Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Behavioral health
Co-Creating and Disseminating Substance Use and Vaping Educational Videos, Question Prompt Lists, and Other Resources in Partnership with Community Organizations and Youth in Western North Carolina
Describes the development of and evaluates the social media reach of a youth empowerment program addressing substance use in rural North Carolina. Discusses the inclusion of youth in the development process.
Author(s): Betsy Sleath, Abena A. Adjei, Jeremy Lowery, et al.
Citation: PEC Innovation, 7
Date: 12/2025
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Describes the development of and evaluates the social media reach of a youth empowerment program addressing substance use in rural North Carolina. Discusses the inclusion of youth in the development process.
Author(s): Betsy Sleath, Abena A. Adjei, Jeremy Lowery, et al.
Citation: PEC Innovation, 7
Date: 12/2025
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2025 Arkansas State Epidemiological Outcomes Workgroup: Annual Profile of Substance Use
Provides information on youth and adult substance abuse in Arkansas to help guide substance abuse prevention decision-making. Highlights consequences such as arrests, suicide, and depression and focuses on alcohol, tobacco, illicit drug, and prescription drug use. Includes county-level profiles and an overview of a variety of community and personal health indicators.
Additional links: County Report
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Arkansas Department of Human Services, UA Little Rock MidSOUTH Center for Prevention and Training, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
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Provides information on youth and adult substance abuse in Arkansas to help guide substance abuse prevention decision-making. Highlights consequences such as arrests, suicide, and depression and focuses on alcohol, tobacco, illicit drug, and prescription drug use. Includes county-level profiles and an overview of a variety of community and personal health indicators.
Additional links: County Report
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Arkansas Department of Human Services, UA Little Rock MidSOUTH Center for Prevention and Training, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
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South Carolina 2025-2030 State Health Improvement Plan
Describes a plan for public health improvement in South Carolina. Identifies priorities, strategies, and metrics for topics including health outcomes, maternal and infant health, and behavioral health. Mentions rural throughout.
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: South Carolina Department of Public Health
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Describes a plan for public health improvement in South Carolina. Identifies priorities, strategies, and metrics for topics including health outcomes, maternal and infant health, and behavioral health. Mentions rural throughout.
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: South Carolina Department of Public Health
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Medicare Waiver Expiration & Telehealth FAQs
Provides answers to frequently asked questions regarding the expiration of Medicare telehealth waivers on September 30, 2025. Covers in-person visit requirements, billing procedures, and the applicability of policies across different care settings, including Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs).
Additional links: Chart: Telehealth Medicare Post-September 30, 2025
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
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Provides answers to frequently asked questions regarding the expiration of Medicare telehealth waivers on September 30, 2025. Covers in-person visit requirements, billing procedures, and the applicability of policies across different care settings, including Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs).
Additional links: Chart: Telehealth Medicare Post-September 30, 2025
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
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How States Can Boost Behavioral Health Services in Rural Communities
Explores ways state officials can utilize federal funds to increase mental health and substance use treatment for rural communities. Highlights strategies for increasing access to behavioral health services in rural communities that can be funded through the Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program.
Author(s): Alexandra Duncan, Kristen Mizzi Angelone
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Pew Research Center
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Explores ways state officials can utilize federal funds to increase mental health and substance use treatment for rural communities. Highlights strategies for increasing access to behavioral health services in rural communities that can be funded through the Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program.
Author(s): Alexandra Duncan, Kristen Mizzi Angelone
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Pew Research Center
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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)
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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)
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Cost of Implementing Evidence-Based Practices to Reduce Opioid Overdose Fatalities in New York State Communities
Presents a study on the cost of implementing an intervention to deploy opioid education, naloxone distribution, and medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) during the COVID-19 pandemic in rural and urban locations in New York. Evaluates data from two time periods, or waves, from January 2020 to June 2022 and July 2022 to December 2023.
Author(s): Jazmine M. Li, Dawn Gruss, Timothy Hunt, et al.
Citation: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 20, 77
Date: 10/2025
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Presents a study on the cost of implementing an intervention to deploy opioid education, naloxone distribution, and medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) during the COVID-19 pandemic in rural and urban locations in New York. Evaluates data from two time periods, or waves, from January 2020 to June 2022 and July 2022 to December 2023.
Author(s): Jazmine M. Li, Dawn Gruss, Timothy Hunt, et al.
Citation: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 20, 77
Date: 10/2025
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Geographic and Socioeconomic Landscape of Veterans With Head and Neck Cancer
Explores the geographic and socioeconomic factors that correlate with the higher rates and worse outcomes for head and neck squamous cell carcinomas among veterans compared to civilians. Breaks down data by socioeconomic factors, such as marital status, unemployment, and service connection, among other factors, as well as rurality, travel distance, and drive time.
Author(s): Kristen L. Zayan, Jennifer L. McCoy, Monique Y. Boudreaux-Kelly, et al.
Citation: Head & Neck, 47(10), 2845-2855
Date: 10/2025
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Explores the geographic and socioeconomic factors that correlate with the higher rates and worse outcomes for head and neck squamous cell carcinomas among veterans compared to civilians. Breaks down data by socioeconomic factors, such as marital status, unemployment, and service connection, among other factors, as well as rurality, travel distance, and drive time.
Author(s): Kristen L. Zayan, Jennifer L. McCoy, Monique Y. Boudreaux-Kelly, et al.
Citation: Head & Neck, 47(10), 2845-2855
Date: 10/2025
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Examining Trends in Polydrug Overdose Deaths Across Rural Midwest Counties in the United States, 2022 Through 2024
Highlights a study examining the presence of the drug xylazine in postmortem toxicology of drug overdose deaths in rural Minnesota. Breaks down data by county, drugs co-occurring with xylazine, and demographic characteristics of the deceased, among other measures.
Author(s): Bradley R. Ray, Shane Sheets, Patti Constant, et al.
Citation: Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 275, 112832
Date: 10/2025
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Highlights a study examining the presence of the drug xylazine in postmortem toxicology of drug overdose deaths in rural Minnesota. Breaks down data by county, drugs co-occurring with xylazine, and demographic characteristics of the deceased, among other measures.
Author(s): Bradley R. Ray, Shane Sheets, Patti Constant, et al.
Citation: Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 275, 112832
Date: 10/2025
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Implementing a Mobile Clinic for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment in an Urban and Rural Context
Highlights a study on the efficacy of the mobile clinic model at providing opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment in rural and urban areas. Compares and evaluates mobile OUD treatment programs in Pittsburgh, PA and rural Robeson County, NC. Evaluates programs on the basis of community engagement, cost, and partnerships with local pharmacies, among other measures.
Author(s): Orrin D. Ware, Divya Venkat, Robyn Jordan, et al.
Citation: Substance Use & Addiction Journal, 46(4), 799–805
Date: 10/2025
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Highlights a study on the efficacy of the mobile clinic model at providing opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment in rural and urban areas. Compares and evaluates mobile OUD treatment programs in Pittsburgh, PA and rural Robeson County, NC. Evaluates programs on the basis of community engagement, cost, and partnerships with local pharmacies, among other measures.
Author(s): Orrin D. Ware, Divya Venkat, Robyn Jordan, et al.
Citation: Substance Use & Addiction Journal, 46(4), 799–805
Date: 10/2025
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