As urban homelessness and drug use grab the spotlight, rural areas such as Branson are left in the shadows, with critical needs going unmet. But local community organizations are stepping up to provide much-needed support.
Branson has a growing crisis where substance use and homelessness intersect, with about 1,500 people, mostly those who are working but still considered low-income, living in extended-stay motels. An estimated 20% of the population is homeless, and motel living heightens the risk of substance-use and mental-health issues.
Marietta Hagan, project coordinator, Population Health Department with Cox Health, said there are the challenges to addressing these issues in rural areas.
"Lack of transportation in rural areas, lack of that financial and other resources. Branson is considered a rural area, even though we get 9 million visitors a year - we only have a population of 12,000 and the services to support those," she said.
Also, rural areas often have fewer homeless shelters, making it harder for people to find emergency housing or long-term support. Hagan said the good news is, people who have recovered from drug use and homelessness are working together to help those still struggling.
Hagan said it's almost like a multiplying factor - and once a person starts to struggle with issues stemming from poverty, especially in rural areas, it increases their risk of struggling with other issues such as drug use and homelessness - and this leads to stigmas and a lack of support.
"If you live in a small town that has 300 people, and you are labeled as a drug user, you're often ostracized from your community and you're not given that social support and that community that you can turn to maybe when you're struggling with something," she continued.
Between 2022 and 2023, Missouri saw a 12% increase in homelessness and a 24% rise in unsheltered homelessness.
The Missouri Public News Service is a partner with KRCU Public Radio.
