kerns, Substance Abuse Law Enforcement Coordinator of the Nevada Office of the Attorney General, Dr. Katie Snider, owner of Justice Research LLC, and DJ Mills, Director of Mental Health and Deflection Programs at the Nye Communities Coalition, to discuss their COSSUP-funded Mobile Outreach Safety Teams (MOST) and Forensic Assessment Service Triage Teams (FASTT) programs, which help bridge the gaps between law enforcement and social services in rural Nevada.
To address the needs of justice-involved individuals with a substance use disorder, there are several opportunities for intervention, including pre-arrest, at the time of a behavioral health crisis; and post-arrest, once an individual has already been incarcerated. In rural Nevada, the Office of the Attorney General has pioneered two types of outreach teams, which help support individuals at both points in their involvement with the criminal justice system. Listen along as Dr. Kerns, Dr. Snider, and DJ discuss how MOST and FASTT operate, the state and local impact of these programs, and how grantees have overcome implementation barriers.
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Impact Report: Rural Responses to the Opioid Epidemic
Report - 7/1/2024
The Rural Responses to the Opioid Epidemic (RROE) project, co-funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the State Justice Institute, was developed to address the substance use crisis in rural America and build upon rural communities’ unique strengths by supporting 21 rural sites across the country to bring together local public safety, public health, and behavioral health stakeholders to address substance use disorder and overdoses within their communities. This report details the wide-ranging impacts the RROE sites' work had on their communities, from improving outcomes for individual residents to making more effective use of public safety and health systems. This report highlights the accomplishments of the Rural Responses to the Opioid Epidemic (RROE) sites. -
The Intersection of Deflection, Traumatic Brain Injuries, and Substance Use Disorders Podcast Series, Episode 3: Importance of Community Partnerships: Brain Injury in the Justice System and Responding to Special Populations
Podcast - 4/29/2024
In this podcast series, the National Association of State Head Injury Administrators (NASHIA) team explores the interconnectivity between brain injury, behavioral health, law enforcement, and the justice system. Through the episodes, the team interviews experts and discusses the prevalence, impacts, and best practices for law enforcement to engage in successful interactions with those living with brain injury and behavioral health conditions. Specific topics covered include:
- Prevalence of brain injury in behavioral health and the justice system
- Supporting productive communication between first responders and individuals with lived experience of brain injury
- Best practices for first responders and successful collaborations to support those at this intersection
Subject-matter experts and guest speakers include Dr. Kim Gorgens (University of Denver), Dr. Ivory Tubbs (Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education), Dr. Charles Smith (former Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Region 8 Administrator), Corporal Jennifer Speith (Anne Arundel County, Maryland, Mental Health Agency), Anastasia Edmunston (Maryland Behavioral Health Administration), Cheryl Kempf (individual with lived experience), The Honorable Scott Cooper (Collaborative Courts, Orange County, California), Caitlin Synovec (National Health Care for the Homeless Council), Angela Klinenberger (individual with lived experience), Dr. Jaclyn Caccese (Ohio State University), Dr. Patricia Kay Reyna (researcher for family and caregiver interventions), and Deputy Josh Walters (Franklin County, Ohio, Sheriff’s Office).
Episode 3: Importance of Community Partnerships: Brain Injury in the Justice System and Responding to Special Populations
in this third episode of a four-part series, join us for a discussion with the Honorable Scott Cooper, a supervising judge of the Collaborative Courts in Orange County, California; Caitlin Synovec, Assistant Director of Medical Respite for the National Health Care for the Homeless Council and a National Association of State Head Injury Administrators (NASHIA) consultant; and Angela Klingenberger, an individual with experience of a brain injury and the justice system. We will explore the prevalence of brain injury among populations that are at risk for brain injury and justice involvement and how community collaborations and partnerships can create positive outcomes for these individuals.
Speakers’ Full Biographies
- The Honorable Scott Cooper
- The Honorable Scott Cooper is the supervising judge of the Collaborative Courts in Orange County, California. In that role, he presides over criminal courts that focus on defendants with mental health and substance use disorders.
- Caitlin Synovec
- Caitlin Synovec is currently the assistant director of medical respite for the National Health Care for the Homeless Council. She is an occupational therapist providing consultative services to national and state organizations. She has clinical experience in working with adults experiencing homelessness to improve quality of life and engagement in their preferred communities. Ms. Synovec has studied and developed clinical and program resources to address the intersection of homelessness, poverty, traumatic brain injury, and mental health, and their impact on health and community living.
- Angela Klingenberger
- Angela Klingenberger is a person with lived experience of brain injury and involvement in the criminal legal system, having unique insights shaped by her personal journey. Ms. Klingenberger offers a profound glimpse into the complexities of navigating both brain injury and legal systems, enriching discussions as systems look to improve outcomes for people with brain injuries.
Resources and Links
- NASHIA Behavioral Health Resource Library
- NASHIA Criminal Justice Resource Library
- Accommodating the Symptoms of TBI
- National Health Care for the Homeless Council
Additional Podcasts In This Series
- Episode 1: Connecting Brain Injury, Substance Use, and the Criminal Justice System—https://cossup.org/ResourceLibrary/Details/b36127ac-0010-48bf-933a-14fb940ec976
- Episode 2: Supporting Productive Communication: Tips for First Responders to Identify Brain Injury and Deflecting Arrest—https://cossup.org/ResourceLibrary/Details/25a4693b-451d-43b0-ab85-d898d502b3cf
- Episode 4: Supporting First Responders: Emerging Considerations and Best Practices for Those Who Have Experienced a Brain Injury—https://cossup.org/ResourceLibrary/Details/e5ac3dd9-6968-458c-91f0-7f16aa3b5c83
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Reaching Rural: Advancing Collaborative Solutions
Webinar - 11/14/2023
The Institute for Intergovernmental Research (IIR) is releasing this solicitation for applications on behalf of the Office of Justice Program’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the State Justice Institute (SJI). This 12-month planning initiative will support individual practitioners or cross-sector teams from the same community or region interested in adopting bold solutions and reimagining how diverse organizations and agencies with different missions can engage with one another to address the persistent challenge of substance use and misuse in rural communities.
The Reaching Rural initiative is designed for rural agency leaders or mid-level professionals working in counties, cities, or tribes as justice, public safety, public health, or behavioral health practitioners. Selected participants will bring a diversity of expertise and experiences, a desire to learn and contribute, and a passion for addressing substance use and misuse in their rural communities.
Viewing Options and Resources
- COSSUP webinar recordings include options for enabling closed captioning/subtitles and transcripts during playback; please see the bottom right menu of the recording screen.
- Presentation slides are available upon request by contacting info@cossup.org.
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Justice Today Podcast: Reaching Recovery in Rural and Tribal Areas
Podcast - 9/18/2023
The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) invites you to listen to this podcast featuring County Prosecutor Bradley Carlyon of Navajo County, Arizona. In this episode, he details working to help residents on the road to recovery from the moment they enter the county jail. "One of the things that we're doing through a BJA program, Reaching Rural, is creating a peer support network that would start in the jail with peers, where they can make those connections with substance users in the jails. And then, as they're released to the behavioral health program, continue that peer support to help them along their path to recovery." – Bradley Carlyon
To learn more about how they are reaching rural and Native Americans needing recovery in Navajo County, read the companion blog.
Justice Today is the official podcast of the Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs, which focuses on programmatic and policy efforts to address chronic and emerging criminal justice challenges nationwide. The podcast features federal leaders, criminal justice professionals, program experts, and community-based partners who aim to address criminal justice challenges and create safer communities.
COSSUP gratefully acknowledges the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance for allowing us to reproduce, in part or in whole, the audio presentation "Reaching Recovery in Rural and Tribal Areas." The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this resource are those of the speaker(s) and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.
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Helping Rural Communities Thrive: How Federal Leaders Can Transform Federal Assistance to Support Rural Justice Practitioners
Report - 6/30/2023
This report provides insights into the priorities and needs of criminal justice stakeholders from rural communities, including challenges and opportunities around accessing federal grant funding, training, and technical assistance. Thirty-one rural practitioners and researchers participated in a roundtable discussion that highlighted how limited capacity, expertise, and resources impact rural communities’ success in accessing federal funding. The roundtable participants also developed recommendations to meaningfully support rural communities. This report contains their recommendations, organized into chapters addressing federal grant funding, federally sponsored technical assistance, and federally sponsored training.
This report identifies challenges rural justice stakeholders face in accessing federal grant funding, training, and technical assistance and opportunities to support their access to such resources. -
MAT in Rural Jails Episode 1: A Jail Medical Staff Administrator’s Perspective
Podcast - 6/26/2023
Welcome to the Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP) podcast series featuring conversations with guests about medication-assisted treatment (MAT) in rural jails. This series offers listeners an opportunity to learn from individuals who are involved in providing MAT and recovery support within rural jails. Each of the five podcasts offers a unique perspective based on the role of the guest: a jail medical staff administrator, a peer specialist, a community-based medical provider, an MAT program coordinator, and a jail administrator. They share their lessons learned and experience addressing challenges commonly faced by jails and their partners when implementing MAT.
The Albany County Correctional and Rehabilitative Services Center (ACCRSC) was one of the first correctional facilities in upstate New York to offer all three U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved medications for treating opioid use disorder. An outside provider administers, in a typical year, methadone, buprenorphine, or naltrexone to 300 individuals who are in custody at ACCRSC.
All individuals who have or are at risk for opioid use disorder, regardless of custody status, are offered medication-assisted treatment (MAT) services. The daily population of the jail averages 383 individuals in pretrial status and 48 individuals who are sentenced. Length of stay for the former is just shy of 40 days; for the latter, 11 days. ACCRSC primarily serves suburban and rural areas.
In this podcast, Jill Harrington, Health Services Administrator at ACCRSC, shares what makes the program successful, the impact of legislation passed in New York State in 2021, the role of partnerships, and the importance of credentialed alcoholism and substance use counselors.
For more information on ACCRSC’s program, go to MAT: Making a Difference in Upstate New York in Catching Up with COSSUP.
In this podcast, Jill Harrington, Health Services Administrator at Albany County Correctional and Rehabilitative Services Center, shares what makes their program successful. -
MAT in Rural Jails Episode 2: A Social Service Provider's Perspective
Podcast - 6/26/2023
Welcome to the Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP) podcast series featuring conversations with guests about medication-assisted treatment (MAT) in rural jails. This series offers listeners an opportunity to learn from individuals who are involved in providing MAT and recovery support within rural jails. Each of the five podcasts offers a unique perspective based on the role of the guest: a jail medical staff administrator, a peer specialist, a community-based medical provider, an MAT program coordinator, and a jail administrator. They share their lessons learned and experience addressing challenges commonly faced by jails and their partners when implementing MAT.
West Tennessee Healthcare’s Pathways Behavioral Health Services (Pathways) provides mental health and substance use disorder services to residents of approximately 60 counties in Tennessee, a state that is predominantly rural. Services are delivered in seven offices and three peer support centers, as well as via telehealth.
For nearly 5 years, services have included medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for individuals while in jail and upon reentry to the community. In 2022, Pathways became certified as an office-based opioid treatment setting. Pathways administers naltrexone and buprenorphine to approximately 200 individuals every month.
In this podcast, Courtney Collier, Telehealth Coordinator and Peer Specialist for Pathways, discusses his experience working with individuals receiving MAT while in jail custody or upon transition to the community. He shares his insights on overcoming stigma, building community partnerships, using telehealth, and tapping the “power of the peer.”
In this podcast, Courtney Collier, Telehealth Coordinator and Peer Specialist for Pathways, discusses his experience working with individuals receiving MAT in jail. -
MAT in Rural Jails Episode 3: A Community-based MAT Provider’s Perspective
Podcast - 6/26/2023
Welcome to the Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP) podcast series featuring conversations with guests about medication-assisted treatment (MAT) in rural jails. This series offers listeners an opportunity to learn from individuals who are involved in providing MAT and recovery support within rural jails. Each of the five podcasts offers a unique perspective based on the role of the guest: a jail medical staff administrator, a peer specialist, a community-based medical provider, an MAT program coordinator, and a jail administrator. They share their lessons learned and experience addressing challenges commonly faced by jails and their partners when implementing MAT.
The Community Health Center of Franklin County (CHCFC), located in Greenfield, Massachusetts, serves the most rural area of the commonwealth. CHCFC works directly with the Franklin County House of Correction to provide medication-assisted treatment, cofunding a community health worker who helps with release planning and transitions.
The jail began offering injectable naltrexone in 2015. Within 4 years, it was also offering buprenorphine and methadone, thereby providing all three medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treating opioid use disorder. Notably, the Franklin County House of Corrections is one of the first jails in the nation with an accredited and certified opioid treatment program.
In this podcast, Rachel Katz, Director of CHCFC’s Office-based Addiction Treatment Program, discusses dismantling both internal and external stigma through education, building community buy-in of medications for opioid use disorder, and collaboratively building a safety net for individuals with substance use disorders who are transitioning from incarceration to the community. She advocates for a shift in the medical paradigm to reduce discriminatory practices and improve accessibility to effective treatment.
In this podcast, Rachel Katz, Director of CHCFC’s Office-based Addiction Treatment Program, discusses dismantling stigma, building community buy-in, and collaboratively building a safety net. -
MAT in Rural Jails Episode 4: An MAT Program Coordinator’s Perspective
Podcast - 6/26/2023
Welcome to the Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP) podcast series featuring conversations with guests about medication-assisted treatment (MAT) in rural jails. This series offers listeners an opportunity to learn from individuals who are involved in providing MAT and recovery support within rural jails. Each of the five podcasts offers a unique perspective based on the role of the guest: a jail medical staff administrator, a peer specialist, a community-based medical provider, an MAT program coordinator, and a jail administrator. They share their lessons learned and experience addressing challenges commonly faced by jails and their partners when implementing MAT.
Increasingly, correctional facilities across the country are providing medication-assisted treatment (MAT) to individuals in custody. Successful implementation of MAT programming in rural areas, such as Alaska and Montana, provides valuable lessons on overcoming challenges posed by rural settings.
In this podcast, Michael White, former Director of Community Programs at Community Medical Services, discusses his experience working with rural communities. He describes the collective impact model for building collaboration, which involves honoring and validating the beliefs of jail staff and community members as the first step. He explains how to scale up to MAT provision, why synergy among leadership is important, and what to expect from community providers.
In this podcast, Michael White, former Director of Community Programs at Community Medical Services, discusses his experience working with rural communities. -
MAT in Rural Jails Episode 5: A Jail Administrator’s Perspective
Podcast - 6/26/2023
Welcome to the Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP) podcast series featuring conversations with guests about medication-assisted treatment (MAT) in rural jails. This series offers listeners an opportunity to learn from individuals who are involved in providing MAT and recovery support within rural jails. Each of the five podcasts offers a unique perspective based on the role of the guest: a jail medical staff administrator, a peer specialist, a community-based medical provider, an MAT program coordinator, and a jail administrator. They share their lessons learned and experience addressing challenges commonly faced by jails and their partners when implementing MAT.
In 2019, St. Louis County, Minnesota, was one of 14 jurisdictions in the country selected to participate in the Building Bridges Between Jails and Community-based Treatment initiative, cofunded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance and Arnold Ventures, to promote implementation of medication-assisted treatment (MAT) in jails and enhance collaboration between jails and community-based treatment providers.
The St. Louis County Jail, in Duluth, is a 197-bed facility with an average daily population of 177 men and women, most of whom are being held as high-risk and pretrial. It serves the largest county, by both population and land mass, in Minnesota.
In this podcast, Jessica Pete, Jail Administrator of the St. Louis County Jail, discusses eliminating community and staff bias against MAT; gives advice on the “nuts and bolts” of program implementation, including cross-training medical and security staff; and shares how COVID-19 helped the jail move forward.
In this podcast, Jessica Pete, Jail Administrator of the St. Louis County Jail, discusses eliminating community and staff bias against MAT. -
Leveraging Telehealth for Justice-involved Populations With Substance Use Disorders: Lessons Learned and Considerations for Governors
Article - 6/16/2023
Topics covered include lessons learned and considerations for governors who wish to leverage telehealth services to increase access to SUD treatment for those involved in the justice system.
This article reviews activities undertaken by states to expand the use of telehealth for justice-involved individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs) during the COVID-19 pandemic. -
2023 OFR National Forum: Concurrent Session 2: OFR in Action: Rural Communities
Video - 1/19/2023
This session includes three presentations that showcase rural communities’ success with OFRs. It includes identifying critical steps to develop a suicide/overdose fatality review in a community, the value of drafting a timeline of a decedent’s life to make appropriate recommendations and summarizing key components of a response team model in a rural area.
Breakout session at the 2023 OFR National Forum highlighting rural OFRs -
Collaboration Within Rural Communities
Meeting Presentation - 1/19/2023
Since the suicide and overdose fatality review (SOFR) team in Whitley County, Indiana, was formed in August 2022, it has learned so much. Within the rural community, the team was able to form quickly because everyone knew each other well because of their roles in the county. Within the team’s review process, the team has received significant and detailed information from the county’s prosecutor’s office, sheriff’s department, police department, Department of Child Services, and emergency department. All collaborative partners work very closely and well together and choose to find a resolve versus just engage discussion.
As information was brought to the table and discussed, the importance of developing a timeline of the decedent’s life was critical. The timeline helps the team identify gaps in services very quickly.
Recommendations that the SOFR team have identified so far are:
- Follow-up counseling for suicide attempts in the teenage years
- Gaps within mental health care in the county (three communities within the county do not have a community mental health office)
- Stigma around men receiving counseling through a divorce
- Recovery supports needed in the county
Implementing: Mission 25 is launching a Recovery Engagement Center (REC) to provide multiple pathways to recovery. This is a longtime needed service for Whitley County. The REC will open in late fall 2023.
Resources: Mission 25 and the health department are providing naloxone; the police department’s “Handle With Care” program was discussed for children who lost a parent or loved one by overdose or suicide; the Department of Child Services is providing family care.
This presentation was in the Concurrent Session 2: OFR in Action: Rural Communities breakout. -
Overdose Fatality Review: A Rural Community Approach
Meeting Presentation - 1/19/2023
A suicide/overdose fatality review (S/OFR) can impact community change and policies. Having the right participants at the S/OFR is critical to positive community engagement. Bringing together cross-sectors of a rural community to create change can bring remarkable success and significant challenges! Protecting our children and future community leaders is a great reason to work toward a solution and put bias aside. In 2019, the Jay County, Indiana, community developed an S/OFR. In 2020, it reviewed its first decedent. Since that time, the county has been able to make strides toward the following:
- Adjustments to programs, processes, policies, and practices to meet changing priorities in the community’s needs
- Developing relationships with different sectors to implement substance use prevention strategies
- Engaging decision makers and community leaders to support substance use prevention policies, programs, and infrastructure
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Mobile Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder: Examples From the Field—Part III
Article - 12/15/2022
It closes with some general takeaways and suggestions for law enforcement and public safety professionals who are interested in collaborating with a mobile treatment program in their community. This article profiles Project Rapid Initiation of Drug Treatment Engagement (RIDE) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (NYS OASAS). -
Addressing Opioid Use Disorder in Rural Communities, Session 2: Using Telemedicine to Increase Access to Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) in Rural Communities
Webinar - 12/7/2022
Telemedicine can be provided by rural clinics themselves, or by external telemedicine providers to whom a rural clinic refers some or all of its patients with opioid use disorder. Through case examples, the presenters highlight how telemedicine has been used to improve access to initiating and maintaining MOUD in rural communities and share their experiences using telemedicine approaches. The dramatic increase in opioid overdose deaths across the nation, particularly in rural areas, highlights the need for rapid expansion of access to medication treatment for opioid use disorder (MOUD). The Greater Southern California Node (GSCN) of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Clinical Trials Network (CTN), UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs, and Pacific Southwest Addiction Technology Transfer Center (PSATTC), HHS Region 9, presents a four-part series featuring rural clinicians and clinical researchers who will share practical knowledge and skills for improving care for patients with OUD in rural settings. This is the second session of the four-part series. The webinar discusses the role that telemedicine can play in expanding access to MOUD in rural communities. -
Addressing Opioid Use Disorder in Rural Communities, Session 1: Hindrances and Helps in Delivering Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) Care in Rural Areas
Webinar - 10/12/2022
The dramatic increase in opioid overdose deaths across the nation, particularly in rural areas, highlights the need for rapid expansion of access to medication treatment for opioid use disorder (MOUD). The Greater Southern California Node (GSCN) of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Clinical Trials Network (CTN), UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs, and Pacific Southwest Addiction Technology Transfer Center (PSATTC), HHS Region 9, presents a four-part series featuring rural clinicians and clinical researchers who will share practical knowledge and skills for improving care for patients with OUD in rural settings. This is the first session of the four-part series.
This session will explore some of the unique characteristics of rural communities and discuss the strengths and challenges to delivering MOUD care within rural areas. -
Reaching Rural: Advancing Collaborative Solutions Solicitation Informational Webinar
Webinar - 8/31/2022
This webinar highlights the Reaching Rural: Advancing Collaborative Solutions initiative and application process.
Viewing Options and Resources
- COSSUP webinar recordings include options for enabling closed captioning/subtitles and transcripts during playback; please see the bottom right menu of the recording screen.
- Presentation slides are available upon request by contacting info@cossup.org.
- Solicitation and Application
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Successful Strategies for Addressing the Opioid Epidemic in Rural Communities: Engaging the Local Business Community
Briefing Sheet - 6/30/2022
This brief is one in a series highlighting projects that are part of the Rural Responses to the Opioid Epidemic project. Learn more about Rural Responses to the Opioid Epidemic at https://rural.cossup.org/.
Rural communities are identifying ways to effectively partner with the local business community to better serve residents with substance use disorder and make more efficient use of limited resources. -
Successful Strategies for Addressing the Opioid Epidemic in Rural Communities: Engaging With Faith-Based Organizations
Briefing Sheet - 6/30/2022
This brief is one in a series highlighting projects that are part of the Rural Responses to the Opioid Epidemic project. Learn more about Rural Responses to the Opioid Epidemic at https://rural.cossup.org/.
Rural communities in all areas of the country are reaching out to their churches and faith-based organizations to bring them on as important partners and expand upon their outreach initiatives. -
Successful Strategies for Addressing the Opioid Epidemic in Rural Communities: Harm Reduction
Briefing Sheet - 6/30/2022
This brief is one in a series highlighting projects that are part of the Rural Responses to the Opioid Epidemic project. Learn more about Rural Responses to the Opioid Epidemic at https://rural.cossup.org/.
Rural communities across the country are implementing harm reduction programs to better serve residents with substance use disorder (SUD) and make more efficient use of limited resources. -
Successful Strategies for Addressing the Opioid Epidemic in Rural Communities: Jail-Based Programming
Briefing Sheet - 6/30/2022
This brief is one in a series highlighting projects that are part of the Rural Responses to the Opioid Epidemic project. Learn more about Rural Responses to the Opioid Epidemic at https://rural.cossup.org/.
Jails across the country have begun implementing jail-based programming to help incarcerated individuals as they seek recovery, reduce recidivism, and reduce the chances of overdose upon release. -
Successful Strategies for Addressing the Opioid Epidemic in Rural Communities: Law Enforcement- and First Responder-Led Diversion Programs
Briefing Sheet - 6/30/2022
This brief is one in a series highlighting projects that are part of the Rural Responses to the Opioid Epidemic project. Learn more about Rural Responses to the Opioid Epidemic at https://rural.cossup.org/ .
Law enforcement and first responder diversion redirects people with substance use, mental health, and co-occurring disorders away from the criminal justice system and into community-based treatment. -
Successful Strategies for Addressing the Opioid Epidemic in Rural Communities: Response Teams
Briefing Sheet - 6/30/2022
Through these efforts, the teams make contact with individuals and families who have experienced overdose to offer support and connections to services and treatment.
This brief is one in a series highlighting projects that are part of the Rural Responses to the Opioid Epidemic project. Learn more about Rural Responses to the Opioid Epidemic at https://rural.cossup.org/.
Rural communities across the country are coming up with innovative ways to respond to overdose spikes in their communities through community outreach and response teams. -
Successful Strategies for Addressing the Opioid Epidemic in Rural Communities: Transportation
Briefing Sheet - 6/30/2022
This brief is one in a series highlighting projects that are part of the Rural Responses to the Opioid Epidemic project. Learn more about Rural Responses to the Opioid Epidemic at https://rural.cossup.org/.
Rural communities across the country are implementing solutions to transportation challenges to better serve residents with substance use disorder and make more efficient use of limited resources. -
Successful Strategies for Addressing the Opioid Epidemic in Rural Communities: Youth and Families Prevention and Intervention
Briefing Sheet - 6/30/2022
This brief is one in a series highlighting projects that are part of the Rural Responses to the Opioid Epidemic project. Learn more about Rural Responses to the Opioid Epidemic at https://rural.cossup.org/.
Rural communities across the country are identifying ways to effectively implement youth- and family-focused programs to better serve individuals directly affected by substance use disorder. -
Considerations for First Responder Deflection in Rural Communities
Article - 5/23/2022
Across the United States, jurisdictions are turning to first responder deflection (FRD) and pre-arrest diversion programming to combat the opioid crisis and to assist individuals suffering from substance use disorder (SUD). These programs help to connect individuals with SUDs to treatment and services and provide pivotal opportunities to redirect them away from placement in jails or emergency departments. These programs are known as law enforcement diversion, pre-arrest diversion, deflection, or pre-booking diversion, as well as other names. In this brief, they will be referred to as FRD programs.
The purpose of this document is to explore challenges faced by rural jurisdictions implementing first responder deflection programs and the innovative responses that have been developed by them. -
Rural Justice Collaborative
Online Resource - 12/31/2021
Rural communities face unique challenges that impact their ability to deliver fair and equitable justice. Despite these challenges, rural communities rely on their many strengths to address the needs of their residents. In 2021, the National Center for State Courts, in partnership with Rulo Strategies, launched the Rural Justice Collaborative (RJC). The Rural Justice Collaborative showcases the strengths of rural communities and highlights the cross-sector collaboration that is the hallmark of rural justice systems. -
Institute for Intergovernmental Research (IIR) Grantee Spotlight and Q&A
Video - 11/18/2021
2021 Virtual COSSAP National Forum—Institute for Intergovernmental Research (IIR) Grantee Spotlight and Q&A
2021 Virtual COSSAP National Forum -
Making Connections With Individuals in Need in Rural Areas
Video - 11/17/2021
2021 Virtual COSSAP National Forum—Making Connections With Individuals in Need in Rural Areas
2021 Virtual COSSAP National Forum -
Mobile Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder: Examples From the Field—Part II
Article - 8/18/2021
The first program is the Eastern Shore Mobile Care Collaborative (ESMCC) at Caroline County Health Department in Maryland. The second is the Mobile Health Services program implemented by the Colorado Department of Human Services, Office of Behavioral Health (OBH).
This publication profiles two programs working in rural, underserved areas that provide both induction and maintenance treatment. -
DEA Expands Access to Mobile Narcotic Treatment Programs
Article - 8/10/2021
This rule change, which took effect on July 28, 2021, will have a significant impact on the nation’s 1,700 DEA-registered and future methadone service providers. DEA will no longer require providers to obtain a separate registration in order to operate a mobile component and distribute controlled substances. Removing the dual-registration requirement will make it easier to supply treatment services to rural and underserved areas. Additional information is provided in this article.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced on June 28, 2021, that it is lifting the 14-year moratorium on methadone dispensing vans operated by narcotic treatment programs (NTPs). -
Understanding Each Other’s Roles and Language
Video - 6/15/2021
This video highlights the Public Health and Safety Team (PHAST) toolkit, which identifies successful strategies for reaching a shared understanding of opioid use disorder and the ways in which partners use language similarly or differently, and how rural communities have used these strategies to increase coordination and communication across systems and stakeholders.
Presenters
- Sarisa Roe, PHAST Evaluation Coordinator, CDC Foundation
- Adam Sorensen, Director of Treatment and Recovery Services at the Mental Health, Drug and Alcohol Services Board, Logan County, Ohio
- John Hitchens, Executive Director of EMS, Star City Volunteer Fire Department, West Virginia
- Dr. Lee Smith, Executive Director, Monongalia County Health Department, West Virginia
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2021 National Virtual Forum on Overdose Fatality Review: Mock OFR Review 2: Rural Review
Video - 2/25/2021
A mock OFR team conducts a rural overdose fatality review.
A mock OFR team conducts a rural overdose fatality review. -
RxCheck Overview Flyer
Article - 8/26/2020
RxCheck provides states the ability to easily participate in the growing movement of nationwide Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) data sharing and integration. RxCheck was developed with support from the U.S. Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), using the Prescription Monitoring Information Exchange (PMIX) National Architecture specifications. RxCheck was designed with the involvement of state PDMP administrators, private industry, and the federal government. RxCheck is currently operated by BJA and is governed by the RxCheck Governing Body consisting of PDMP representatives from participating states.
The RxCheck Hub is a tool to improve health outcomes through reliable data sharing and integration. -
Rural Community Toolbox
Online Resource - 6/24/2020
It offers tools to empower rural community leaders to assess the causes and impact of substance use disorder and find federal programs to help them build strong healthy drug-free rural communities.
The Rural Community Toolbox serves as a guide to the resources that can help make a difference in rural communities. -
Telehealth and the Opioid Epidemic in Oklahoma: Leveraging Technology to Increase Access to Information and Treatment
Meeting Presentation - 3/10/2020
In the predominantly rural state of Oklahoma, practitioners are leveraging telehealth technology to successfully bring evidence-based practices and other vital services and supports to underserved areas. This session outlines barriers and successes encountered during the planning and implementation of these initiatives; discusses how the strategies have increased access and capacity for those in need; and covers how harnessing the power of technology has reduced transportation burdens and gaps in service.
Presenter:
Sean Couch, Statewide Stakeholder Liaison, State Opioid Initiative, Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse
Telehealth technology can be successfully leveraged to provide much-needed services to rural and underserved communities. -
Rural Community Action Guide: Building Stronger, Healthy, Drug-Free Rural Communities
Article - 1/30/2020
The purpose of the guide is to arm rural leaders with information they can put into immediate action to create change. It provides background information, recommended action steps, and promising practices to help manage the impact of substance use disorder on local communities and help persons with the disease of addiction. The topics are based on lessons learned from Department of Agriculture rural roundtable discussions held in over a dozen states, as well as the experiences of several rural stakeholder partners.
This tool is offered to assist rural community leaders in building an effective local response to the crisis of addiction. -
Rural Community Action Guide: Promising Practices Supplement
Article - 1/30/2020
This supplement offers a listing of promising practices that a community can replicate or use to inspire its own action to find a solution to substance use disorder.
This is a companion supplement to the Rural Community Action Guide: Building Stronger, Healthy, Drug-Free Rural Communities. -
The Opioid Misuse Community Assessment Tool
Online Resource - 1/30/2020
To better understand the national opioid crisis and inform effective conversations and interventions, NORC at the University of Chicago and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s USDA Rural Development have created this tool to allow users to map overdose hotspots and overlay them with data that provide additional context to opioid addiction and death including the strength and diversity of local economies, ethnicity, educational attainment, and disability status of residents.
This tool gives county-specific data about deaths and factors which may make a community more vulnerable to addiction. -
Rural Responses to the Opioid Epidemic (RROE) Initiative
Online Resource - 12/31/2019
The RROE demonstration sites will work with partners within the target communities to facilitate data sharing and integration, enhance prevention and education programs, and expand therapeutic services to individuals with opioid use disorder in their communities.
RROE supported 21 sites as they identified and implemented strategies to effectively support prevention, treatment, and/or recovery services for individuals who encounter the justice system. -
National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers
Online Resource - 12/30/2019
Telehealth Resource Centers (TRCs) have been established to provide assistance, education, and information to organizations and individuals who are actively providing or interested in providing health care at a distance. Our simple charter from the Office for Advancement of Telehealth is to assist in expanding the availability of health care to rural and underserved populations. And because we are federally funded, the assistance we provide is generally free of charge.
This site includes resources for and research about telehealth resource centers, showing the efficacy of telehealth in certain subspecialties. -
Peer Supports in Small Towns and Rural Communities
Webinar - 7/9/2019
Peer recovery support services (PRSS) are increasingly being offered across diverse criminal justice settings to address opioid abuse and achieve positive outcomes. The power and potential of PRSS come from the unique roles that peers play, promoting both hope and pragmatic steps for change. Emerging models for comprehensive programs integrate peer supports with other services, including case management and other recovery supports, for individuals with behavioral health and substance use disorders at all intercepts of the justice system continuum. However, these services are often more difficult to access in small towns and rural communities. This webinar discusses the work that the Berkeley County Recovery Resource Center, Faces and Voices of Recovery (FAVOR)—Greenville and the Fairfield Ohio Overdose Response Team are doing to implement peer support services in rural areas.
This session describes peer support programs in operation in micropolitan and rural communities; clarifies the roles of peers in each of these programs, as well as the impact peers are having; discusses key program partnerships; explains how these programs evaluate their work; and highlights the opportunities and challenges of operating peer programs in small towns and rural communities.
Viewing Options and Resources
- COSSUP webinar recordings include options for enabling closed captioning/subtitles and transcripts during playback; please see the bottom right menu of the recording screen.
- Presentation slides are available upon request by contacting info@cossup.org.
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Opioids in Appalachia
Report - 5/29/2019
This report by the National Association of Counties and the Appalachian Regional Commission describes the impact of the opioid epidemic on Appalachian counties and offers recommendations for local action. These recommendations are discussed in five sections, each of which features key action steps and one or more case studies highlighting an Appalachian county: (1) leadership, (2) prevention, (3) recovery, (4) rehabilitation for justice-involved individuals, and (5) economic development. The recommendations and case studies contained in the report are designed to aid Appalachian county leaders in their efforts to formulate effective, efficient, and sustainable responses to the opioid epidemic.
This publication provides recommendations and case studies to aid Appalachian county leaders in their efforts to respond to the opioid epidemic. -
Strategies to Combat Opioid Use in Rural Communities Webinar
Webinar - 5/3/2019
The opioid epidemic is an ongoing problem in rural areas. Rural youth, young adults, women experiencing domestic violence, and people living in states with large rural populations suffer from higher rates of opioid use than their urban counterparts. Opioid overdose deaths are growing faster in rural counties than urban counties. This presentation by John Gale, MS, of the University of Southern Maine focuses on a wide range of strategies that communities can use to combat the opioid problem. In particular, it discusses cost-effective, evidence-based prevention, treatment, and recovery programs that have been successfully implemented in rural communities. It concludes by describing community organizing strategies to engage a wide range of local stakeholders to reduce the burden of opioid use.
This presentation focuses on a wide range of strategies that communities can use to combat the opioid problem. -
National Judicial Opioid Task Force: Tools and Resources for Courts
Article - 1/30/2019
In August 2017, the Conference of CHief Justices and the Conference of State Court Administrators formed the National Judicial Opioid Task Force (NJOTF) to examine current efforts and find solutions to address the opioid epidemic. The NJOTF is actively engaged in the creation of products to assist courts in addressing the opioid crisis.
This document lists publications, videos, and webinars by the National Judicial Opioid Task Force to assist courts in addressing the opioid crisis. -
Self-Assessment for Employment-Focused Reentry Programs
Article - 1/30/2019
This self-assessment from the National Reentry Resource Center helps programs gauge their capacity to provide integrated reentry and employment interventions, including work readiness, to people with varying risks and needs. The tool helps reentry practitioners identify opportunities to build the capacity of their programming and services, which, in turn, can better prepare participants for employment and decrease their likelihood of returning to incarceration.
A tool to identify programs’ capacity to provide employment services for people returning to the community from incarceration or on parole/probation. -
Rural Judges and Sheriffs Workshop Highlights
Video - 12/13/2018
On December 13–14, 2018, the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) partnered to convene judicial and law enforcement leaders from select rural communities to discuss special challenges associated with tackling the opioid epidemic, to share information on programs and innovations, and to promote discussion and peer learning. BJA and USDA are pleased to release this video of interviews from that event.
Judicial and law enforcement leaders from rural communities convened to discuss special challenges associated with tackling the opioid epidemic. -
How Can USDA Help Address the Opioid Epidemic?
Article - 10/29/2018
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has tools to help rural America respond to the opioid epidemic, including:
- Resources for prevention, treatment and recovery
- Programs to build upstream resilience and prosperity for the future
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Federal Resources for Rural Communities to Help Address Substance Use Disorder and Opioid Misuse
Article - 10/10/2018
This guide is an output of ONDCP’s Rural Opioid Federal Interagency Working Group, co-chaired by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
This guide documents federal resources and partnership opportunities for rural communities. -
Opioid Misuse in Rural America
Online Resource - 10/1/2018
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is approaching the opioid crisis with a dedicated urgency and is committed to being a strong partner to rural communities impacted by the issue. This webpage offers information about USDA resources and tools for addressing the opioid epidemic and includes an interactive community assessment tool, a rural resource guide, and links to state government resources.
This webpage offers information about USDA resources and tools for addressing the opioid epidemic. -
Rural Development Can Help Address Opioid Misuse in Rural Communities With Funding
Article - 9/27/2018
This document identifies the types of equipment, facilities, and support the United States Department of Agriculture funds that can help rural communities address the opioid epidemic.
Funding from the United States Department of Agriculture can assist rural communities in addressing opioid misuse. -
Open Roads and Overflowing Jails: Addressing High Rates of Rural Pre-Trial Incarceration
Article - 5/1/2018
The pre-trial population of defendants—particularly in rural areas of the country—has significantly increased, and jails in smaller jurisdictions are responsible for an outsized share of jail population growth. From 1970 to 2014, jail populations grew by almost sevenfold in small counties but only threefold in large counties. This document explores why this growth may have occurred and makes numerous recommendations to reduce pre-trial populations, particularly in rural America.
This document explores the increase in jail populations in small counties and makes recommendations to reduce pre-trial populations. -
Out of Sight: The Growth of Jails in Rural America
Report - 6/29/2017
This report is one of a series that the Vera Institute of Justice (Vera) is releasing with the Safety and Justice Challenge—the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation’s initiative to reduce overincarceration. This report explores one of the Incarceration Trends project’s most startling revelations, the dramatic shift in the geography of incarceration to rural counties.
This paper uses an Incarceration Trends data tool to examine incarceration rates across urban and rural counties. -
Teleservices: Happening Now!
Article - 6/14/2017
This document, developed by the Center for Court Innovation, provides an overview of jurisdictions implementing pilot teleservice projects in their problem-solving courts. This report provides a checklist designed to assist practitioners in planning an effective teleservices project. Some of the issues addressed are how teleservices support current drug court operations; how teleservices can fill gaps in treatment; the technology readily available and the technology needed; which stakeholders should be included in planning for court teleservices; funding sources needed; confidentiality requirements in teleservices; needed policies and procedures; and the training needed for court staff and service providers.
This document highlights promising practices and recommendations for implementing teleservices in problem-solving courts. -
Report on Lessons Learned from Rural Opioid Overdose Reversal Grant Recipients
Federal Opioid Initiative - 4/28/2017
The Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) piloted a program in 2015 called the Rural Opioid Overdose Reversal (ROOR) Program that funded 18 awardees to develop community partnerships in an effort to combat the opioid crisis at the local level. The goal of the program was to reduce the incidences of morbidity and mortality related to opioid overdoses in rural communities through the purchase and placement of naloxone, in addition to the training of licensed healthcare professionals,emergency responders, and other community members to recognize the signs and symptoms of overdose and administer naloxone. This report provides a summary of lessons learned from ROOR grant recipients on how to engage, educate and connect stakeholders to resources available to help combat the opioid overdose epidemic. This report provides a summary of lessons learned from ROOR grant recipients on how to engage, educate, and connect stakeholders to resources available to help combat the opioid overdose epidemic.
This report summarizes lessons learned on how to engage, educate, and connect stakeholders to resources to help combat the opioid overdose epidemic. -
A Prescription for Action: Local Leadership in Ending the Opioid Crisis
Report - 11/16/2016
A joint report from National Association of Counties (NACo) and the National League of Cities (NLC) examines how cities and counties can strengthen collaboration with each other and state, federal, private-sector and nonprofit partners to tackle the opioid crisis. Several of the recommendations are accompanied by existing local practices from cities and counties. The report also includes recommendations for state and federal officials, who are pivotal partners in local efforts to combat opioid misuse, diversion, overdose, and death.
This report contains recommendations for city and county officials to combat opioid misuse, diversion, overdose, and death. -
Rural Communities in Crisis: Strategies to Address the Opioid Crisis
Briefing Sheet - 4/28/2016
This publication by the National Rural Health Association provides an overview of the challenges faced by rural system of care and outlines the strategies and policy recommendations to curb the opioid crisis.
This publication provides an overview of the challenges faced by rural system of care and outlines the strategies to help curb the opioid crisis. -
The Delivery of Pretrial Justice in Rural Areas: A Guide for Rural County Officials
Article - 11/18/2013
“This is a guide for elected officials seeking to enhance existing or develop new pretrial justice practices in rural areas. By identifying the characteristics, strengths and challenges in rural jurisdictions and combining these factors with the lessons and experiences of urban, suburban and rural pretrial justice programs, national standards and best practices, this guide offers a set of recommendations to enhance local policies and practices within the context of rural settings” (p. 3).
This publication identifies the strengths and challenges of rural jurisdictions and offers recommendations to enhance local policies and practices.
