Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health workforce
The SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act of 2025: Section-by-Section Summary
Provides a section-by-section description of the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act (P.L. 119-44). Includes background information and a summary of each provision. Table 1 presents expired authorizations and appropriations in the SUPPORT Act of 2018, related annual appropriations, and whether the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act reauthorized each provision.
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Provides a section-by-section description of the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act (P.L. 119-44). Includes background information and a summary of each provision. Table 1 presents expired authorizations and appropriations in the SUPPORT Act of 2018, related annual appropriations, and whether the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act reauthorized each provision.
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Comparing Physicians' Perceptions of Access to Behavioral Health Resources in Rural and Urban Practices
Explores the differences in the perceptions of rural and urban physicians about access to behavioral health resources for their patients. Draws conclusions from findings of the 2022 National Sample Survey of Physicians by rural versus urban ZIP codes. Breaks down data by specialty, years of practice, and average time spent in different care locations, among other measures.
Author(s): C. Holly A. Andrilla, Natalia V. Oster, Xiaochu Hu, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(4), e70226
Date: 09/2026
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Explores the differences in the perceptions of rural and urban physicians about access to behavioral health resources for their patients. Draws conclusions from findings of the 2022 National Sample Survey of Physicians by rural versus urban ZIP codes. Breaks down data by specialty, years of practice, and average time spent in different care locations, among other measures.
Author(s): C. Holly A. Andrilla, Natalia V. Oster, Xiaochu Hu, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(4), e70226
Date: 09/2026
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What Will It Take to Sustain Maternal Care in Rural Communities? These Strategies Are Helping Keep Care Close to Home
Discusses challenges facing rural maternal healthcare, such as workforce shortages, low birth volumes, and reimbursement. Provides strategies to help improve sustainability, focusing on leadership, diversifying the workforce, strengthening regional and community partnerships, extending community care, addressing behavioral health and social needs, and supporting financial sustainability.
Author(s): Julia J. Resnick, Aisha Syeda
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Discusses challenges facing rural maternal healthcare, such as workforce shortages, low birth volumes, and reimbursement. Provides strategies to help improve sustainability, focusing on leadership, diversifying the workforce, strengthening regional and community partnerships, extending community care, addressing behavioral health and social needs, and supporting financial sustainability.
Author(s): Julia J. Resnick, Aisha Syeda
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Examining the Rural College Labor Market
Examines the rural college labor market, enrollment and degree completion, location decisions of students, and shifts in degree types to meet the needs of changing rural industries. Utilizes American Community Survey data to analyze the nonmetro workforce, college labor trends, demographic characteristics, and industry changes, including trends related to healthcare profession degree completion and subsequent employment.
Author(s): Brandon Genetin, James C. Davis
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Examines the rural college labor market, enrollment and degree completion, location decisions of students, and shifts in degree types to meet the needs of changing rural industries. Utilizes American Community Survey data to analyze the nonmetro workforce, college labor trends, demographic characteristics, and industry changes, including trends related to healthcare profession degree completion and subsequent employment.
Author(s): Brandon Genetin, James C. Davis
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Increasing Access to Rural Behavioral Health Care Through a Community-Based Workforce
Provides examples for improving access to behavioral healthcare via a community-based workforce in rural areas. Discusses behavioral health workforce needs in rural communities, prioritizing relationship building alongside formal training, promoting conditions for peer support specialists to thrive, integrating community-based roles into clinical teams and community settings, and leveraging the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) and other time-limited funds to build long-term sustainability.
Author(s): Hadley Fitzgerald, Ashley Jasko
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Provides examples for improving access to behavioral healthcare via a community-based workforce in rural areas. Discusses behavioral health workforce needs in rural communities, prioritizing relationship building alongside formal training, promoting conditions for peer support specialists to thrive, integrating community-based roles into clinical teams and community settings, and leveraging the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) and other time-limited funds to build long-term sustainability.
Author(s): Hadley Fitzgerald, Ashley Jasko
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Expanding Peer Recovery Services in Rural Georgia: A Recovery Community Organization's Approach
Provides information on recovery community organizations (RCOs) and their role in providing support to people with substance use disorder (SUD). Discusses the implementation, programs, services, staffing, funding, and impact of an RCO in rural Georgia.
Author(s): Vanessa Finisse
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Provides information on recovery community organizations (RCOs) and their role in providing support to people with substance use disorder (SUD). Discusses the implementation, programs, services, staffing, funding, and impact of an RCO in rural Georgia.
Author(s): Vanessa Finisse
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Community Relationships and Physician Retention in Clinician Shortage Areas
Results of a study examining the connections of community needs fulfillment and community integration with anticipated retention of physicians in rural Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) and urban HPSAs. Features demographics and statistics with breakdowns by type of practice, including Federally Qualified Health Centers and Look-Alike Health Centers, Rural Health Clinics, and hospital-based sites.
Author(s): Donald E. Pathman, David F. Schmitz, Thomas R. Konrad, Thomas E. Rauner, Mike Shimmens
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(9), e2635692
Date: 09/2026
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Results of a study examining the connections of community needs fulfillment and community integration with anticipated retention of physicians in rural Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) and urban HPSAs. Features demographics and statistics with breakdowns by type of practice, including Federally Qualified Health Centers and Look-Alike Health Centers, Rural Health Clinics, and hospital-based sites.
Author(s): Donald E. Pathman, David F. Schmitz, Thomas R. Konrad, Thomas E. Rauner, Mike Shimmens
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(9), e2635692
Date: 09/2026
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Building a Robust Primary Care Workforce: Diffusing Lessons Across States
Blog post examining primary care workforce shortages in rural and underserved areas. Describes efforts by Missouri, North Carolina, and Wisconsin to develop and implement state-level graduate medical education strategies to increase their primary care workforce.
Author(s): Erin Fraher, Andreas Stomby
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Milbank Memorial Fund
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Blog post examining primary care workforce shortages in rural and underserved areas. Describes efforts by Missouri, North Carolina, and Wisconsin to develop and implement state-level graduate medical education strategies to increase their primary care workforce.
Author(s): Erin Fraher, Andreas Stomby
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Milbank Memorial Fund
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Opportunities for a Healthier Rural America: Perspectives from the Rural Health Research Centers
Several Rural Health Research Center directors share insights on the challenges rural communities face and opportunities to improve access and outcomes.
Author(s): Jessica Rosencrans
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Several Rural Health Research Center directors share insights on the challenges rural communities face and opportunities to improve access and outcomes.
Author(s): Jessica Rosencrans
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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From Innovation to Implementation: Replicable Community-Based Care Models for Aging in Place
Offers 6 domains influencing feasibility, sustainability, and adaptability for community-based long-term care models, drawn from more than 60 programs. Includes analysis of 3 of those programs including 1 rural North Dakota program. More rural programs are highlighted in Table 3.
Author(s): Brendan Flinn, Cleanthe (Cleo) Kordomenos, Giselle Torralba, Alondra Janicek, Tyler Cromer
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: AARP Public Policy Institute
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Offers 6 domains influencing feasibility, sustainability, and adaptability for community-based long-term care models, drawn from more than 60 programs. Includes analysis of 3 of those programs including 1 rural North Dakota program. More rural programs are highlighted in Table 3.
Author(s): Brendan Flinn, Cleanthe (Cleo) Kordomenos, Giselle Torralba, Alondra Janicek, Tyler Cromer
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: AARP Public Policy Institute
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