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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy

Improving the Health of Alaska Native People Through Use of a Policy Change Model and Capacity Building
Examines efforts by the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium in 2014-2017 to promote health and wellness through policy, systems, and environmental strategies. Describes a model outlining steps for policy change, including engaging the community, building support, and assessing education and outreach needed for decision makers and the public.
Author(s): Diane Redwood, Kristen Mitchell-Box, Erin Peterson, Ellen Provost
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 16
Date: 05/2019
Type: Document
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Improving Oral Health Care Services in Rural America from the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
Webinar recording discusses oral healthcare access in rural communities and the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services' recommendations to improve access for rural people across the country.
Additional links: Audio Recording, PowerPoint Handout, Webinar Transcript
Date: 05/2019
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Virtual Telehealth Librarians: A Closer Look at a Regional Telehealth Resource Center's Technical Assistance
Highlights the technical assistance provided by the federally-funded regional and national telehealth resource centers, with a focus on the work of the Upper Midwest Telehealth Resource Center.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 05/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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A Tale of Two Public Dental Benefit Programs: Iowa Dentist Participation in Traditional Medicaid Versus a Medicaid Expansion Program
Examines differences in dentist participation in Iowa's Dental Wellness Plan and Medicaid programs and discusses the policy implications for oral health access. Addresses differences in rural and urban participation in both programs.
Author(s): Julie C. Reynolds, Susan C. McKernan, Peter C. Damiano, Raymond A. Kuthy
Citation: BMC Oral Health, 19, 89
Date: 05/2019
Type: Document
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Supporting Rural Health: Practical Solutions for State Policymakers
Reports on 3 regional meetings of state health policy leaders and national experts regarding top rural health concerns and successful models for addressing them. Highlights lessons for policymakers from rural health initiatives focused on community health, strategies for expanding rural health workforce capacity, and examples of states working with research centers to develop evidence-based policies. Includes models from several states for each area discussed.
Author(s): Emily Whelan Parento
Date: 05/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Milbank Memorial Fund
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Sickle Cell Data Collection Program Brief: Births in Georgia, 2004-2016
Policy brief intended to inform decision-makers how gaps in diagnosis, treatment, and access to care for patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) can be addressed through policy changes, improved healthcare, and education. Features statistics on SCD births in Georgia from 2004-2016 and includes a Georgia map showing numbers of SCD births by county of residence from 2004-2016.
Date: 05/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Georgia Health Policy Center
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Identification of High-Need Rural Counties to Assist in Resource Location Planning for Primary Care
Demonstrates a selection process to sort counties by health and healthcare needs, and to identify areas with poor health outcomes and limited access to Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). Features statistics and county-level maps showing distribution of safety net providers in rural counties, distribution of average decile scores for health outcomes, socioeconomic characteristics, health behaviors, access to healthcare, and physical environment, among rural counties without an RHC and an FQHC.
Author(s): Charity B. Breneman, Jan M. Eberth, Janice C. Probst
Date: 05/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Minority Health Research Center (formerly the South Carolina Rural Health Research Center)
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Identification of High-Need Rural Counties to Assist in Resource Location Planning
Demonstrates a technique for identifying rural counties that are at risk for poor health outcomes and have few or no Rural Health Clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers, or Critical Access Hospitals. Features statistics and county-level maps showing distribution of safety net providers in rural counties, and distribution of average decile scores for health outcomes, socioeconomic characteristics, health behaviors, access to health care, and physical environment, among rural counties lacking a core safety net provider.
Author(s): Charity B. Breneman, Jan M. Eberth, Janice C. Probst
Date: 05/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Minority Health Research Center (formerly the South Carolina Rural Health Research Center)
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The State of Latino Housing, Transportation, and Green Space: A Research Review
Highlights programs and policies that may improve neighborhood health equity in U.S. Latino communities. Discusses Latino migration to rural areas in the South and Midwest and the need for affordable housing and green space policies to promote health and wellbeing.
Date: 05/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Salud America
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2018 Farm Bill Primer: Rural Development Programs
Highlights the new rural development provisions included in the 2018 Farm Bill, which address rural access to high-speed broadband, rural health, loans and grants for rural water and wastewater infrastructure, economic development, and more. Outlines changes in how rural is defined for these programs.
Date: 05/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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