AS A FOLLOWUP TO A STUDY OF EIGHT RURAL DRUG ABUSE PROGRAMS CONDUCTED BY THE NEW JERSEY DIVISION OF NARCOTIC AND DRUG ABUSE CONTROL, THE NIDA STUDY EXAMINED SYSTEMS FOR IMPLEMENTING PREVENTION PROGRAMS AND DELIVERING DRUG ABUSE TREATMENT SERVICES TO NONURBAN AREAS, IDENTIFIED ELEMENTS WITHIN EXISTING DELIVERY SYSTEMS THAT FACILITATE EFFECTIVE PREVENTION AND CARE IN NONURBAN AREAS, AND DESCRIBED INNOVATIVE ELEMENTS OR PRACTICES DISCOVERED IN NONURBAN PROGRAMS. THE STUDY INVOLVED A TWO-STAGE SURVEY OF NONURBAN DRUG ABUSE PROGRAMS. IN STAGE ONE, 59 PROGRAMS FROM ALL AREAS OF THE UNITED STATES WERE VISITED TO OBTAIN BASIC DESCRIPTIVE DATA ON EACH PROGRAM AND THE COMMUNITY. IN STAGE TWO, 20 OF THE ORIGINAL 59 PROGRAMS WERE REVISITED TO GATHER ADDITIONAL DATA AND EXAMINE PROGRAM ELEMENTS THAT MIGHT BE USEFUL TO OTHER NONURBAN DRUG ABUSE SERVICE UNITS. INFORMATION WAS COLLECTED ON GENERAL PROGRAM INFORMATION AND HISTORY, DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS FROM CLIENT RECORDS, SERVICE COMPONENTS, STAFF ACTIVITIES AND DEVELOPMENT, PROGRAM ORGANIZATION, TRANSPORTATION, AND FINANCES. THE 59 PROGRAMS PROVIDED SERVICES IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS: INDIVIDUAL OUTPATIENT COUNSELING, FAMILY COUNSELING, OFFENDER COUNSELING, CRIMINAL JUSTICE DIVERSION, CRISIS INTERVENTION/REFERRAL, RESIDENTIAL CARE, INPATIENT DETOXIFICATION, OUTPATIENT METHADONE MAINTENANCE, COMMUNITY PRESENTATIONS AND WORKSHOPS, ALTERNATIVES TO DRUG ABUSE, INSERVICE TEACHER TRAINING, LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL TRAINING, SCHOOL-BASED DRUG EDUCATION RAP SESSIONS, SCHOOL-BASED PROBLEM-SOLVING GROUPS, AND PARENT EDUCATION COURSES. ALTERNATIVE PROGRAM STRUCTURES FOR NONURBAN AREAS INVOLVED MULTIPLE FACILITIES, AFFILIATION WITH COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH CENTERS, AND MEMBERSHIP IN UMBRELLA ORGANIZATIONS. SCHOOLS OFTEN EXTENDED THEIR HOURS AND SCOPE TO INCLUDE POSTSCHOOL ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES FOR PARENTS AND CHILDREN. HOTLINES MODIFIED THEIR ROLES AND EVOLVED INTO FULL SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS. DRUG ABUSE PROGRAMS JOINED EFFORTS WITH RESCUE SQUADS AND HOSPITAL EMERGENCY SERVICES TO IMPROVE THE DELIVERY OF CRISIS INTERVENTION SERVICES. A NUMBER OF NONURBAN PROGRAMS TRANSLATED CONCEPTS OF CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT, VOLUNTARY ACTION, AND COMMUNITY ALTERNATIVES TO DRUG ABUSE INTO SIGNIFICANT PROGRAMS. A LIST OF REFERENCES AND PUBLICATIONS AND SUPPORTING STUDY DATA ARE PROVIDED.