Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Sustainability of programs
From Expansion to Expiration: Federal Policy Waivers and Telehealth Utilization in US Primary Care (2016–2024)
Examines the impact of COVID-19 federal policy waivers on the long-term sustainability of telehealth access. Provides a scoping review of 2016-2024 articles focused on telehealth utilization for primary care, the removal of geographic restrictions in telehealth policy, and the subsequent impact on healthcare access for rural areas.
Author(s): Abhilasha Bellapu, John Geracitano, Jamie Conklin, Saif Khairat
Citation: Advances in Health Information Science and Practice, 2(1), eRCTG8117
Date: 02/2026
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Examines the impact of COVID-19 federal policy waivers on the long-term sustainability of telehealth access. Provides a scoping review of 2016-2024 articles focused on telehealth utilization for primary care, the removal of geographic restrictions in telehealth policy, and the subsequent impact on healthcare access for rural areas.
Author(s): Abhilasha Bellapu, John Geracitano, Jamie Conklin, Saif Khairat
Citation: Advances in Health Information Science and Practice, 2(1), eRCTG8117
Date: 02/2026
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Study of the Feasibility and Desirability of Establishing a Delinquent Billing Reimbursement Grant System for Ambulance Service Providers - Survey Results & Overview
Presents a the results of a study on the feasibility of implementing a grant-funded reimbursement system for ambulance service providers in North Dakota. Explores the financial stability of North Dakota's EMS providers under the fee-for-service model and highlights gaps and shortfalls in reimbursement. Discusses the effect of these reimbursement issues in both rural and urban areas.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organizations: North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services, North Dakota EMS Association, North Dakota Legislative Council
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Presents a the results of a study on the feasibility of implementing a grant-funded reimbursement system for ambulance service providers in North Dakota. Explores the financial stability of North Dakota's EMS providers under the fee-for-service model and highlights gaps and shortfalls in reimbursement. Discusses the effect of these reimbursement issues in both rural and urban areas.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organizations: North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services, North Dakota EMS Association, North Dakota Legislative Council
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Community Schools in Rural California: Leveraging Shared Resources in West Kern County
Discusses access challenges related to academic, social, and mental health supports in rural schools and provides a case study of a community school approach in California. Provides findings, lessons, collaborative strategies, and sustainability efforts from the West Kern Consortium for Full-Service Community Schools.
Author(s): Laura E. Hernández Emily Germain
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Learning Policy Institute
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Discusses access challenges related to academic, social, and mental health supports in rural schools and provides a case study of a community school approach in California. Provides findings, lessons, collaborative strategies, and sustainability efforts from the West Kern Consortium for Full-Service Community Schools.
Author(s): Laura E. Hernández Emily Germain
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Learning Policy Institute
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Reimagining Rural Health and Well-Being
Details effective practices for promoting rural health, addresses community needs, and improves access to care among organizations focused on rural funding, service delivery, and research. Discusses funding strategies, collaborations, and other rural-specific concerns relevant to philanthropic organizations, government funders, health providers, and more. Project findings are discussed in depth via a landscape analysis and summary of listening sessions conducted throughout 2025.
Additional links: Landscape Analysis, Listening Sessions Summary
Author(s): Tanisa Adimu, John Butts, Amy Elizondo, et al.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Georgia Health Policy Center, Grantmakers in Health, National Rural Health Association
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Details effective practices for promoting rural health, addresses community needs, and improves access to care among organizations focused on rural funding, service delivery, and research. Discusses funding strategies, collaborations, and other rural-specific concerns relevant to philanthropic organizations, government funders, health providers, and more. Project findings are discussed in depth via a landscape analysis and summary of listening sessions conducted throughout 2025.
Additional links: Landscape Analysis, Listening Sessions Summary
Author(s): Tanisa Adimu, John Butts, Amy Elizondo, et al.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Georgia Health Policy Center, Grantmakers in Health, National Rural Health Association
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The 2026 Summer Nutrition Summit - Digital Agenda
Provides the agenda and slide decks from the No Kid Hungry 2026 Summer Nutrition Summit. Focuses on topics such as summer non-congregate meals in rural areas, creation of sustainable summer food programs, outreach and communication about meal availability, and case studies describing rural summer food programs.
Date: 2026
Sponsoring organization: No Kid Hungry
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Provides the agenda and slide decks from the No Kid Hungry 2026 Summer Nutrition Summit. Focuses on topics such as summer non-congregate meals in rural areas, creation of sustainable summer food programs, outreach and communication about meal availability, and case studies describing rural summer food programs.
Date: 2026
Sponsoring organization: No Kid Hungry
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Awakening the Seeds In Native Youth: Native Farm to School Evaluation Report
Discusses the Native Farm to School project, a food systems initiative that supports tribal communities in integrating sustainable cultural practices, land stewardship, and traditional foods into their local Indigenous food systems. Provides details on a 2023-2025 USDA-FNS and Newman's Own Foundation grant that enabled 16 tribal communities across the U.S. to revitalize their food systems through school programming and community partnerships.
Author(s): Leah Simeon, Richard Elm-Hill, Cetan Christensen, et al.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: First Nations Development Institute
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Discusses the Native Farm to School project, a food systems initiative that supports tribal communities in integrating sustainable cultural practices, land stewardship, and traditional foods into their local Indigenous food systems. Provides details on a 2023-2025 USDA-FNS and Newman's Own Foundation grant that enabled 16 tribal communities across the U.S. to revitalize their food systems through school programming and community partnerships.
Author(s): Leah Simeon, Richard Elm-Hill, Cetan Christensen, et al.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: First Nations Development Institute
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Community Health Workers and Rural Age-Friendly Care
Discusses the roles of community health workers (CHWs) in enhancing access, quality, and affordability of healthcare for older adults in rural areas. Describes challenges and opportunities for integrating CHWs into rural health systems. Offers policy and action recommendations to enable and support CHWs in improving healthcare for rural older adults.
Author(s): Elizabeth Eckstrom, Denise A. Hernadez, Lindsay Miller, Rebecca Yeboah
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Discusses the roles of community health workers (CHWs) in enhancing access, quality, and affordability of healthcare for older adults in rural areas. Describes challenges and opportunities for integrating CHWs into rural health systems. Offers policy and action recommendations to enable and support CHWs in improving healthcare for rural older adults.
Author(s): Elizabeth Eckstrom, Denise A. Hernadez, Lindsay Miller, Rebecca Yeboah
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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University of Rhode Island: Independent Feasibility Study into a Medical School at the University of Rhode Island
Assesses the feasibility of establishing a public medical school at the University of Rhode Island with the goal of addressing current and projected physician shortages in the state. Includes 4 recommendations addressing statewide integration, sustainable funding, and recruiting local students. Discusses rural throughout.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Tripp Umbach
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Assesses the feasibility of establishing a public medical school at the University of Rhode Island with the goal of addressing current and projected physician shortages in the state. Includes 4 recommendations addressing statewide integration, sustainable funding, and recruiting local students. Discusses rural throughout.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Tripp Umbach
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Supporting Resilient Food Systems: Navigating Challenges in U.S. Rural Communities
Examines the resiliency of rural food systems during the COVID-19 pandemic. Utilizes interview data from 38 community members representing services in education, food, healthcare, family services, and the Cooperative Extension System who have connections to the food system. Explores how rural communities navigated partnerships, supports, pandemic challenges, and organizational issues to promote food sustainability.
Author(s): Brianna Routh, Yoshie Sano, Leah Pylate, et al.
Citation: Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development
Date: 07/2025
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Examines the resiliency of rural food systems during the COVID-19 pandemic. Utilizes interview data from 38 community members representing services in education, food, healthcare, family services, and the Cooperative Extension System who have connections to the food system. Explores how rural communities navigated partnerships, supports, pandemic challenges, and organizational issues to promote food sustainability.
Author(s): Brianna Routh, Yoshie Sano, Leah Pylate, et al.
Citation: Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development
Date: 07/2025
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Pathways to Sustainability: A Road Map for Child Psychiatry Access Programs
Discusses the adolescent mental health crisis in Indiana with a focus on workforce shortages and access to mental health treatment. Provides county-level data on geographic distribution of Indiana's child psychiatry workforce as well as the Be Happy mental health program. Includes information on various workforce program models, their effectiveness and level of sustainability, and potential application in Indiana.
Author(s): Mykayla Moore, Madison Bott, Hannah Maxey
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Bowen Center for Health Workforce Research and Policy
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Discusses the adolescent mental health crisis in Indiana with a focus on workforce shortages and access to mental health treatment. Provides county-level data on geographic distribution of Indiana's child psychiatry workforce as well as the Be Happy mental health program. Includes information on various workforce program models, their effectiveness and level of sustainability, and potential application in Indiana.
Author(s): Mykayla Moore, Madison Bott, Hannah Maxey
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Bowen Center for Health Workforce Research and Policy
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