Build Capacity in Underserved Regions Impacted by the Substance Use and Misuse Epidemic

Illicit substance use and misuse has both increased the demand for behavioral health services and exacerbated the behavioral health workforce shortage across the country. Treatment resource gaps are especially acute in rural communities, due to fewer treatment providers; lack of specialty substance use and misuse treatment options, including medication-assisted treatment; limited transportation resources; and greater travel distances to access care. Telehealth services are a powerful tool that can help communities close treatment gaps through electronic and telecommunication technologies that deliver substance use and misuse and recovery services. In rural communities, in particular, telehealth can help individuals access clinical services and medication-assisted treatment, learn relapse prevention skills, and receive peer recovery support services. Improving the capacity of rural communities relies on strategic partnerships and collaborations that utilize technologies and other community resources to enhance treatment capacity and quality.

American Indians and Alaska Natives have some of the highest rates of opioid overdose for all ages. However, tribal communities have limited resources for treatment and prevention and largely lack access to tribal-specific substance use and misuse treatment. Tribal service delivery issues are complicated by workforce shortages, limited behavioral health providers, and long travel distances to obtain services. Developing meaningful treatment interventions that include culturally appropriate practices that accommodate and honor tribal traditions and spiritual rituals is important to successfully addressing illicit substance use and misuse in tribal communities.

COSSUP supports activities that:

• Implement or expand telehealth services that facilitate access to substance use and misuse treatment and recovery supports that can address community treatment gaps and reduce participant burden.
• Develop the capacity of rural communities to address treatment and resource gaps through strategic partnerships and technologies.
• Implement or expand tribal interventions that increase American Indian/Alaska Native access to culturally appropriate prevention, treatment, and recovery support services.