USDA Launches Data Tool to Help Rural Communities Address Opioid Crisis

The USDA has launched an interactive data tool to help community leaders build grassroots strategies to address the opioid epidemic.  Announced by Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development Anne Hazlett, the tool enables users to overlay substance misuse data against socioeconomic, census and other public information.  USDA said the data will help leaders, researchers and policymakers assess what actions will be most effective in addressing the opioid crisis at the local level.

Hazlett said USDA is “committed to being a strong partner to rural America in addressing” the opioid epidemic.  She added that the data will help rural leaders to build grassroots solutions for prevention, treatment and recovery.  The Community Assessment Tool is free and available to the public. It can be accessed on USDA’s Rural Opioid Misuse Webpage.

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