Today, the Trump Administration released a new tool to assist rural community leaders in building an effective local response to the crisis of addiction.

The Rural Community Action Guide includes background information, recommended action steps, and promising practices for a range of issues related to drug addiction in rural America.

“Families and communities in rural America have been hard hit by the crisis of addiction, and face unique challenges in developing effective responses to this disease. The Rural Community Action Guide empowers local leaders to meet these challenges head on with recommended action steps and best practices for local solutions that will create real change. The Trump Administration’s whole-of-government approach includes partnering with those on the front lines of this fight, and we will continue supporting local leaders to build healthy and safe communities for all Americans,” ONDCP Director Jim Carroll said.

“The crisis of addiction has impacted thousands of families across rural America and has taken a monumental toll on countless communities,” U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue said. “USDA continues to partner with community leaders to address this epidemic and encourage individuals to utilize the action steps and recommended practices included in the Rural Community Action Guide. President Trump is committed to the health and stability of rural communities and will continue to direct his administration to enact policies that increase prosperity in rural America, like providing access to broadband and expanding economic opportunities.”

The Action Guide complements both the Community Assessment Tool, which gives county specific data about deaths and factors which may make a community more vulnerable to addiction, and the Federal Rural Resources Guide, which includes comprehensive information about different federal funds for rural communities impacted by addiction.

The Action Guide is based on lessons learned from rural roundtable discussions held in over a dozen states, as well as the experiences of several rural stakeholder partners. Partners who contributed to the Guide include:

S. Department of Agriculture

Addiction Policy Forum

American Farm Bureau Federation

Appalachian Regional Commission

Center for Court Innovation

Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America

Faces & Voices of Recovery

Housing Assistance Council

National Alliance for Recovery Residences

National Association of Counties

National Association of Development Organizations

National Farmers Union

National Rural Health Association

National Sheriffs’ Association

NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis

NTCA- The Rural Broadband Association

National Rural Transit Assistance Program

The Pew Charitable Trusts

Click HERE to access the Rural Community Action Guide.