Rural Health
News by Topic: Access
Nov 12, 2025 - Highlights 2 new California laws aiming to increase access to maternal healthcare services in rural areas. One law creates a 10 year pilot program to operate standby maternity units for emergency care rather than maintaining staff full time. A second law relaxes licensing rules for birth centers. Discusses new maternity care options as a result of the new policies in Plumas County where a maternity ward closed in 2022.
Source: Cal Matters
Nov 11, 2025 - Describes a new mental health treatment offered for free to veterans and other first responders in Ohio. Highlights one veteran's work to increase access to the treatment in rural areas using mobile units.
Source: The Ohio Newsroom
Nov 5, 2025 - Highlights progress on a facility expansion in rural Wisconsin that will increase access to healthcare diagnostic technology and services for local residents. Describes common challenges for rural residents in accessing these services.
Source: WKBT
Nov 5, 2025 - Offers data showing rural and urban differences in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) incidence and factors contributing to those higher rates. Discusses smoking, occupational hazards, access to healthcare, and social determinants of health. Notes effective approaches for overcoming these contributors to COPD.
Source: Loma Linda University Health News
Nov 4, 2025 - Discusses childcare access challenges in rural farming communities, community infrastructure that makes formal child care possible, and the impact of childcare access on a community's workforce.
Source: Delta Farm Press
Nov 4, 2025 - Highlights a partnership between the Vermont Library Association and the University of Vermont to explore offering telehealth in rural libraries around the state. The project aims to increase access to healthcare while addressing technology barriers in rural areas.
Oct 31, 2025 - The Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC) is opening a new office in rural North Carolina. Services offered include primary care, women's services, and behavioral health. Discusses disparities in care between rural and urban communities in the area, in part due to workforce shortages, and the mission of MAHEC to train and retain healthcare professionals.
Source: WLOS
Oct 31, 2025 - Describes challenges with offering labor and delivery services in rural Texas, discussing reimbursement, workforce shortages, and distance to care.
Source: The Optimist
Oct 30, 2025 - Describes rural healthcare challenges and opportunities for innovation in rural New York as discussed by a rural healthcare facility administrator. Includes topics such as healthcare access barriers, community partnerships, and telehealth.
Source: George Washington University, Milken Institute School of Public Health
Oct 30, 2025 - Highlights the childcare shortage in a rural Indiana community and a partnership with students through the Indiana University Center for Rural Engagement to address it. Discusses working within communities and the connection between childcare and workforce development.
Source: Indiana University Bloomington Center for Rural Engagement News