Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Emergency preparedness and response
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
view details
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
view details
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)
view details
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)
view details
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
view details
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
view details
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
view details
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
view details
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
view details
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
view details
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
view details
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
view details
Connected and Protected: The Power of Rural Cybersecurity
A recorded webinar focused on cybersecurity in rural communities. Discusses strategies and programs that help to innovate and strengthen rural cybersecurity. Transcript available below description.
Author(s): Ann Cleaveland, Ashley Podhradsky, Josh Entringer, Sarah Morales
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health
view details
A recorded webinar focused on cybersecurity in rural communities. Discusses strategies and programs that help to innovate and strengthen rural cybersecurity. Transcript available below description.
Author(s): Ann Cleaveland, Ashley Podhradsky, Josh Entringer, Sarah Morales
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health
view details
Recovery Through a Disability Lens: Impacts of the 2023 Maui Wildfires on Disability Equity and Shared Prosperity
Reports on the impacts of the August 2023 Hawaii wildfires on the housing, employment and income, health, and life satisfaction of West Maui or Kula residents with disabilities. Details how disaster preparedness and recovery policy influence health and quality-of-life disparities for people with disabilities.
Additional links: Plain Language Version
Author(s): Daniela Bond-Smith, Ruben Juarez, Alika Maunakea
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: The Economic Research Organization at the University of Hawai'i
view details
Reports on the impacts of the August 2023 Hawaii wildfires on the housing, employment and income, health, and life satisfaction of West Maui or Kula residents with disabilities. Details how disaster preparedness and recovery policy influence health and quality-of-life disparities for people with disabilities.
Additional links: Plain Language Version
Author(s): Daniela Bond-Smith, Ruben Juarez, Alika Maunakea
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: The Economic Research Organization at the University of Hawai'i
view details
2025 Cybersecurity Year in Review, Part Two: Mitigating Third-Party Risk, Ensuring Clinical Continuity and Addressing AI Risk
Explains steps healthcare organizations should take to address cybersecurity risks. Discusses the need to prepare for interruption to services of 30 days or longer and the importance of focusing on clinical continuity. Also provides examples of how AI is being used in cyberattacks.
Author(s): John Riggi, Scott Gee
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
view details
Explains steps healthcare organizations should take to address cybersecurity risks. Discusses the need to prepare for interruption to services of 30 days or longer and the importance of focusing on clinical continuity. Also provides examples of how AI is being used in cyberattacks.
Author(s): John Riggi, Scott Gee
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
view details
Doing More With Less: Turning Efficient Cybersecurity Into Savings In Rural Healthcare
Recording of an October 7, 2025, webinar regarding cybersecurity threats, how to proactively address these threats, and how to limit their impact. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
view details
Recording of an October 7, 2025, webinar regarding cybersecurity threats, how to proactively address these threats, and how to limit their impact. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
view details