Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Licensure and certification of health professionals
State of the U.S. Health Care Workforce, 2025
Offers demographic data on a variety of health professions from data sources between 2019 and 2024. Examines distribution, education and licensing, and projected shortages for the physician, nursing, and oral health fields. Describes challenges contributing to health workforce shortages. Highlights nonmetropolitan workforce shortages and state by state comparison of physician distribution.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Health Resources and Services Administration, National Center for Health Workforce Analysis
view details
Offers demographic data on a variety of health professions from data sources between 2019 and 2024. Examines distribution, education and licensing, and projected shortages for the physician, nursing, and oral health fields. Describes challenges contributing to health workforce shortages. Highlights nonmetropolitan workforce shortages and state by state comparison of physician distribution.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Health Resources and Services Administration, National Center for Health Workforce Analysis
view details
State Telehealth Laws and Reimbursement Policies Report, Fall 2025
Provides an overview of state telehealth policies as of early September 2025. Covers Medicaid reimbursement, private payer laws, and professional requirements.
Additional links: Executive Summary, Infographic, State Summary Chart
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
view details
Provides an overview of state telehealth policies as of early September 2025. Covers Medicaid reimbursement, private payer laws, and professional requirements.
Additional links: Executive Summary, Infographic, State Summary Chart
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
view details
State Of Nursing In Kansas Volume II: Workforce Trends, 2015-2025
Provides data on registered nurses (RNs), advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) in Kansas from 2015 to 2025. Includes information on demographics, education, employment characteristics, and more. Provides county-level data on total licensure, number of licenses per 1,000 residents, and median wages of nurses.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Kansas Nursing Workforce Center
view details
Provides data on registered nurses (RNs), advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) in Kansas from 2015 to 2025. Includes information on demographics, education, employment characteristics, and more. Provides county-level data on total licensure, number of licenses per 1,000 residents, and median wages of nurses.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Kansas Nursing Workforce Center
view details
Indiana Behavioral Health and Human Services Workforce: 2024 Data Report
Provides an overview of the behavioral health and human services (BHHS) workforce in Indiana, with data on license renewals, actively practicing BHHS professionals, employment characteristics and specialties, populations served, and more. Includes information on county-level geographic distribution of all BHHS professionals, addiction counselors, social workers, marriage and family therapists, and mental health counselors.
Author(s): Sierra Vaughn, Cleveland Dietz, Brittany Daulton
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Bowen Center for Health Workforce Research and Policy
view details
Provides an overview of the behavioral health and human services (BHHS) workforce in Indiana, with data on license renewals, actively practicing BHHS professionals, employment characteristics and specialties, populations served, and more. Includes information on county-level geographic distribution of all BHHS professionals, addiction counselors, social workers, marriage and family therapists, and mental health counselors.
Author(s): Sierra Vaughn, Cleveland Dietz, Brittany Daulton
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Bowen Center for Health Workforce Research and Policy
view details
Interstate Occupational Licensure Arrangements to Expand Access to Behavioral Health Services
Policy brief describing state-based provisions to expand behavioral health services through interstate licensure arrangements for providers. Discusses potential impact on provision of behavioral health services, including telehealth, with a focus on how expanded services might enhance access for rural residents. Features state-level maps showing where legislation has been enacted or introduced, as of November 2024.
Author(s): Natalia V. Oster, C. Holly A. Andrilla, Davis G. Patterson, Lisa A. Garberson, Janessa M. Graves
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
view details
Policy brief describing state-based provisions to expand behavioral health services through interstate licensure arrangements for providers. Discusses potential impact on provision of behavioral health services, including telehealth, with a focus on how expanded services might enhance access for rural residents. Features state-level maps showing where legislation has been enacted or introduced, as of November 2024.
Author(s): Natalia V. Oster, C. Holly A. Andrilla, Davis G. Patterson, Lisa A. Garberson, Janessa M. Graves
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
view details
Kansas State Board of Nursing Fiscal Year 2024 Annual Report
Provides information on Kansas nurse licensing, education programs, continuing education, legal issues, and more. Includes data on licensing by county.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Kansas State Board of Nursing
view details
Provides information on Kansas nurse licensing, education programs, continuing education, legal issues, and more. Includes data on licensing by county.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Kansas State Board of Nursing
view details
Washington State's Anesthesia Workforce
Provides an overview of the anesthesia care workforce in Washington State as well as a literature review related to anesthesia workforce quality and gaps. Focuses on training, career pathways, scope of practice, licensure, and employment data. Examines county-level and rural versus urban data on healthcare sites, services, and healthcare professionals providing anesthesia care. Includes workforce analyses of a variety of healthcare professionals working in anesthesia, such as nurses, oral healthcare workers, physicians, and physician assistants.
Additional links: Anesthesiologist Assistants Occupational Brief, Anesthesiologists Occupational Brief, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists Occupational Brief, Dental Anesthesia Assistants Occupational Brief, Dentists Occupational Brief, Physician Assistants Occupational Brief
Author(s): Paula M. Kett, Kyla F. Woodward, Samantha W. Pollack, et al.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Workforce Studies
view details
Provides an overview of the anesthesia care workforce in Washington State as well as a literature review related to anesthesia workforce quality and gaps. Focuses on training, career pathways, scope of practice, licensure, and employment data. Examines county-level and rural versus urban data on healthcare sites, services, and healthcare professionals providing anesthesia care. Includes workforce analyses of a variety of healthcare professionals working in anesthesia, such as nurses, oral healthcare workers, physicians, and physician assistants.
Additional links: Anesthesiologist Assistants Occupational Brief, Anesthesiologists Occupational Brief, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists Occupational Brief, Dental Anesthesia Assistants Occupational Brief, Dentists Occupational Brief, Physician Assistants Occupational Brief
Author(s): Paula M. Kett, Kyla F. Woodward, Samantha W. Pollack, et al.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Workforce Studies
view details
Indiana Oral Health Workforce: 2024 Data Report
Provides information on total license renewals, actively practicing dentists, and actively practicing dental hygienists. Includes geographic distribution of oral health workforce supply with county-level data on dentists and dental hygienists population-to-healthcare worker ratios.
Additional links: Dental Hygienist Workforce Snapshot, Dentist Workforce Snapshot
Author(s): Sierra Vaughn, Yan Ge
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Bowen Center for Health Workforce Research and Policy
view details
Provides information on total license renewals, actively practicing dentists, and actively practicing dental hygienists. Includes geographic distribution of oral health workforce supply with county-level data on dentists and dental hygienists population-to-healthcare worker ratios.
Additional links: Dental Hygienist Workforce Snapshot, Dentist Workforce Snapshot
Author(s): Sierra Vaughn, Yan Ge
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Bowen Center for Health Workforce Research and Policy
view details
State-level Interstate Medical Licensure Policies for Telehealth From 2018-2022: Assessing Changes Before and After the Onset of the Covid-19 Public Health Emergency
Describes the changes in state telehealth-related policies pertaining to physician medical licensure for the provision of out-of-state telehealth services that occurred between 2018 and 2022. Discusses the Interstate Medical License Compact (IMLC) and states' participation over time.
Author(s): Priyanka Vakkalanka, Tracy Young, Knute D. Carter, et al.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Telehealth Research Center
view details
Describes the changes in state telehealth-related policies pertaining to physician medical licensure for the provision of out-of-state telehealth services that occurred between 2018 and 2022. Discusses the Interstate Medical License Compact (IMLC) and states' participation over time.
Author(s): Priyanka Vakkalanka, Tracy Young, Knute D. Carter, et al.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Telehealth Research Center
view details
Stories of Impact: Lee County Health Department
Profiles the Lee County Health Department in Iowa and their work to support community health worker certification, continuing education for public health workers, mobile resource clinics, and health and human services referral processes.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Georgia Health Policy Center
view details
Profiles the Lee County Health Department in Iowa and their work to support community health worker certification, continuing education for public health workers, mobile resource clinics, and health and human services referral processes.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Georgia Health Policy Center
view details