Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Behavioral health workforce
Many Medicare Advantage and Medicaid Managed Care Plans Have Limited Behavioral Health Provider Networks and Inactive Providers
Examines the availability of behavioral health providers in selected Medicare Advantage (MA) and Medicaid managed care networks in 2023. Analyzes provider network lists and MA and Medicaid encounter data for four MA and two Medicaid managed care plans from 10 selected urban and rural counties across five states. Describes the proportion of the behavioral health workforce in each county included in the plans' networks. Discusses the extent to which managed care plans had inactive providers in their network and why these providers did not deliver services to enrollees. Includes data on the percentage of inactive providers in rural and urban counties. Offers recommendations to monitor and improve the accuracy of provider networks.
Additional links: Report Highlights
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
view details
Examines the availability of behavioral health providers in selected Medicare Advantage (MA) and Medicaid managed care networks in 2023. Analyzes provider network lists and MA and Medicaid encounter data for four MA and two Medicaid managed care plans from 10 selected urban and rural counties across five states. Describes the proportion of the behavioral health workforce in each county included in the plans' networks. Discusses the extent to which managed care plans had inactive providers in their network and why these providers did not deliver services to enrollees. Includes data on the percentage of inactive providers in rural and urban counties. Offers recommendations to monitor and improve the accuracy of provider networks.
Additional links: Report Highlights
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
view details
Transforming Rural Health Care Through Medicaid Innovation: Tip Sheet Series
Informational tip sheets discussing the use of Medicaid innovations to assist states in creating their Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program applications. Covers issues such as behavioral health, school-based services, integrated care access, community health workers, community paramedicine, specialty care, and healthcare technology. Provides examples, strategies, Medicaid policy information, and resources.
Additional links: Improving Access to Integrated Care for Dually Eligible Individuals in Rural Areas, Leveraging Community Health Workers to Address Rural Health Care Needs, Leveraging Community Paramedicine to Address Rural Health Needs, Leveraging Peers and Lay Counselors to Address Behavioral Health Care Workforce Shortages in Rural Areas, Using Project ECHO to Deliver Specialty Care in Rural Areas, Using School-Based Services to Improve Access to Preventive Health Care for Children in Rural Areas, Using Tech-Enabled Solutions to Improve Care Quality and Access in Rural Areas
Author(s): Molly Knowles, Nancy Archibald, Karla Silverman, Lauren Scannelli Jacobs
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
view details
Informational tip sheets discussing the use of Medicaid innovations to assist states in creating their Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program applications. Covers issues such as behavioral health, school-based services, integrated care access, community health workers, community paramedicine, specialty care, and healthcare technology. Provides examples, strategies, Medicaid policy information, and resources.
Additional links: Improving Access to Integrated Care for Dually Eligible Individuals in Rural Areas, Leveraging Community Health Workers to Address Rural Health Care Needs, Leveraging Community Paramedicine to Address Rural Health Needs, Leveraging Peers and Lay Counselors to Address Behavioral Health Care Workforce Shortages in Rural Areas, Using Project ECHO to Deliver Specialty Care in Rural Areas, Using School-Based Services to Improve Access to Preventive Health Care for Children in Rural Areas, Using Tech-Enabled Solutions to Improve Care Quality and Access in Rural Areas
Author(s): Molly Knowles, Nancy Archibald, Karla Silverman, Lauren Scannelli Jacobs
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
view details
Partnering for Progress: Enhancing Mental Health Crisis Response in Rural North Carolina Through Faith-based Training
Discusses strategies for rural communities to enhance mental health crisis response by partnering with and training local organizations. Explores several programs providing faith-based mental health training to rural clergy in North Carolina. Compares data for rural Rockingham County to the state as a whole.
Author(s): Sarah Grenon, Mallory Bejster, Marty Roberts, et al.
Citation: Progress in Community Health Partnerships: Research, Education, and Action, 19(3), 317-325
Date: 09/2025
view details
Discusses strategies for rural communities to enhance mental health crisis response by partnering with and training local organizations. Explores several programs providing faith-based mental health training to rural clergy in North Carolina. Compares data for rural Rockingham County to the state as a whole.
Author(s): Sarah Grenon, Mallory Bejster, Marty Roberts, et al.
Citation: Progress in Community Health Partnerships: Research, Education, and Action, 19(3), 317-325
Date: 09/2025
view details
Creation of a Telehealth Addiction Consultation Service at a Rural Hospital: A Case Study
Details the implementation and evaluation of the Community Addiction Consult (CAC) service, which facilitated medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) treatment and provided other supports for hospital-based addiction care via telehealth consultations by community, non-hospital clinicians in rural Massachusetts. Highlights the significance of the CAC model as a support for improving access to hospital-based substance use disorder treatment in rural areas.
Author(s): Rachel Katz, Tiarra Fisher, Talia Singer-Clark, et al.
Citation: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 20, 76
Date: 09/2025
view details
Details the implementation and evaluation of the Community Addiction Consult (CAC) service, which facilitated medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) treatment and provided other supports for hospital-based addiction care via telehealth consultations by community, non-hospital clinicians in rural Massachusetts. Highlights the significance of the CAC model as a support for improving access to hospital-based substance use disorder treatment in rural areas.
Author(s): Rachel Katz, Tiarra Fisher, Talia Singer-Clark, et al.
Citation: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 20, 76
Date: 09/2025
view details
"You Can't Do Anything by Yourself": Recruiting and Retaining Mental Health Professionals in Rural America
Discusses the challenges in recruiting and retaining mental health professionals in rural areas, as well as strategies and approaches to address the need. Features a Michigan mental health center CEO and state behavioral health organizations in Nebraska and South Carolina. Also includes insights from 3RNET, which focuses nationally on rural health recruitment and retention.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
view details
Discusses the challenges in recruiting and retaining mental health professionals in rural areas, as well as strategies and approaches to address the need. Features a Michigan mental health center CEO and state behavioral health organizations in Nebraska and South Carolina. Also includes insights from 3RNET, which focuses nationally on rural health recruitment and retention.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
view details
Virginia's Licensed Master's Social Worker Survey: 2025
An overview of the licensed master's social worker (LMSW) workforce in Virginia based on data from the 2025 Licensed Master's Social Worker Survey. Features statistics including the number of LMSWs in metro, urban, and rural areas of Virginia.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Virginia Department of Health Professions
view details
An overview of the licensed master's social worker (LMSW) workforce in Virginia based on data from the 2025 Licensed Master's Social Worker Survey. Features statistics including the number of LMSWs in metro, urban, and rural areas of Virginia.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Virginia Department of Health Professions
view details
Virginia's Licensed Clinical Social Worker Workforce: 2025
An overview of the licensed clinical social workers (LCSW) workforce in Virginia based on data from the 2025 Licensed Clinical Social Worker Workforce Survey. Features statistics including the number of LCSWs in rural Virginia and how many grew up in rural areas.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Virginia Department of Health Professions
view details
An overview of the licensed clinical social workers (LCSW) workforce in Virginia based on data from the 2025 Licensed Clinical Social Worker Workforce Survey. Features statistics including the number of LCSWs in rural Virginia and how many grew up in rural areas.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Virginia Department of Health Professions
view details
Virginia's Licensed Clinical Psychologist Workforce: 2025
An overview of the licensed clinical psychologist (LCP) workforce in Virginia based on data from the 2025 Licensed Clinical Psychologist Workforce Survey. Features statistics including the number of LCPs in rural Virginia and how many grew up in rural areas.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Virginia Department of Health Professions
view details
An overview of the licensed clinical psychologist (LCP) workforce in Virginia based on data from the 2025 Licensed Clinical Psychologist Workforce Survey. Features statistics including the number of LCPs in rural Virginia and how many grew up in rural areas.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Virginia Department of Health Professions
view details
The Doctor is … Out: Shortages of Health Professionals in Rural Areas
Reports on healthcare professional shortages in 16 rural New York counties, including rural and county-level data on primary care, dental health, mental health, and maternity care providers. Discusses rural barriers to healthcare access and highlights approaches to strengthen the rural health workforce in New York.
Author(s): Andrea Miller, Maria Doulis, Matthew Golden, Joshua Simons
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Office of the New York State Comptroller
view details
Reports on healthcare professional shortages in 16 rural New York counties, including rural and county-level data on primary care, dental health, mental health, and maternity care providers. Discusses rural barriers to healthcare access and highlights approaches to strengthen the rural health workforce in New York.
Author(s): Andrea Miller, Maria Doulis, Matthew Golden, Joshua Simons
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Office of the New York State Comptroller
view details
Washington Rural Behavioral Health Workforce
Offers maps and tables of the supply and distribution of behavioral health clinicians in Washington State in 2025. Includes county-level data and rural and urban comparisons.
Author(s): S.C. Woolcock, C.H.A. Andrilla, L.A. Garberson, J.M. Graves
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
view details
Offers maps and tables of the supply and distribution of behavioral health clinicians in Washington State in 2025. Includes county-level data and rural and urban comparisons.
Author(s): S.C. Woolcock, C.H.A. Andrilla, L.A. Garberson, J.M. Graves
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
view details