Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Behavioral health workforce
2026 CCBHC Impact Report
Discusses the impact certified community behavioral health clinics (CCBHCs) have had on expanding access to mental and substance use healthcare, supporting the well-being of children and families, and coordinating with primary care providers, among other measures. Explores national CCBHC implementation status, utilization of services, collaboration with other providers, and workforce support. Includes a breakdown of clientele expansions in rural CCBHCs.
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Council for Mental Wellbeing
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Discusses the impact certified community behavioral health clinics (CCBHCs) have had on expanding access to mental and substance use healthcare, supporting the well-being of children and families, and coordinating with primary care providers, among other measures. Explores national CCBHC implementation status, utilization of services, collaboration with other providers, and workforce support. Includes a breakdown of clientele expansions in rural CCBHCs.
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Council for Mental Wellbeing
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Interstate Licensing Compacts (2026 Overview)
Provides a brief overview of major interstate licensing compacts as of July 2026. Includes a chart on the status of licensure compacts in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
Additional links: Licensure Compact Chart 2026
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: Great Plains Telehealth Resource and Assistance Center
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Provides a brief overview of major interstate licensing compacts as of July 2026. Includes a chart on the status of licensure compacts in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
Additional links: Licensure Compact Chart 2026
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: Great Plains Telehealth Resource and Assistance Center
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Provider Perspectives on a Tobacco-Free Workplace Program in Healthcare Settings Serving Rural and Medically Underserved Areas of Texas: A Mixed Methods Study on Perceived Resource Availability and Value
Analyzes healthcare provider perspectives on the Taking Rural Texas Tobacco Free program, a capacity building program for reducing tobacco use and secondhand smoke exposure among healthcare providers, patients, and visitors in rural or medically underserved areas of Texas. Provides data and interview excerpts from 347 substance use treatment center and medical healthcare center staff.
Author(s): Abigail E. Bergey, Isabel Martinez Leal, Maggie Britton, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 23(7), 898
Date: 07/2026
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Analyzes healthcare provider perspectives on the Taking Rural Texas Tobacco Free program, a capacity building program for reducing tobacco use and secondhand smoke exposure among healthcare providers, patients, and visitors in rural or medically underserved areas of Texas. Provides data and interview excerpts from 347 substance use treatment center and medical healthcare center staff.
Author(s): Abigail E. Bergey, Isabel Martinez Leal, Maggie Britton, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 23(7), 898
Date: 07/2026
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Georgia Psychiatry Fact Sheet: Based on 2023-2024 Physician Licensure Data
Provides statistics on psychiatrists in Georgia, based on data from the 2023-2024 Physician Survey. Includes maps showing counties that are nonmetropolitan areas and psychiatrist rate per 100,000 population, by county.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce
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Provides statistics on psychiatrists in Georgia, based on data from the 2023-2024 Physician Survey. Includes maps showing counties that are nonmetropolitan areas and psychiatrist rate per 100,000 population, by county.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce
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2026 Workforce Survey Report: The Status of Kentucky's Hospital Workforce
Provides an in-depth look at non-physician direct care positions in inpatient or hospital-related outpatient departments in Kentucky as of 2025. Includes statistics on vacancies, benefits, and pay, with breakdowns by rural and urban areas.
Author(s): Maik Schutze
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Kentucky Hospital Association
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Provides an in-depth look at non-physician direct care positions in inpatient or hospital-related outpatient departments in Kentucky as of 2025. Includes statistics on vacancies, benefits, and pay, with breakdowns by rural and urban areas.
Author(s): Maik Schutze
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Kentucky Hospital Association
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Early Evidence of Geographic Variation in Medicare Participation among Newly Eligible Mental Health Providers Following the 2024 Coverage Expansion
Explores the effect that Medicare's expansion of coverage to marriage and family therapists (MFTs) and mental health counselors (MHCs) has had on the rural mental health workforce. Highlights the rate of participation among rural MFTs and MHCs in Medicare from 2022 to 2024 and compares rates to metro counties.
Author(s): Janessa M. Graves, Natalia V. Oster, Lisa A. Garberson, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(3), e70180
Date: 07/2026
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Explores the effect that Medicare's expansion of coverage to marriage and family therapists (MFTs) and mental health counselors (MHCs) has had on the rural mental health workforce. Highlights the rate of participation among rural MFTs and MHCs in Medicare from 2022 to 2024 and compares rates to metro counties.
Author(s): Janessa M. Graves, Natalia V. Oster, Lisa A. Garberson, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(3), e70180
Date: 07/2026
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Health Professional Shortage Areas: Mental Health
Printable map that shows nonmetropolitan and micropolitan mental health HPSAs on one color scale and metropolitan mental health HPSAs on another. Data source: data.HRSA.gov
Additional links: Mental Health HPSA Table
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Printable map that shows nonmetropolitan and micropolitan mental health HPSAs on one color scale and metropolitan mental health HPSAs on another. Data source: data.HRSA.gov
Additional links: Mental Health HPSA Table
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Barriers and Solutions to Effective Mental Health Services in Rural Schools: A Delphi Study
Examines strategies to provide effective school-based mental health services in rural areas. Utilizes feedback from 30 rural educators and discusses issues such as behavioral health workforce shortages, stigma, limited access to services, infrastructure problems, community partnership needs, classroom social-emotional learning, and more.
Author(s): Rawn Boulden, Anna Simmons
Citation: The Rural Educator, 47(3), 37-46
Date: 06/2026
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Examines strategies to provide effective school-based mental health services in rural areas. Utilizes feedback from 30 rural educators and discusses issues such as behavioral health workforce shortages, stigma, limited access to services, infrastructure problems, community partnership needs, classroom social-emotional learning, and more.
Author(s): Rawn Boulden, Anna Simmons
Citation: The Rural Educator, 47(3), 37-46
Date: 06/2026
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Rhode Island Behavioral Health Workforce
Offers maps and tables of the supply and distribution of behavioral health clinicians in Rhode Island in 2025. Includes county-level data.
Author(s): S.C. Woolcock, C.H.A. Andrilla, L.A. Garberson, J.M. Graves
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Offers maps and tables of the supply and distribution of behavioral health clinicians in Rhode Island in 2025. Includes county-level data.
Author(s): S.C. Woolcock, C.H.A. Andrilla, L.A. Garberson, J.M. Graves
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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A Tour of Youth Behavioral Health Services Landscape: Prevalence, Treatment, and the Workforce
Webinar discussing the prevalence of youth mental health conditions, substance use, and treatment in rural areas, the distribution of the youth behavioral health workforce, and the state of Medicaid funding for these services.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Author(s): Janessa Graves, Holly Andrilla, Lisa Garberson, et al.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Rural Health Research Gateway, WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Webinar discussing the prevalence of youth mental health conditions, substance use, and treatment in rural areas, the distribution of the youth behavioral health workforce, and the state of Medicaid funding for these services.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Author(s): Janessa Graves, Holly Andrilla, Lisa Garberson, et al.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Rural Health Research Gateway, WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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