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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Community and faith-based initiatives

They Built My Soul: A Qualitative Analysis of the Impacts of Home Repairs in Rural Tennessee
Reports results of 28 interviews with rural Tennessee residents who received housing repairs from the Appalachia Service Project, a nonprofit ministry focused on housing improvement. Identifies discussion themes and comments related to environmental risk, physical health, mental health, financial well-being, and willingness to receive assistance from service organizations. Discusses housing as a social determinant of health, and highlights rural and Appalachian housing and health needs.
Author(s): Bethesda O'Connell, Ada Sloop, Nicole Intagliata, Melisa Miller, Megan Quinn
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 4(1), 9-19
Date: 02/2022
Type: Document
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Community Power in Population Health Improvement: Proceedings of a Workshop
Reports on a January 2021 workshop exploring issues related to community-driven power-building efforts to improve population health. Summarizes workshop presentations and discussions on community-led action around different population health improvement topics such as education, transportation, environmental health, healthy eating, and active living, among others. Chapter 6 includes examples of rural and tribal initiatives.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice
Date: 01/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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How Becoming a "Blue Zone" Advanced the Health of Klamath Falls, Oregon
Case study featuring Sky Lakes Medical Center, a not-for-profit, community-owned, acute-care teaching hospital in rural Oregon. Describes a variety of community partnerships underway to help meet the needs of the community, including the Healthy Klamath Coalition, Klamath Works, and the Blue Zones Project.
Date: 01/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Rural Community Health Initiative: Compendium of Best Practices
Presents a collection of community-based health initiatives, including a school health initiative, a COVID-19 vaccine outreach and education program, and telehealth consortia, among others. Describes successful outcomes and sources of funding for each program.
Date: 01/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Rural COVID-19 Innovations
Brief summaries of promising practices, lessons learned, and other examples of rural communities addressing COVID-19 healthcare and health-related concerns, collected from March 2020 through December 2021. Includes efforts related to vaccination, health service provision, help for community members, and more.
Date: 12/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Planning a Reentry Program: A Toolkit for Tribal Communities
Toolkit provides information and guidance for developing a reentry program for American Indians and Alaska Natives who are transitioning from the criminal justice system to civilian life. Highlights evidence-based practices for reentry programs, including partnerships to connect returning citizens to housing, job training and placement, and medical, mental health, and/or substance use treatment, among other services.
Date: 12/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Bureau of Justice Assistance, Center for Court Innovation, Community Justice & Safety For All, U.S. Department of Justice
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Peer-Based Recovery Support Services Delivered at Recovery Community Organizations
Discusses the efficacy of peer-based recovery support programs in rural communities. Features a study on peer-based recovery support services are used in conjunction with clinical treatment for substance use disorder.
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Vermont Center on Rural Addiction
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Presidential COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force Final Report and Recommendations
Report examining the impacts of COVID-19 on communities of color, tribal communities, rural and remote populations, and underserved communities through a health equity lens, offering proposed actions and outcomes to guide future federal health equity efforts. Highlights community organizations and community-based programs, including rural examples.
Additional links: Presidential COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force Proposed Implementation Plan and Accountability Framework
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health
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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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Joint Resource Guide to Strengthen and Expand Child Care Facilities in Rural Communities
Offers information on resources and funding opportunities to help address child care needs in rural communities. Outlines how an entity interested in owning or operating a child care facility can access resources from the Administration for Children and Families and the USDA Rural Development to help meet child care needs. Includes key considerations for developing Head Start/Early Head Start programs and child care centers to serve tribal communities.
Date: 08/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Administration for Children and Families, USDA Rural Development
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