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Rural Health Information Hub
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
News by Topic: Behavioral health

Sep 16, 2025 - Discusses the use of mobile clinics in North Carolina to increase access to medications for opioid use disorder in rural and other low access areas. Discusses distance to care and transportation barriers for opioid treatment programs as well as stigma.
Source: North Carolina Health News
Sep 11, 2025 - Discusses a recent report on the mental healthcare worker shortage in New Mexico. Highlights programs at New Mexico State University working to fill workforce gaps with focus on training students to meet the needs of rural residents. Notes potential policy changes related to integrated care and certifications.
Source: Source NM
Sep 10, 2025 - Discusses stresses experienced by farmers, limited access to mental health services for those in rural areas, and the higher than average rates of suicide in the farming community. Offers mental health resources, services, and information for farmers in Michigan.
Source: Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development
Sep 10, 2025 - Highlights suicide statistics for American Indian and Alaska Natives (AI/AN). Offers federal and other resources for people interested in AI/AN-focused suicide prevention.
Source: Native News Online
Sep 9, 2025 - Video highlighting a program offering free access to licensed mental healthcare for students and their parents in a rural Georgia community. Describes common barriers to mental healthcare for rural residents.
Source: WALB News 10
Sep 9, 2025 - Highlights the work of the North Carolina Psychiatry Access Line (NC-PAL), a free phone line allowing medical providers to consult with behavioral health specialists about their patients. Discusses ways in which they are reaching rural communities to increase access to mental health services.
Source: North Carolina Health News
Sep 4, 2025 - Highlights a pilot program in Virginia to authorize Special Conservators of the Peace to respond to mental health issues. Discusses the trend away from using law enforcement as first responders for these calls, noting that departments in rural communities often do not have the resources to respond to these calls.
Source: Virginia Mercury
Aug 27, 2025 - The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) seeking comments on the extension of an information collection titled "Fast Track Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on SAMHSA Service Delivery." Information collected will be used to ensure that SAMHSA customers and stakeholders have an effective, efficient, and satisfying experience with SAMHSA's programs. Comments are due by October 27, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Aug 22, 2025 - Discusses the suicide risks for veterans, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) services that increase access to healthcare, and secure firearm storage as a means to reduce suicide risk.
Source: VA News
Aug 5, 2025 - Notice of a final rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) updating the FY 2026 prospective payment rates, outlier threshold, and wage index for Medicare inpatient hospital services provided by inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPF), including psychiatric hospitals and excluded psychiatric units of an acute care hospital or Critical Access Hospital. Includes a revision to the payment adjustment factors for teaching status and for IPFs in rural areas. These changes will be effective for IPF discharges occurring during the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026. This final rule also includes changes to measures used in the Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities Quality Reporting (IPFQR) Program and changes to update and codify the Extraordinary Circumstances Exception policy. These changes are effective October 1, 2025.
Source: Federal Register