White House publishes Rural Community Action Guide to combat substance misuse

Anne Hazlett, senior advisor for rural affairs at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) visited Ohio University recently. 

While on campus, Hazlett learned about OHIO’s efforts to combat substance misuse. She explored the Game Research and Immersive Design Lab, as well as met with various faculty from around the university including those from the School of Nursing, the College of Health Sciences and Professions, and the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs. 

Several days after Hazlett’s visits, ONDCP released a Rural Community Action Guide with practices for a range of issues related to drug addiction in rural American and recommended action steps. 

“The purpose of the Rural Community Action Guide is to arm rural leaders with information they can put into immediate action to create change. The urgency of this issue and its impact on quality of life and economic opportunity in rural America demands nothing less,” Hazlett said. 

The guide includes sections on understanding the impact of addiction, prevention, treatment, recovery, and more. The Rural Community Action Guide can be accessed for free online at this time.