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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Community engagement and volunteerism

Issues in Staffing Emergency Medical Services: A National Survey of Local Rural and Urban EMS Directors
Explores rural-urban differences in medical oversight and the recruitment and retention of emergency medical technicians and paramedics as reported by a survey of 1,425 local EMS directors.
Author(s): Victoria Freeman
Date: 05/2008
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Far From the City: Community Orientation and Responsiveness of Rural Hospitals
Reports the findings of a national study focused on variation in hospital community orientation and responsiveness across differing rural contexts.
Date: 05/2008
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Upper Midwest Rural Health Research Center
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Emergency Medical Services in Frontier Areas: Volunteer Community Organizations
Provides information on paid and volunteer Emergency Medical Services (EMS) workers in frontier and rural areas. Discusses challenges facing volunteer EMS systems and provides examples of different types of programs from several states.
Date: 04/2006
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Frontier Communities
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Kansas Palliative Care 5-Year State Plan: 2022-2027
Provides an overview of the 2022-2027 Kansas palliative care plan, with a focus on access, education and healthcare workforce training, public and community awareness, and emergency preparedness and disaster planning. Includes palliative care access strategies that are specific to rural and frontier areas, as well as a county-level map that shows data on palliative care needs according to mortality rates.
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Kansas Department of Health and Environment
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Kansas Rural Champions
Provides information on individuals who are part of the Kansas Rural Champions network and the rural programs they serve, such as those focused on child care, housing, community infrastructure, and community development. The mission of rural champions is to help build capacity in rural areas and address public needs.
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Kansas Office Of Rural Prosperity
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Rural America Placemaking Toolkit
Provides information and strategies for rural community placemaking through public spaces, community arts, downtown revitalization, and design. Discusses processes for community and cultural assessments, and covers food access initiatives and healthcare in the Cross-Sector Partnerships module. Includes directories of organizations offering technical assistance and financial assistance.
Type: Website
Sponsoring organizations: Community & Economic Development Initiative of Kentucky, USDA Rural Development
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12 COVID-19 Vaccination Strategies for Your Community
Identifies evidence-based strategies communities can use to promote COVID-19 vaccine confidence and uptake. For each strategy, describes the barriers it addresses and research base for the approach.
Additional links: Addendum: Rural Considerations for Vaccine Confidence and Uptake Strategies
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Providing Developmental Screenings and Services in Rural Communities
Discusses barriers rural communities face in providing developmental screenings to children. Highlights a program in Alaska that builds community coalitions to raise awareness about the importance of early childhood programs and to provide screenings and referrals. Offers recommendations for others seeking to build early childhood development coalitions.
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Institute for Children's Healthcare Quality
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Opioid Epidemic Practical Toolkit: Helping Faith and Community Leaders Bring Hope and Healing to Our Communities
Provides practical steps that community and faith-based organizations can take to help address the opioid crisis. Includes information on awareness, prevention, and recovery support. Also covers community capacity building, collaboration, and federal resources.
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: HHS Center for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships (The Partnership Center)
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Case Study: Health Coaches Partner with Community Members to Achieve Health and Wellness Goals
Details key steps and lessons learned to implementing a Health Coach program at Saunders Medical Center in Wahoo, Nebraska. Describes the program serving Wahoo and its surrounding communities. Provides education and advocacy for patients' overall health that produced positive results in 4 areas: mental health, breast health, diabetes, and obesity.
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Bryan Health, Edge Wellness, Family Service Lincoln, Saunders County Prevention Coalition, Saunders Medical Center, Three Rivers Public Health Department, Wahoo Parks and Recreation
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