Improving Medicine Assisted Treatment in Rural Communities

A Strategic Analysis of Medicine Assisted Treatment in Rural Communities. Ariel McCurry, 2025: Strategic Research Project, Nova Southeastern University, Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice. Keywords: medicine assisted treatment, suboxone, methadone, rural communties, health disparities, opiate use disorders, recovery support, stigma reduction This strategic research project was designed to provide an outlook on the growing opioid epidemic, not just in the nation but specifically in rural communties. During the research, medicine assised treatment, the effectiveness of treatment, and the barriers to finding medicine assisted treatment in rural communties were addressed. This research was done to directly investigate medicine assisted treatment and how it is effective for individuals with opiate use disorders in rural communties. While researching the effectiveness of medicine assisted treatment, the lack of resources in rural communties was specifically investigated. Increases in overdose rates, health issues related to addiction, and other external and internal factors caused by the barriers to treatment were addressed. The need for medicine assisted treatment in rural communties and its potential restructuring or strategies to introduce new policies and programs for individuals struggling with opiate use disorders were addressed. Problems in rural communities are often related to transportation issues. Potential solutions considered included both transporation solutions and telehealth.