Foreward

The Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) and the National Rural Institute on Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NRIADA) are pleased to sponsor this publication jointly. For too long, the problems of alcohol and drug abuse in rural areas have received short shrift in the national consciousness. As national studies show, those who live in rural areas are just as likely to have alcohol and other drug problems as those who live in large and small cities. The choice of addictive substances may differ, but the prevalence of abuse is virtually the same for country and city dweller alike. Yet rural areas face special difficulties in providing high-quality treatment and prevention services to their widely dispersed populations—often without the help of public transportation.

To help focus attention on the special service delivery problems of rural areas, CSAT and NRIADA sponsored an "Award for Excellence" competition in the Fall of 1992. Individuals and agencies from rural areas across the country were invited to submit papers describing their efforts in providing services to those with alcohol and other drug problems. The goal of the competition was to elicit—and then publicize—the innovative and unusual strategies, approaches, and research findings from rural programs.

In response to this challenge, CSAT and NRIADA received an excellent collection of papers addressing a wide array of issues and populations, from schoolchildren to alcohol-dependent adults to criminal offenders. The submitted papers are printed here: some describe local programs, while other programs affect entire regions. Readers will find many unusual and innovative strategies. To name just one example—an isolated treatment agency on the coast of Maine solved their patients' transportation problem by offering space for a "club" to the local recovering community; the flourishing club now provides a safe gathering place, recreational events and holiday meals, and a place of comradeship and support to patients.

We are pleased to offer the field this fine group of papers, with their many ideas for meeting the challenge of providing high-quality services to rural areas. Knowing what to do is the critical first step.

But those developing programs must also be prepared to act as advocates with local and State policymakers, who can help provide the understanding, funding, and other resources to make new initiatives possible. The first paper in this collection, originally presented at the NRIADA's annual conference, suggests what local and State programs can do to help overcome the barriers that interfere with gaining support from policymakers. Working together—with collaboration between the public and private sectors—we can make a real and meaningful difference for rural people suffering from alcohol and other drug problems, and bring excellence to rural America.

Susan L. Becker
Associate Director for State Programs
Center for Substance Abuse Treatment

Larry Monson
Coordinator
National Rural Institute on Alcohol and Drug Abuse

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