Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
News by Topic: Healthcare needs and services

Mar 13, 2026 - The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is seeking comments on a proposed methodological field tests for the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). The proposed methodological tests will examine ways to increase data quality, lower operating costs, and gain a better understanding of sources and effects of non-sampling error on NSDUH estimates. Comments are due by May 12, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Mar 12, 2026 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) making technical corrections to the November 5, 2025, final rule. This correction is effective March 12, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Mar 9, 2026 - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is allowing an additional 30 days for comments on a proposed information collection project titled "Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS)." PRAMS collects data on maternal attitudes and experiences before, during, and after pregnancy. CDC seeks to extend the approval for PRAMS data collection for 3 years. Comments are due within 30 days of this notice.
Source: Federal Register
Mar 9, 2026 - Promotes mobile clinics as a delivery model for effective maternal health outreach in rural and other communities. Highlights maternity care deserts nationally and in Florida. Discusses successful use of the model in Florida for maternity care, noting that few of the nationally tracked mobile clinics offer maternal and infant healthcare.
Source: The Conversation
Mar 6, 2026 - Profiles a labor and delivery department in a rural North Carolina Critical Access Hospital. Maternity services were re-started in 2020 using family physicians after closing the department in 1991. Describes maternity care access across North Carolina, challenges with sustaining the service for rural communities, and how they can be a model to other rural communities.
Source: North Carolina Health News
Mar 4, 2026 - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announces the charter renewal of the Board of Scientific Counselors, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (BSC, NCIPC). The charter renewal is effective for a two-year period, through January 13, 2028.
Source: Federal Register
Mar 4, 2026 - A new wound care clinic has opened in rural West Virginia. Notes that rural residents are more likely to experience diabetes and vascular conditions, diseases associated with slow to heal wounds and increased risk of infection.
Source: WTOV 9
Mar 3, 2026 - Describes a teleoncology program in a rural Idaho hospital. The program allows cancer patients to meet with specialists through telehealth while using local facilities for lab work and treatment.
Source: KMVT, KSVT
Mar 2, 2026 - Highlights a virtual emergency mental health program in rural South Dakota. The program connects law enforcement responding to mental health crises with behavioral health clinicians and offers the person in crisis access to resources available in their community. Following successful implementation in South Dakota, Wyoming is piloting a similar program.
Source: The Daily Yonder
Feb 28, 2026 - Describes the focus on native culture as a preventive strategy for suicide and mental health crises in Lummi Nation. Discusses high rates of drug overdoses among Lummi Nation youth.
Source: Native News Online