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Rural Health
News by Topic: Housing and homelessness

Aug 4, 2023 - Youth homelessness is on the rise in Oklahoma. Reports that homeless rural youth often rely on schools for access to food, clothing, and other supports since rural areas are less likely to have community supports such as shelters. Discusses difficulties in identifying children who are homeless or housing insecure.
Source: KOSU, NPR
Aug 2, 2023 - Describes warm-weather efforts of county employees and volunteers to count the homeless population in and around Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. An attempt had been made in late January, but at that time no homeless people were found, probably due to them finding temporary shelter during the cold weather.
Source: Governing
Aug 1, 2023 - The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final payment rule for inpatient and long-term care hospitals that will support rural, historically underserved, and under-resourced communities and promote high quality outcomes and safe care for all individuals. This rule updates Medicare payments and policies for hospitals; adopts hospital quality measures to foster safety and equity, and reduce preventable harm in the hospital setting; and recognizes homelessness as an indicator of increased resource utilization in the acute inpatient hospital setting.
Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Jul 28, 2023 - Highlights services provided by The Sharing Center in rural Wisconsin including food, school supplies and other basic needs. Sharing Center is currently focused on providing a safe place to go for people with no air conditioner or those living in their cars. They also are often able to provide small air conditioners to those in need.
Source: Spectrum News 1
Jul 26, 2023 - The United States Department of Agriculture's Rural Housing Service is implementing two pilot programs, the Tribal Property Valuation Pilot Program and the Tribal Rehabilitation Pilot Program, as part of the Section 502 Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program. The programs will provide flexible financing options for the appraisal and rehabilitation of homes in tribal communities. This notice contains details about the pilot programs which are effective July 26, 2023 and will continue through July 28, 2025.
Source: Federal Register