John Gale, MS

John Gale, M.S. is a Senior Research Associate with the Maine Rural Health Research Center the University of Southern Maine. His research focuses on rural substance use and behavioral health issues, the role of hospitals in addressing population and community health needs, and the development of substance use treatment, prevention, and recovery programs. He serves on the Boards of Trustees for the National Rural Health Association and chairs its Policy Congress. He also chairs the New England Rural Health Association’s Policy Committee. His recent work includes studies of community strategies to address rural opioid use and a rural substance use prevention and treatment toolkit for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. His work focuses on leveraging resources to improve the rural healthcare infrastructure and develop rural systems of care. Prior to joining the Research Center, John managed large primary care and multi-disciplinary behavioral health group practices.