Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Child welfare
Connecting Caregivers to Each Other
Provides profiles of kinship practices aimed at connecting caregivers, providing support and resources, and offering strategies for replication. Examines Online Community for Kin, an online discussion group that promotes peer support across the state of West Virginia, including in rural areas.
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network: A National Technical Assistance Center
view details
Provides profiles of kinship practices aimed at connecting caregivers, providing support and resources, and offering strategies for replication. Examines Online Community for Kin, an online discussion group that promotes peer support across the state of West Virginia, including in rural areas.
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network: A National Technical Assistance Center
view details
Report to Congress on Medicaid and CHIP, March 2026
Reports on four aspects of Medicaid of interest to Congress: 1) the home- and community-based services (HCBS) workforce, 2) behavioral health in Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), 3) Medicaid for justice-involved youth, and 4) Medicaid for children in foster care.
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
view details
Reports on four aspects of Medicaid of interest to Congress: 1) the home- and community-based services (HCBS) workforce, 2) behavioral health in Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), 3) Medicaid for justice-involved youth, and 4) Medicaid for children in foster care.
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
view details
Developing Rural & Multi-State Kinship Navigator Programs: Lessons, Models & Opportunities
A recorded webinar that describes the Kinship Navigator Collaborative (KNC), a collaboration among Maine, Montana, Vermont, and Wyoming to serve kinship families and children in foster care. Discusses successful partnership models between rural states, funding strategies, and evaluation tips. Transcript available below description.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Author(s): Travis Bryant, Gabby McGuire, Chandra Ortiz, Peyton Vining
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network: A National Technical Assistance Center
view details
A recorded webinar that describes the Kinship Navigator Collaborative (KNC), a collaboration among Maine, Montana, Vermont, and Wyoming to serve kinship families and children in foster care. Discusses successful partnership models between rural states, funding strategies, and evaluation tips. Transcript available below description.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Author(s): Travis Bryant, Gabby McGuire, Chandra Ortiz, Peyton Vining
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network: A National Technical Assistance Center
view details
Alaska Missed Opportunities to Protect American Indian and Alaska Native Children Missing from Foster Care
Examines the extent to which extent to which the Alaska Office of Children's Services (OCS) agency took required steps to protect American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) children before, during, and after children went missing or ran away from foster care. Discusses the experiences of OCS and the children's Tribes in collaborating when children are missing from foster care. Offers recommendations for how the Administration and Children and Families can support Alaska improving compliance and addressing gaps presented in this report.
Additional links: Report Highlights
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
view details
Examines the extent to which extent to which the Alaska Office of Children's Services (OCS) agency took required steps to protect American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) children before, during, and after children went missing or ran away from foster care. Discusses the experiences of OCS and the children's Tribes in collaborating when children are missing from foster care. Offers recommendations for how the Administration and Children and Families can support Alaska improving compliance and addressing gaps presented in this report.
Additional links: Report Highlights
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
view details
Policy Brief: Factors Contributing to Child And Youth Mental Health Struggles
Provides information on youth mental health in Ohio. Focuses on variables that impact mental health, such as smart phones and social media, housing instability, and involvement in child welfare services. Includes county-level map showing percentage of Ohio students who are homeless.
Author(s): Becky Carroll, June Postalakis
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Health Policy Institute of Ohio
view details
Provides information on youth mental health in Ohio. Focuses on variables that impact mental health, such as smart phones and social media, housing instability, and involvement in child welfare services. Includes county-level map showing percentage of Ohio students who are homeless.
Author(s): Becky Carroll, June Postalakis
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Health Policy Institute of Ohio
view details
Children's Advocacy Centers: Literature Review: A Product of the Model Programs Guide
A literature review discussing the history of children's advocacy centers (CACs), characteristics of CACs and their services, characteristics of children using CACs, and their effectiveness. Discusses rural throughout.
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
view details
A literature review discussing the history of children's advocacy centers (CACs), characteristics of CACs and their services, characteristics of children using CACs, and their effectiveness. Discusses rural throughout.
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
view details
Child Maltreatment 2023
Reports on rates of children receiving child protective services, children who died of abuse and neglect, and children who are victims of maltreatment, using data collected from the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS). Offers information on availability and access to child protective services at the state and territory level, including how some counties respond to child abuse and neglect screenings, referrals, and the provision of services. Includes data broken down by race/ethnicity as well as discussions specific to rural and tribal areas.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
view details
Reports on rates of children receiving child protective services, children who died of abuse and neglect, and children who are victims of maltreatment, using data collected from the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS). Offers information on availability and access to child protective services at the state and territory level, including how some counties respond to child abuse and neglect screenings, referrals, and the provision of services. Includes data broken down by race/ethnicity as well as discussions specific to rural and tribal areas.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
view details
Tennessee Child Fatality 2024 Annual Report
Detailed review of deaths of Tennessee children ages 0-17 in 2022. Includes a section on the Sources of Strength program, an initiative to promote mental health and prevent suicides in rural communities.
Additional links: Infographic
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: Tennessee Department of Health
view details
Detailed review of deaths of Tennessee children ages 0-17 in 2022. Includes a section on the Sources of Strength program, an initiative to promote mental health and prevent suicides in rural communities.
Additional links: Infographic
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: Tennessee Department of Health
view details
Civil Rights and Disparities in Pediatric Healthcare Access for Racial and Ethnic Minority Families in Arizona
Reports on disparities in pediatric healthcare access and quality experienced by racial and ethnic minority families in Arizona. Discusses primary findings based on testimony heard by the Arizona Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, and provides suggestions to address civil rights concerns related to pediatric healthcare. Includes findings related to insurance, foster youth, healthcare provider shortages, data collection, and bias, among other topics. Discusses rural and tribal health throughout.
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Commission on Civil Rights
view details
Reports on disparities in pediatric healthcare access and quality experienced by racial and ethnic minority families in Arizona. Discusses primary findings based on testimony heard by the Arizona Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, and provides suggestions to address civil rights concerns related to pediatric healthcare. Includes findings related to insurance, foster youth, healthcare provider shortages, data collection, and bias, among other topics. Discusses rural and tribal health throughout.
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Commission on Civil Rights
view details
Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Intimate Partner Violence and Child Maltreatment Services in Rural Northwest North Carolina
Results of a study using data from interviews with 6 regional agencies, conducted in early 2022 with professionals working in intimate partner violence and child maltreatment in rural North Carolina. Explores challenges and risk factors encountered by clients, including isolation, financial barriers, chronic stress, abuse, barriers to care, and mental illness.
Author(s): Elisabeth G. Galphin, Adam Hege, Amy Dellinger Page
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 6(3), 93-98
Date: 10/2024
view details
Results of a study using data from interviews with 6 regional agencies, conducted in early 2022 with professionals working in intimate partner violence and child maltreatment in rural North Carolina. Explores challenges and risk factors encountered by clients, including isolation, financial barriers, chronic stress, abuse, barriers to care, and mental illness.
Author(s): Elisabeth G. Galphin, Adam Hege, Amy Dellinger Page
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 6(3), 93-98
Date: 10/2024
view details