Learn
Learn pages describe best practices and programs to prevent and reduce the impact of substance use and substance use disorder that have been adapted for rural communities. These pages feature resources—evidence, videos, webinars, trainings, articles, and various tools—to help rural communities select and implement practices that support their efforts and goals.
Overview of Resources and Programs
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Increasing Substance Use and Mental Health Treatment Engagement
This program aims to increase treatment engagement by equipping rural providers to help patients identify negative beliefs and see treatment from a different perspective. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Treatment Seeking is a one-session intervention delivered via telehealth. A provider works with a patient to identify thoughts that are serving as barriers to treatment and help them modify those thoughts to increase the likelihood they will seek treatment.
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Behavioral Health Care Managers
To help rural primary care practices provide more comprehensive care to patients they serve, we highlight the role of the Behavioral Health Care Manager (BHCM) on this resource page. We have drawn upon best practices and learnings from the Collaborative Care Model of behavioral health integration and adapted the BHCM role to make it a practical approach for providers in rural communities.
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Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder in Primary Care
We have developed comprehensive training on the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD) in primary care to support providers and staff in rural areas as they deliver evidence-based care to patients. The free training carries continuing education credits.
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Improving Access to and Engagement Into Care Upon Release From Incarceration
Transitions Clinic Network programs—featured here through a video series and toolkit—address the high rates of overdose mortality and other health risks people recently released from incarceration face. A primary care practice that implements a program provides care for chronic health conditions including substance use disorder upon release. A community health worker with a history of incarceration is a key member of the team, connecting with patients and helping them navigate services in the community.
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Rural Opioid and Direct Support Services (ROADSS)
In the Rural Opioid and Direct Support Services program, rural communities form partnerships with opioid treatment programs located outside the immediate area and use telehealth to bring treatment and recovery support closer to home for people with opioid use disorder. This page features a video overview of the program, implementation packet, and more.
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‘We’re Not Alone’: Preserving Group Therapy Through Videoconferencing During COVID-19
When COVID-19 surged in March 2020, Strong Recovery suspended in-person group therapy for people with substance use disorder—the “heart and soul of our program”—and rapidly converted to video-based group therapy. This page provides comprehensive guidance on implementing online group therapy, including setup, workflows, tips for therapists, and more.
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Bridging the Gap: Telemedicine as a Path to Primary Care Pharmacotherapy for Opioid Use Disorder
This program uses telehealth to enable primary care providers in rural communities to offer buprenorphine medication treatment to their patients who have opioid use disorder by using telehealth to connect patients with prescribers outside of the area. It also provides support to primary care practices as they prepare to offer this care locally. This page features a webinar and tools to help rural practices build the bridge to increase local access to treatment.
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Making Space for Social Distance: Adapting Opioid Treatment Programs to COVID-19
This webinar reviews steps Strong Recovery took to rapidly adapt substance use disorder treatment programs during COVID-19. The page features tools and resources detailing all aspects of the transition.