Resources for Rural Youth & Families Affected by Addiction

The drug crisis has disproportionately impacted rural communities casting a shadow over youth and the stability of their families. Limited access to healthcare and the high price of treatment leave individuals struggling with addiction unable to get the help they need. Additionally, high rates of unemployment and financial struggles can contribute to hopelessness. As addictive substances take hold in these communities, youth & families find themselves grappling with isolation, stigma, and limited support services.

Amidst these challenges, rural youth and families stand together with unyielding strength, united by their collective spirit of resilience and the unwavering belief in the power of connection. Through community support, education, and access to resources, a path forward emerges that we’ve highlighted below.

We welcome you to bookmark and share this list of carefully crafted resources to support rural communities impacted by the drug crisis.

Jump to: Facts – Factors – Books – Support for Youth – Support for Caring Adults – Support for Professionals

Community Conversation

Watch the recording of Eluna’s virtual conversation: Supporting Youth Impacted by Addiction in Rural Communities. This Community Conversation explored tailored strategies and initiatives to support youth in rural areas impacted by a family member’s addiction. Our panel was comprised of thought leaders carving meaningful paths of action & support in their rural communities. Watch now!

Facts

The number of Americans being impacted by substance use disorder has reached epidemic levels. These statistics highlight some unique challenges faced by many rural communities compared to urban settings:

• Opioid overdose rates are 45% higher in rural communities compared to big cities underscoring the need for a heightened focus and funding in these areas.
• Only 14% of behavioral health treatment facilities in the U.S. are located in rural communities, and less than half of these specialize in substance use disorder treatment.
• Young adults in remote rural areas have been found to use methamphetamine at nearly twice the rate of their urban peers.

Contributing Factors

In 2017, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC), the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), and Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) conducted interviews and focus groups to explore how the opioid crisis is uniquely affecting diverse Appalachian communities.  Noted in their thorough report they uncovered a variety of contributing factors specific to the Appalachian Region that contribute to the opioid crisis including:

• Overprescription of opioid medication and lack of guidance about potential risks
• Economic decline
• Multi-generational substance misuse
• Lack of access to healthcare
• Minimal support for prevention programs
• Lack of recreational activities and initiatives to engage youth & adults

Books

When talking with youth about substance misuse, books can serve as a helpful tool to validate a range of feelings and reduce stigma.  Books that have been written by and for rural community members are particularly impactful as they offer a deeper understanding and respect for the lived experiences of rural youth. Here you will find a list of books recommended specifically for rural children & teens affected by substance use disorder in the home or community:

• Breaking into Sunlight is the story of a boy from rural North Carolina facing his father’s opioid addiction and finding hope and support in friendship and community. Its aims are to help kids facing this understand they are not alone, and to help people around them understand the dynamics of addiction in families.
• A Sickness You Can’t See Many times adults are unsure how to talk to children about addiction and this book provides a way. A Sickness You Can’t See provides comfort to children and helps them feel not alone.  This book also comes highly recommended by our rural Camp Mariposa partners.
• The Letter: Annie’s Appalachian Adventures The Letter was written to help children grasp the idea of a substance use disorder as an illness and how to overcome shame. The author’s website includes six free lesson plans to accompany the book.
• Operation Cool A coming-of-age middle-grade novel for tweens about parental alcoholism in a small lakeside town.
• You’d Be Home Now In this raw, deeply personal story, a teenage girl struggles to find herself amidst the fallout of her brother’s addiction in a small town ravaged by the opioid crisis.
• Everything’s Not Fine A gripping story about a teen in a small Wisconsin town, and the bonds of family and addiction, Everything’s Not Fine showcases the power of love and resiliency.
• Outta Here A story of a lively and imaginative small-town teen living with a mom whose pain medication has led to addiction, leaving little money for basics—like food.

Support for Youth

Children and teens impacted by a family member’s substance use disorder are often navigating multiple layers of stress and challenges. Long-term addiction prevention & mentoring programs can be a transformational source of community & care for youth in these situations. Here are some nationwide programs to consider for youth affected by another person’s addiction:

• Camp Mariposa is a year-round addiction prevention and mentoring program for youth ages 9 to 17 who have been impacted by the substance use disorder of a family member. Youth attend transformational weekend camps and participate in fun traditional camp experiences combined with educational and support sessions, all at no cost. Find your camp.
• Hazelden Betty Ford Children’s Program: Provides support, education, and care to kids ages 7-12 who grow up in a family with alcohol or other drug addiction.
• Alateen: A place just for teens affected by someone else’s alcoholism.
• If you would like some help finding an addiction prevention & mentoring program in your area, please contact us to request resources & personalized support. The Eluna Resource Center can provide you with a list of program recommendations specific to your area. 

Support for Caring Adults

When caring for a child impacted by addiction, it can be incredibly meaningful to find communities of peer support and understanding. Here are three nationwide programs to consider for parents & caregivers supporting youth or adult children affected by substance use disorder.

• Parents of Addicted Loved Ones: Parents with an adult child dealing with substance use disorder involving either drugs or alcohol find hope and support through Parents of Addicted Loved Ones (PAL).
• CheckDEC: A free mobile app that immediately connects children, families, and professionals to substance use related information, crisis helplines, drug and treatment information, supportive resources, and services within their local area. Brought to you by the National Alliance for Drug Endangered Children and Office for Victims of Crime.
• NACoA’s Celebrating Families! (CF!) is an evidence-based, trauma-informed, skill-building program focused on children’s future physical and behavioral health, including substance use disorders and mental health challenges. The program was developed originally for families in Treatment Courts dealing with or at high risk for multiple problems: substance use disorders; multi-generational trauma; physical and mental health challenges; cognitive deficits due to trauma, genetics, or in-utero exposure; and child abuse/neglect and family violence. All are significant Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). The program has now been used in a multitude of settings from churches, to schools, and with community-based agencies serving families at risk for child abuse/neglect and family violence. Celebrating Families! addresses these needs through building healthy living skills and educating families.

Support for Professionals

Across multiple research findings and reports there is a clear consensus about the need to build and expand addiction prevention & family support programs. If you are working in this field, we recommend taking a look at these training and support organizations for professionals:

• National Association for Children of Addiction NACoA relationships begin with leaders in targeted professional groups and proceed to a partnership that assists each group in determining what education and what tools are needed to adjust the group’s everyday actions so that children’s needs may be identified and addressed.
• The Rural Community Toolbox has information on Federal Funding to help build strong healthy rural communities. It also houses an updated Community Assessment tool with data on broadband access, location information for mental health and substance use facilities, a prosperity index and much more.
• The National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health NOSORH has developed a compendium of all Rural Opioid Educational Resources available across their website to aid individuals looking for education, tools, and other resources.
• Fletcher Group Fletcher Group helps transform lives, families, and communities by providing evidence-based research, best-practice technical assistance, and a proven recovery ecosystem model of recovery housing. This organization also features a map of the US with available resources in each state.
• Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Regional Centers The purpose of the ROTA-R is to develop and disseminate training and technical assistance addressing opioid and stimulant use affecting rural communities. This webpage provides a list of Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Regional Centers across the US.
• Center on Rural Addiction (University of Vermont) UVM CORA faculty and staff provide a broad menu of science-based solutions to help treat patients with opioid use disorder (OUD), other substance use disorders (SUDs), and co-occurring issues. They can help your team adopt and implement new approaches by providing:
  • Supplies, training, and support at no cost to healthcare providers and other community stakeholders
  • Clinical expertise and consultation in treatment methods and patient-centered care coordination
  • Education on treatment and prevention approaches through presentations, webinars, and written resources.
  • Quantitative and qualitative data reports on treatment needs and barriers in rural communities