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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Community and economic development

For-profit Hospitals as Anchor Institutions in the United States: A Study of Organizational Stability
Examines whether for-profit hospitals are stable enough to fulfill the role of long-standing anchor institutions through a long-term presence in communities. Analyzes if for-profit hospitals had higher odds of closing and merging, and discusses the potential economic contributions of for-profit anchor institution hospitals to the surrounding community. Includes statistics by hospital characteristics, including rural location, and a discussion of rural hospital closures.
Author(s): Berkeley Franz, Cory E. Cronin, Vanessa Rodriguez, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 21
Date: 12/2021
Type: Document
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USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Contributed to Rural Economic Output, Jobs Following the Great Recession
Reports on the economic impacts of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in rural areas from 2009-2014 based on data from the USDA and U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Economic Analysis. Discusses job creation, household spending, and food-sector investments.
Author(s): Cristina Miller, Katherine Ralston, Stephen Vogel
Citation: Amber Waves
Date: 12/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Rural Development and Rural Health Practices: Trends and Opportunities for Alignment
Issue brief examining the fields of rural economic development and rural public health and healthcare, highlighting positive changes brought about by collaborations between these fields and potentials for rural prosperity. Discusses community asset-based rural development, organized efforts to respond to health challenges, data-driven decision making, and more.
Author(s): Brian Dabson, Victoria Faust
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Aspen Institute
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How Critical Access Hospitals Are Addressing the Social Needs of Rural Populations
Describes Critical Access Hospital (CAH) initiatives that address the social needs of their communities. Summarizes interviews with 14 CAHs and identifies key facilitators and barriers to program success, as well as advice for other CAHs interested in implementing similar programs.
Author(s): Megan Lahr, Tongtan Chantarat, Mariah Quick, Madeleine Pick, Ira Moscovice
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Rural Communities Leading the Way: Introducing Local Foods to Meal Service
Discusses how 3 rural communities utilize local food procurement strategies to provide for school meals. Includes approaches to overcome food insecurity, invest in local food economies, and provide educational opportunities for students related to agriculture and science.
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: No Kid Hungry
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Capturing Shared Impacts of the Partners for Rural Transformation: Advancing Rural Prosperity
Research report detailing how the 6 member institutions of the Partners for Rural Transformation are working to make progress toward and meet their shared goals, and lays out a framework for measuring future shared impacts and an agenda for action to build on successes. Includes a section on progress toward economic mobility, racial justice, and health equity.
Author(s): Corianne Payton Scally, Brett Theodos, Yipeng Su, et al.
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Urban Institute
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Reenvisioning Rural America
Examines census tracts designated as micropolitan, small town, and isolated rural by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural-Urban Commuting Area (RUCA) code system, offering a typology of tracts based on assets and strengths. Organizes rural census tracts into categories including accessible, energy-rich hubs; high-employment agricultural areas; centers of wealth and health; and more. Includes a data map with information on each category of rural census tract and population, government, and geographic information for each tract.
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Urban Institute
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The Action Report: Kansas Power Up & Go
Explores strategies to retain young people and families in rural Kansas. Discusses issues such as child care, housing, broadband, employment with health insurance packages, career opportunities and economic development, cultural sensitivity, and more.
Date: 08/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Kansas Office Of Rural Prosperity, The Kansas Sampler Foundation
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Three Simple Ways for Funders to Make Their Rural Work Authentic
Blog post describing ways that foundations can improve rural philanthropy, highlighting the importance of hiring rural staff, working with firms that have rural experience, and employing a rural equity lens in day-to-day operations.
Author(s): Allen Smart
Date: 07/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Family Philanthropy
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Broadband Task Force: High-Speed Internet is Essential for All Counties
Offers policy recommendations and best practices related to broadband infrastructure, including expansion into rural areas. Discusses broadband technology, community partnerships, and policy considerations. Presents case studies of county-level initiatives and a list of broadband solutions by county in the appendix.
Date: 07/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Counties
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