Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Behavioral health workforce
Decisions to Practice in Rural Areas Among Mental Health Care Professionals
Research letter describing a study examining factors associated with mental health professionals' decisions to practice in rural areas and whether those factors differ by professional type. Uses data from Minnesota's health licensing boards and a survey of active Minnesota healthcare professionals collected from 2022-2023. Features statistics with breakdowns by provider type and rural or urban location.
Author(s): Carrie Henning-Smith, Teri Fritsma, Andrew P.J. Olson, Selam Woldegerima, Hannah MacDougall
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 7(6), e2421285
Date: 06/2024
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Research letter describing a study examining factors associated with mental health professionals' decisions to practice in rural areas and whether those factors differ by professional type. Uses data from Minnesota's health licensing boards and a survey of active Minnesota healthcare professionals collected from 2022-2023. Features statistics with breakdowns by provider type and rural or urban location.
Author(s): Carrie Henning-Smith, Teri Fritsma, Andrew P.J. Olson, Selam Woldegerima, Hannah MacDougall
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 7(6), e2421285
Date: 06/2024
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Playbook for Enhancing Indiana's Mental and Behavioral Health Workforce
Provides an overview of strategies to improve the mental and behavioral health workforce in Indiana, with a focus on the health workforce pipeline, school-based behavioral health workforce, clinical training, and the alignment of education, policy, and practice. Includes county-level maps that depict workforce strength, location of behavioral health training programs, and Area Health Education Center (AHEC) regions. Includes data on behavioral health issues in Indiana as well as references to successful programs in other U.S. states.
Author(s): H.L. Maxey, M.M. Tobin
Date: 06/2024
Sponsoring organizations: Bowen Center for Health Workforce Research and Policy, Indiana University School of Medicine
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Provides an overview of strategies to improve the mental and behavioral health workforce in Indiana, with a focus on the health workforce pipeline, school-based behavioral health workforce, clinical training, and the alignment of education, policy, and practice. Includes county-level maps that depict workforce strength, location of behavioral health training programs, and Area Health Education Center (AHEC) regions. Includes data on behavioral health issues in Indiana as well as references to successful programs in other U.S. states.
Author(s): H.L. Maxey, M.M. Tobin
Date: 06/2024
Sponsoring organizations: Bowen Center for Health Workforce Research and Policy, Indiana University School of Medicine
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Disasters and Impacts in Appalachian Kentucky: A Behavioral Health Analysis
Reports on disasters in 8 rural southeast Kentucky counties in 2021-2022, the changing nature of the disasters, and the behavioral health impact on the residents affected. Features demographics and statistics with breakdowns by disaster type and impact.
Author(s): Walter David Mathews, Joseph M. Clark, Amy S. Potts
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 6(1), 132–147
Date: 05/2024
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Reports on disasters in 8 rural southeast Kentucky counties in 2021-2022, the changing nature of the disasters, and the behavioral health impact on the residents affected. Features demographics and statistics with breakdowns by disaster type and impact.
Author(s): Walter David Mathews, Joseph M. Clark, Amy S. Potts
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 6(1), 132–147
Date: 05/2024
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Pandemic-Era Trends in Telehealth Use among Americans with Private Health Insurance
Brief analyzing telehealth use between 2019 and 2021 for people younger than 65 with private health insurance. Discusses the impact of COVID-19 on telehealth use. Analyzes data by various factors such as age, rurality, access, broadband availability, and more. Discusses policy implications related to broadband access, mental healthcare provider shortages, costs, access, and equity. Includes both nationwide and state-by-state rural and urban comparisons.
Author(s): Beth Carter, Olivia Dean, Alex Hartzman, Luis Arzaluz, Aiden Wynia
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: AARP Public Policy Institute
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Brief analyzing telehealth use between 2019 and 2021 for people younger than 65 with private health insurance. Discusses the impact of COVID-19 on telehealth use. Analyzes data by various factors such as age, rurality, access, broadband availability, and more. Discusses policy implications related to broadband access, mental healthcare provider shortages, costs, access, and equity. Includes both nationwide and state-by-state rural and urban comparisons.
Author(s): Beth Carter, Olivia Dean, Alex Hartzman, Luis Arzaluz, Aiden Wynia
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: AARP Public Policy Institute
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Alabama Health Professional Shortage Areas - Mental Health
County-level map with shadings showing geographic and low-income Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) in Alabama.
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: Alabama Department of Public Health
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County-level map with shadings showing geographic and low-income Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) in Alabama.
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: Alabama Department of Public Health
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New Medicare Behavioral Health Providers: Incorporating MHCs and MFTs Into Your RHC
Recording of a May 9, 2024, webinar discussing Medicare coverage of marriage and family therapists (MFTs) and mental health counselors (MHCs) effective January 1, 2024, and the implications for Rural Health Clinics. Describes skills and attributes of MFTs and MHCs and provides an overview of common mental health concerns for older adults. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Recording of a May 9, 2024, webinar discussing Medicare coverage of marriage and family therapists (MFTs) and mental health counselors (MHCs) effective January 1, 2024, and the implications for Rural Health Clinics. Describes skills and attributes of MFTs and MHCs and provides an overview of common mental health concerns for older adults. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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A Lack of Behavioral Health Providers in Medicare and Medicaid Impedes Enrollees' Access to Care
Examines the availability of behavioral health providers who actively serve Medicare or Medicaid enrollees in 20 counties, 10 urban and 10 rural, across 10 states in 2021. Explores the extent to which traditional Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and Medicaid enrollees received behavioral health services and whether they used telehealth or in-person services. Offers recommendations to encourage more behavioral health providers to serve these enrollees and expand coverage to additional behavioral health provider types. Includes rural and urban comparisons throughout.
Additional links: Report Highlights
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Examines the availability of behavioral health providers who actively serve Medicare or Medicaid enrollees in 20 counties, 10 urban and 10 rural, across 10 states in 2021. Explores the extent to which traditional Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and Medicaid enrollees received behavioral health services and whether they used telehealth or in-person services. Offers recommendations to encourage more behavioral health providers to serve these enrollees and expand coverage to additional behavioral health provider types. Includes rural and urban comparisons throughout.
Additional links: Report Highlights
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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California Health Professional Shortage Areas: Mental Health
County-level map showing California mental health high needs geographic Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), geographic HPSAs, and HPSA populations.
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organizations: California Department of Health Care Access and Information, California Health and Human Services Agency
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County-level map showing California mental health high needs geographic Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), geographic HPSAs, and HPSA populations.
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organizations: California Department of Health Care Access and Information, California Health and Human Services Agency
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Kansas Center for Rural Health: Maternal Care Mapping Project
A recorded webinar describing a project that aims to map obstetric providers, facilities providing obstetric care, and mental health providers in Kansas. Provides data on 2021 live births and female residents per county.
Author(s): Karen Weis, Udana Urceo, Danielle Ast, Amy Garcia, Alexander Alsup
Date: 02/2024
Sponsoring organization: Kansas Nursing Workforce Center
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A recorded webinar describing a project that aims to map obstetric providers, facilities providing obstetric care, and mental health providers in Kansas. Provides data on 2021 live births and female residents per county.
Author(s): Karen Weis, Udana Urceo, Danielle Ast, Amy Garcia, Alexander Alsup
Date: 02/2024
Sponsoring organization: Kansas Nursing Workforce Center
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Quantifying Arizona's Mental Health Workforce Shortage Using Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) Data, Updated: January 2025
Report describing the shortages of psychiatrist physicians in Arizona. Data include shortages in both tribal nations and at a county-level.
Date: 01/2024
Sponsoring organization: Arizona Center for Rural Health
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Report describing the shortages of psychiatrist physicians in Arizona. Data include shortages in both tribal nations and at a county-level.
Date: 01/2024
Sponsoring organization: Arizona Center for Rural Health
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