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Rural Health
Resources by State: Washington

Addressing Opioid Use in Rural Communities: Examples from Critical Access Hospitals
Highlights strategies adopted by Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) to combat opioid use in their communities. Describes lessons learned from the featured CAHs regarding the development and implementation of projects targeting opioid use. Identifies ways that State Flex Programs and State Offices of Rural Health can support the efforts of CAHs in addressing opioid use in their communities. Provides list of opioid-related resources for CAHs and State Flex Programs.
Author(s): John Gale, Sara Kahn-Troster, Karen Pearson, Nathan First
Date: 08/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Palliative Care Road Map: A Guide for Living with Serious Illness and Conditions for Patients and Those Who Care for Them
Explanation of the standard palliative care process and important considerations for the patient and/or caregivers in the state of Washington. Includes information on what to expect at healthcare appointments, legal considerations, definitions of common terms, related resources available in Washington, and more.
Date: 07/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Washington State Department of Health, Washington State Office of Rural Health
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Effective Community-Based Initiatives Are Needed to Curb the Opioid Crisis
Describes 6 community-research collaboratives to address the opioid crisis at the local level, including programs in St. Louis, MO, Olympia, WA, Ithaca, NY, and rural programs in Rio Arriba County, NM, western North Carolina, and tribal communities in the Midwest and the Northern Plains.
Author(s): Beth Connolly, Leslie Paulson
Date: 07/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Pew Charitable Trusts
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Hospitals Face Financial Challenges Due to COVID-19
Describes the financial impact of COVID-19 on Kittitas Valley Healthcare in Ellensburg, Washington. Discusses the decline in emergency department and non-emergency surgery volume and changes to labor costs as a percentage of net revenue.
Date: 07/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Strategies for Rural Communities for Addressing Substance Misuse among Families Involved with the Child Welfare System
Describes nine programs across seven states that have addressed challenges to serving child welfare-involved parents with substance use issues through mentoring, case management, providing access to treatment and affordable housing, and other support services. Discusses considerations for expanding and replicating these programs in rural communities.
Additional links: Research Summary
Author(s): Jung Kim, Elizabeth Clary, Christina Ribar, Sarah Palmer, Elizabeth Weigensberg
Date: 07/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Mathematica
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Private Well Stewardship Within a Rural, Agricultural Latino Community: A Qualitative Study
Identifies key factors such as well water testing, treatment, and maintenance in relationship to well stewardship in rural Lower Yakima Valley. Reports on challenges Latino communities face regarding well usage, including home repair experience, financial limitations, and uncertainty over who is responsible for well water safety practices among landlords and neighbors.
Author(s): Kori VanDerGeest, Linda K. Ko, Catherine Karr, et al.
Citation: BMC Public Health, 20(863)
Date: 06/2020
Type: Document
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Washington State's 2019 Licensed Practical Nurse Workforce
Highlights the licensed practical nurse (LPN) workforce supply in the state of Washington in 2019. Explores the demographics, distribution, education, and work setting of LPNs using data collected from a survey conducted by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) and from state license renewals.
Additional links: Supplemental Report
Author(s): Benjamin A. Stubbs, Susan M. Skillman
Date: 05/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: UW Center for Health Workforce Studies
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Proximity to Screening Site, Rurality, and Neighborhood Disadvantage: Treatment Status among Individuals with Sexually Transmitted Infections in Yakima County, Washington
Examines rurality, proximity to screening sites, and socioeconomic factors in relationship to individuals seeking treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Identifies barriers to STI treatment such as individuals living more than 10 miles from screening sites, living in micropolitan or rural areas, and others. Includes data on treatment for patients with STIs with breakdowns by sex, race/ethnicity, and metropolitan or micropolitan area.
Author(s): Solmaz Amiri, Christine D. Pham, Ofer Amram, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(8), 2679
Date: 04/2020
Type: Document
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Concussion in Rural America: Experts Detail Injury and Recovery of Traumatic Brain Injury
Reports on concussions, or mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI), in rural areas. Discusses the impact of these injuries, the role of support networks, TBI training for rural clinicians, rural TBI data, and management of mTBI in rural areas.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 04/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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On the Front Lines of COVID-19: A Blueprint for Health and Human Services from Washington State
Issue brief exploring the major COVID-19 initiatives taken in Washington state during February and March, 2020, and the lessons learned. Includes information on the support given to rural healthcare providers.
Author(s): Susan Birch, MaryAnne Lindeblad, Eileen Cody
Date: 04/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Milbank Memorial Fund
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