Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare needs and services
Creation of a Telehealth Addiction Consultation Service at a Rural Hospital: A Case Study
Details the implementation and evaluation of the Community Addiction Consult (CAC) service, which facilitated medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) treatment and provided other supports for hospital-based addiction care via telehealth consultations by community, non-hospital clinicians in rural Massachusetts. Highlights the significance of the CAC model as a support for improving access to hospital-based substance use disorder treatment in rural areas.
Author(s): Rachel Katz, Tiarra Fisher, Talia Singer-Clark, et al.
Citation: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 20, 76
Date: 09/2025
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Details the implementation and evaluation of the Community Addiction Consult (CAC) service, which facilitated medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) treatment and provided other supports for hospital-based addiction care via telehealth consultations by community, non-hospital clinicians in rural Massachusetts. Highlights the significance of the CAC model as a support for improving access to hospital-based substance use disorder treatment in rural areas.
Author(s): Rachel Katz, Tiarra Fisher, Talia Singer-Clark, et al.
Citation: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 20, 76
Date: 09/2025
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Data Driven Decisions: Using Data to Identify Health Services and Needs for Rural Emergency Hospitals
Describes the Health Services and Needs Assessment (HSNA) tool provided to Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs) and facility exploring the REH designation. Summarizes aggregated data on health indicators and availability of preventive care across REH communities based on 36 HSNAs completed through September 2024, as well as lessons learned regarding common issues faced by rural hospitals.
Author(s): Susie Aft, Autum Martin, Anna Anna, Candice Talkington, Tracey Dorff
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Redesign Center
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Describes the Health Services and Needs Assessment (HSNA) tool provided to Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs) and facility exploring the REH designation. Summarizes aggregated data on health indicators and availability of preventive care across REH communities based on 36 HSNAs completed through September 2024, as well as lessons learned regarding common issues faced by rural hospitals.
Author(s): Susie Aft, Autum Martin, Anna Anna, Candice Talkington, Tracey Dorff
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Redesign Center
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Shifting Care Patterns: How Medicaid Policies Shape Family and Formal Care Use
Analyzes the impacts of Medicaid 1915(c) waivers on likelihood of receiving formal versus family care among adults aged 70 years and older with functional limitations, utilizing 2011-2019 National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) data. Highlights the significance of waiver payments for family caregiving for population subgroups including Medicaid beneficiaries, rural residents, and people living with dementia.
Author(s): Johanna Thunell, Elise M. Parrish, Katherine E.M. Miller
Citation: Alzheimer's & Dementia, 21(9), e70715
Date: 09/2025
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Analyzes the impacts of Medicaid 1915(c) waivers on likelihood of receiving formal versus family care among adults aged 70 years and older with functional limitations, utilizing 2011-2019 National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) data. Highlights the significance of waiver payments for family caregiving for population subgroups including Medicaid beneficiaries, rural residents, and people living with dementia.
Author(s): Johanna Thunell, Elise M. Parrish, Katherine E.M. Miller
Citation: Alzheimer's & Dementia, 21(9), e70715
Date: 09/2025
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Supporting Rural Health Facilities
Discusses strategies pursued by states to strengthen the financial stability of rural hospitals and expand access to primary care, behavioral healthcare, and emergency care. Describes state policies related to technical assistance, financial stabilization grants, payment models, Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), health centers, Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs), and free-standing emergency departments.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Conference of State Legislatures
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Discusses strategies pursued by states to strengthen the financial stability of rural hospitals and expand access to primary care, behavioral healthcare, and emergency care. Describes state policies related to technical assistance, financial stabilization grants, payment models, Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), health centers, Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs), and free-standing emergency departments.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Conference of State Legislatures
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Variation in Extreme Risk Protection Order Use Among Urban, Suburban, and Rural ZIP Codes in Maryland: A Descriptive Study
Analyzes the use of extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs) in rural, suburban, and urban Maryland between October 2018 and June 2020. Includes rural and urban analysis of various demographic characteristics, type of threat, target of threat, type of ERPO petitioner, and court outcomes. Discusses a variety of violence types include interpersonal violence, mass shootings, and suicide as well as ERPO uptake in rural areas.
Author(s): Mia Aassar, Elise Omaki, Lisa Geller, April M. Zeoli, Shannon Frattaroli
Citation: Inquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing, 62
Date: 09/2025
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Analyzes the use of extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs) in rural, suburban, and urban Maryland between October 2018 and June 2020. Includes rural and urban analysis of various demographic characteristics, type of threat, target of threat, type of ERPO petitioner, and court outcomes. Discusses a variety of violence types include interpersonal violence, mass shootings, and suicide as well as ERPO uptake in rural areas.
Author(s): Mia Aassar, Elise Omaki, Lisa Geller, April M. Zeoli, Shannon Frattaroli
Citation: Inquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing, 62
Date: 09/2025
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Best Practices for Implementing the Continuum of Crisis Services Under Medicaid and CHIP
Provides guidance for states to maintain a continuum of behavioral health crisis care for patients covered by Medicaid and CHIP. Details core elements of the continuum of crisis care and how Medicaid and CHIP function within that framework. Highlights considerations for rural communities.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Provides guidance for states to maintain a continuum of behavioral health crisis care for patients covered by Medicaid and CHIP. Details core elements of the continuum of crisis care and how Medicaid and CHIP function within that framework. Highlights considerations for rural communities.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Rural-Urban Comparisons of Nursing Staff Turnover among Skilled Nursing Facilities
Results of a study assessing facility-level turnover rates for nursing personnel across levels of rurality and by region, using data from 14,986 facilities. Features statistics on turnover rates in 2022, with breakdowns by total nursing staff and registered nurses only, and by rural or urban areas. Also includes a county-level map showing average nursing staff turnover rates.
Author(s): Michael D. Wirth, Nick Yell, Peiyin Hung, Elizabeth Crouch
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of South Carolina Rural Health Research Center
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Results of a study assessing facility-level turnover rates for nursing personnel across levels of rurality and by region, using data from 14,986 facilities. Features statistics on turnover rates in 2022, with breakdowns by total nursing staff and registered nurses only, and by rural or urban areas. Also includes a county-level map showing average nursing staff turnover rates.
Author(s): Michael D. Wirth, Nick Yell, Peiyin Hung, Elizabeth Crouch
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of South Carolina Rural Health Research Center
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State Strategies for Strengthening Rural Health: Insights from NASHP's 2025 Annual Conference
Summarizes a session from the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) 2025 Annual Conference regarding state strategies to improve access to care in rural communities. Highlights policies from North Dakota, Washington, and West Virginia related to workforce and capacity challenges, broadband and telehealth, behavioral health access points, and linking health and social care.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
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Summarizes a session from the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) 2025 Annual Conference regarding state strategies to improve access to care in rural communities. Highlights policies from North Dakota, Washington, and West Virginia related to workforce and capacity challenges, broadband and telehealth, behavioral health access points, and linking health and social care.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
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Treatment Initiations and Opioid Overdoses among Recently Incarcerated People after Adoption of the Take-Home Methadone Policy
Explores the effect flexible methadone policies implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic had on opioid overdoses and treatment initiation and uptake among incarcerated people upon release. Highlights the effect this policy had on rural areas and communities that lack access to opioid treatment.
Author(s): Benjamin A. Barsky, Shapei Yan, Meredith B. Rosenthal
Citation: Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 274, 112775
Date: 09/2025
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Explores the effect flexible methadone policies implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic had on opioid overdoses and treatment initiation and uptake among incarcerated people upon release. Highlights the effect this policy had on rural areas and communities that lack access to opioid treatment.
Author(s): Benjamin A. Barsky, Shapei Yan, Meredith B. Rosenthal
Citation: Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 274, 112775
Date: 09/2025
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Description of a Collaborative Rural Dental Scholar Program
Discusses a series of initiatives to increase Alabama's rural dental workforce through a partnership between The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry and The University of Alabama College of Community Health Sciences. Describes the interventions designed to get rural students interested and participating in oral health training. Details a summer program for high school students, a pathway program for post-grads, and scholarships for participating students.
Author(s): Carly Timmons McKenzie, Paul Drake Lavender
Citation: Journal of Dental Education, 89(9), 1356-1361
Date: 09/2025
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Discusses a series of initiatives to increase Alabama's rural dental workforce through a partnership between The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry and The University of Alabama College of Community Health Sciences. Describes the interventions designed to get rural students interested and participating in oral health training. Details a summer program for high school students, a pathway program for post-grads, and scholarships for participating students.
Author(s): Carly Timmons McKenzie, Paul Drake Lavender
Citation: Journal of Dental Education, 89(9), 1356-1361
Date: 09/2025
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