Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Emergency preparedness and response
2024 Preparedness Profile Study
Provides an overview of local health department (LHD) readiness in addressing emergencies and threats. Includes data on percentage of LHDs that focus on issues related to workforce, partnerships, preparedness capacity, and preparedness response activity, with select data broken down by small, medium, and large LHDs.
Author(s): Chloe Garofalini, Kellie Perkins, Krishna Patel, et al.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Association of County and City Health Officials
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Provides an overview of local health department (LHD) readiness in addressing emergencies and threats. Includes data on percentage of LHDs that focus on issues related to workforce, partnerships, preparedness capacity, and preparedness response activity, with select data broken down by small, medium, and large LHDs.
Author(s): Chloe Garofalini, Kellie Perkins, Krishna Patel, et al.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Association of County and City Health Officials
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Building Rural Weather Resilience
Describes how Archuleta County Public Health and Pagosa Springs Community Center collaboratively addressed vulnerability to extreme weather in rural Colorado by developing community partnerships, implementing public health preparedness initiatives, and effective planning and assessment.
Author(s): Lacy Capre
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Association of County and City Health Officials
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Describes how Archuleta County Public Health and Pagosa Springs Community Center collaboratively addressed vulnerability to extreme weather in rural Colorado by developing community partnerships, implementing public health preparedness initiatives, and effective planning and assessment.
Author(s): Lacy Capre
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Association of County and City Health Officials
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Rural Community Perspectives on Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina
Assesses community perspectives of long-term recovery in two rural western North Carolina counties severely affected by Hurricane Helene. Focuses on housing, communication, transportation, mental health, and food insecurity.
Author(s): Jennifer A. Horney, Lilly Moreau
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 8(1), 60-68
Date: 04/2026
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Assesses community perspectives of long-term recovery in two rural western North Carolina counties severely affected by Hurricane Helene. Focuses on housing, communication, transportation, mental health, and food insecurity.
Author(s): Jennifer A. Horney, Lilly Moreau
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 8(1), 60-68
Date: 04/2026
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COVID-19: Federal Efforts to Support Behavioral Health Programs During the Pandemic
Describes how selected Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) awardees provided behavioral health services during the COVID-19 pandemic and how SAMHSA supported awardees' response to the pandemic. Discusses how SAMHSA's advisory councils and Policy Lab supported the agency's COVID-19 response. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Describes how selected Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) awardees provided behavioral health services during the COVID-19 pandemic and how SAMHSA supported awardees' response to the pandemic. Discusses how SAMHSA's advisory councils and Policy Lab supported the agency's COVID-19 response. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Fourteen of Thirty Selected Indian Health Service and Rural Providers Did Not Comply or May Not Have Complied With Terms and Conditions and Federal Requirements for Expending Provider Relief Fund Payments
Examines whether 30 selected Indian Health Service (IHS) and rural providers that received Provider Relief Fund (PRF) payments spent funds in accordance with Federal and program requirements. Describes unallowable and potentially unallowable expenditures and inaccurately calculated or unsupported lost revenues and their causes. Presents recommendations for the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and HRSA's response.
Additional links: Report Highlights
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Examines whether 30 selected Indian Health Service (IHS) and rural providers that received Provider Relief Fund (PRF) payments spent funds in accordance with Federal and program requirements. Describes unallowable and potentially unallowable expenditures and inaccurately calculated or unsupported lost revenues and their causes. Presents recommendations for the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and HRSA's response.
Additional links: Report Highlights
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Strategies for Effective Alternate Care Sites in Rural Iowa
Discusses alternate care sites for rural Iowa during times of disaster impacting healthcare access. Uses a literature review and survey of 27 Iowa healthcare and county emergency managers to highlight areas of readiness and opportunity in rural disaster preparedness. Offers 3 recommendations based on study findings related to regional collaboration, proactively addressing staffing and resource constraints, and cross-sector partnerships.
Author(s): Lynn J. Royer
Citation: Pracademic Affairs, 6
Date: 01/2026
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Discusses alternate care sites for rural Iowa during times of disaster impacting healthcare access. Uses a literature review and survey of 27 Iowa healthcare and county emergency managers to highlight areas of readiness and opportunity in rural disaster preparedness. Offers 3 recommendations based on study findings related to regional collaboration, proactively addressing staffing and resource constraints, and cross-sector partnerships.
Author(s): Lynn J. Royer
Citation: Pracademic Affairs, 6
Date: 01/2026
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Evidence Matters: Transforming Knowledge into Housing and Community Development Policy - Rural Housing
Examines housing challenges in rural areas such as affordability, structural inadequacy, homelessness, aging in place, and disaster response and recovery. Discusses the importance of defining rural as well as local, state, and federal policy and initiatives that address rural housing issues.
Author(s): Gretchen Armstrong, Amanda Gold, Sage Computing
Date: 2026
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
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Examines housing challenges in rural areas such as affordability, structural inadequacy, homelessness, aging in place, and disaster response and recovery. Discusses the importance of defining rural as well as local, state, and federal policy and initiatives that address rural housing issues.
Author(s): Gretchen Armstrong, Amanda Gold, Sage Computing
Date: 2026
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
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Changes in Bed-Based Measures of Surge Capacity from 2018 to 2022 among Rural and Urban Hospitals
Policy brief describing how hospitals' inpatient capacity changed from 2018-2022 and examining trade-offs between cost-saving reductions and emergency preparedness. Features statistics on hospitals' average daily census (ADC) and number and percentage of unoccupied beds, with breakdowns by year and urban or rural location.
Author(s): Emma Kerr, Tyler Malone, Mark Holmes
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Policy brief describing how hospitals' inpatient capacity changed from 2018-2022 and examining trade-offs between cost-saving reductions and emergency preparedness. Features statistics on hospitals' average daily census (ADC) and number and percentage of unoccupied beds, with breakdowns by year and urban or rural location.
Author(s): Emma Kerr, Tyler Malone, Mark Holmes
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Did the Rural Health Infrastructure Break Down During the Pandemic? Evidence from the 2020 Meatpacking Plant COVID-19 Outbreaks
A webinar recording that discusses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on rural health infrastructure in Minnesota and South Dakota. Focuses on outbreaks experienced in meatpacking plants and subsequent impacts on surrounding rural communities. Transcript available below description.
Author(s): Thomas P. Krumel
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: North Central Regional Center for Rural Development
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A webinar recording that discusses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on rural health infrastructure in Minnesota and South Dakota. Focuses on outbreaks experienced in meatpacking plants and subsequent impacts on surrounding rural communities. Transcript available below description.
Author(s): Thomas P. Krumel
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: North Central Regional Center for Rural Development
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Mapping Community Capacity to Reduce Vulnerability to Wildfire in Colorado, USA
Describes wildfire mitigation practices and the capacity of Colorado communities to conduct those projects relative to their wildfire risk. Discusses indicators of capacity in human, economic, natural, and social categories. Highlights the role of funding in determining community capacity.
Author(s): Karissa Courtney, Federico Holm, Jennifer Brousseau, et al.
Date: 11/2025
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Describes wildfire mitigation practices and the capacity of Colorado communities to conduct those projects relative to their wildfire risk. Discusses indicators of capacity in human, economic, natural, and social categories. Highlights the role of funding in determining community capacity.
Author(s): Karissa Courtney, Federico Holm, Jennifer Brousseau, et al.
Date: 11/2025
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