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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Families

Engaging Families and Providers When Aligning Early Childhood and Medicaid Systems: State Lessons
Describes how the alignment of health and social supports and services offered by Medicaid and early childhood agencies can create systems that better meet the needs of families with young children. Outlines four strategies states can use to engage families and providers when working on systems alignment effectively. Highlights an Alaska initiative that worked with a local community organization to recruit rural providers and families to identify opportunities for service improvement.
Author(s): Lauren Scannelli Jacobs, Armelle Casau
Date: 12/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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The 2023 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress
Presents a point-in-time estimate of the number of people experiencing sheltered and unsheltered homelessness in January 2023. Explores national estimates on homeless individuals, families, unaccompanied youth, veterans, and chronically homeless individuals. Provides data on homelessness trends over time, demographics of homeless individuals, sheltered individuals, and differences by geography.
Author(s): Tanya de Sousa, Alyssa Andrichik, Ed Prestera,et al.
Date: 12/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
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See Me, Hear Me, Know Me: Perspectives on Diet and Physical Activity Influences among Teens Living in Rural Texas Communities
Surveyed 40 pairs of rural Texas parents and teens to understand how teens perceive living in a rural community impacts diet and exercise choices. Discusses the role of the family, nutrition at home, access to healthy foods, and more.
Author(s): Debbe Thompson, Julie Miranda, Chishinga Callender, et al
Citation: Nutrients, 15(21), 4695
Date: 11/2023
Type: Document
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Relative Foster Care Is Increasing Among American Indian and Alaska Native Children in Foster Care
Provides information on the percentage increase of relative foster care among American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) children between 2018 and 2021 in 8 states with the largest proportion of AI/AN children.
Date: 11/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Child Trends
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RCORP - Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome II Grantee Directory: 2023 Cohort
Provides contact information and initial project information for 41 initiatives funded under the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program - Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome grant program for 2023. Projects focus on reducing the incidence and impact of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome in rural communities by improving systems of care, family supports, and social determinants of health.
Date: 10/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, JBS International, Inc.
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New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department 2023-2024 Annual Progress and Services Plan (APSR)
Reports on progress made towards outcomes in the areas of child welfare services, early childhood services, behavioral health services, and juvenile justice services. Addresses issues specific to rural areas, collaboration with tribes in the state, and coordination with the state Medicaid system for the behavioral and physical health needs of children, families, and youth in New Mexico.
Date: 09/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: New Mexico Children, Youth, and Families Department
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Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program in Rural America: Policy Brief and Recommendations to the Secretary
Provides an overview of issues related to the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (MIECHV) in rural areas. Discusses the history of home visiting and the MIECHV program, Tribal MIECHV, program structure, eligible models, and promising approaches. Highlights three evidence-based home visiting models in Oregon that receive MIECHV funding. Offers policy recommendations related to improving MIECHV for rural families.
Date: 09/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Implementation of Universal School Meals During COVID-19 and Beyond: School Food Authority and Parent Perspectives
Examines the implementation of the Universal School Meals (USM) policy during COVID-19 and the continuation of USM in California and Maine. Analyzes survey data from school food authorities (SFAs) and parents in both states. Reports on issues such as food procurement and staffing issues during COVID-19, parental perspectives on school meals, and benefits of USM. Includes feedback from rural areas in Maine.
Additional links: Brief
Author(s): Leah Chapman, Juliana F. W. Cohen, Wendi Gosliner, et al.
Date: 09/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: No Kid Hungry
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The State of Obesity 2023: Better Policies for a Healthier America
Presents the latest data available on adult and childhood obesity rates, with breakdowns by state and select demographic characteristics. Examines key current and emerging policies, provides funding opportunities, and outlines recommended policy actions. Includes a special feature that examines obesity trends over the past 20 years.
Author(s): Molly Warren, Madison West, Stacy Beck
Date: 09/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Trust for America's Health
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Portfolio of Research in Welfare and Family Self-Sufficiency
Provides an overview of the efforts of the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation to support families and promote self-sufficiency. Focuses on capacity building, strategies to improve program/participant outcomes, knowledge building and communication, and related family welfare resources and publications. Discusses nuances of specific environments and human services in rural contexts.
Date: 08/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Administration for Children and Families
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