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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by State: Pennsylvania

Distance Learning and Online Coordination of Service in Pennsylvania's Rural School Districts
Examines the barriers rural Pennsylvania schools experienced in providing their communities with essential nonacademic services during COVID-19 pandemic closures. Analyzes information from rural school district websites, planning documents, superintendent surveys and interviews, and focus groups with constituents to understand needs around mental healthcare, professional development, internet and computer access, staff shortages, and more.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Author(s): Gerald LeTendre, Peggy Schooling, Hansol Woo, Meredith Bannon, Josh Almes
Date: 12/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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Comparing Enhancements to Well-Child Visits in the Prevention of Obesity: Encircle Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial
Analyzes care delivery models aimed at preventing obesity in disadvantaged preschool children living in rural Pennsylvania. Reports on 2,025 parents and their preschool-aged children recruited in the ENCIRCLE (patiEnt-cliNic-Community Integration to prevent obesity in Rural preschool ChiLdrEn) trial, which tests the effectiveness of enhanced well-child visits (WCVs) that include obesity prevention tools.
Author(s): Lisa Bailey-Davis, Amy M. Moore, Melissa N. Poulsen, et al.
Citation: BMC Public Health, 22, 2429
Date: 12/2022
Type: Document
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Report of the (Pennsylvania) Opioid Abuse Child Impact Task Force: Act 2 of 2022
Identifies strategies to mitigate the suffering of Pennsylvania infants and children affected by the opioid epidemic and alcohol abuse. Offers 13 actionable recommendations for consideration by the General Assembly and governor. Mentions rural throughout, and includes county-level maps showing higher rates of opioid use disorder and its consequences in Pennsylvania rural counties.
Author(s): Glenn J. Pasewicz, Allison N. Kobzowicz, Daniel Nguyen, et al.
Date: 11/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Joint State Government Commission, General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
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Social Determinants of Health in the Age of COVID: Effects of Social Isolation Among Adults 62+ in Rural Pennsylvania
Results of a study analyzing the extent of social isolation among rural Pennsylvanians aged 62 or older during the pandemic, evaluating determinants of social isolation, identifying programs and services that minimize social isolation, and assessing potential replicability in Pennsylvania. Includes sections on factors such as mental health access, faith-based organizations, transportation, technology use, and housing options.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Author(s): Christopher Harris, FangHsun Wei, Mary Rita Weller, Kelly Smith
Date: 11/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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An Analysis of Pennsylvania's Children
Report examining trends from 2010-2019 pertaining to Pennsylvania children ages 0-17, comparing and contrasting the profiles of rural and urban children. Provides statistics on dimensions including economic circumstances, education, foster care, insurance, access to healthcare, health, mortality, and use of alcohol and illicit drugs.
Author(s): Rhoda C. Joseph
Date: 11/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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Medicaid Population-Based Payment: The Current Landscape, Early Insights, and Considerations for Policymakers
Provides an overview of population-based payment (PBP) models and the Medicaid PBP landscape. Identifies promising strategies for designing and implementing PBPs in Medicaid and considerations for state and federal policymakers who want to support these programs. Highlights state PBP approaches, including the Pennsylvania Rural Health Model.
Author(s): Rob Houston, Anne Smithey, Kelsey Brykman
Date: 11/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Statewide Broadband Plan
Outlines goals and strategies to expand broadband access to rural and underserved areas of Pennsylvania. Describes importance of broadband in providing adequate, reliable emergency services, and enhancing tools to ensure access to healthcare services.
Date: 11/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development
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Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics Demonstration Program: Report to Congress, 2021
Provides an overview of the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) demonstration. Offers a summary of the findings from the prior annual reports on the CCBHC demonstration, a comparison of cost and quality in the first two demonstration years, and the results of impact analyses. This is the fifth annual report to Congress on the CCBHC demonstration.
Date: 11/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Mathematica
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Teledentistry Trends in the United States During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Reviews the use of teledentistry during and following the COVID-19 pandemic in California, Maine, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, and examines reimbursement issues and supports needed to enhance dental care in a post-COVID-19 world. Mentions rural throughout.
Author(s): Miranda Werts, Prashanta Patel, Elizabeth Mertz
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Oral Health Workforce Research Center
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Pennsylvania SNAP Enrollment as Percent of Population, by County: September 2022
County-level map with percentages of SNAP enrollment and shadings indicating counties that are at or below the statewide rate and those that are above the statewide rate. Includes statistics on Pennsylvania SNAP enrollment by year from 2012-2022, with breakdowns by urban and rural location.
Date: 09/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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