Rural Health
Resources by Type: Document
Working with Communities on Decisions for Innovative Treatment Technologies
Provides guidance for technical assistance providers and other decision-makers in examining, planning, and implementing non-treatment and treatment responses to emerging contaminants, including PFAS, in small, rural, and underserved communities. Includes discussion of community decision-making, challenges of working with innovative technologies, and public health and infrastructure factors influencing adoption.
Additional links: Interactive guidebook
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Community Assistance Partnership
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Provides guidance for technical assistance providers and other decision-makers in examining, planning, and implementing non-treatment and treatment responses to emerging contaminants, including PFAS, in small, rural, and underserved communities. Includes discussion of community decision-making, challenges of working with innovative technologies, and public health and infrastructure factors influencing adoption.
Additional links: Interactive guidebook
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Community Assistance Partnership
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Co-Creating and Disseminating Substance Use and Vaping Educational Videos, Question Prompt Lists, and Other Resources in Partnership with Community Organizations and Youth in Western North Carolina
Describes the development of and evaluates the social media reach of a youth empowerment program addressing substance use in rural North Carolina. Discusses the inclusion of youth in the development process.
Author(s): Betsy Sleath, Abena A. Adjei, Jeremy Lowery, et al.
Citation: PEC Innovation, 7
Date: 12/2025
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Describes the development of and evaluates the social media reach of a youth empowerment program addressing substance use in rural North Carolina. Discusses the inclusion of youth in the development process.
Author(s): Betsy Sleath, Abena A. Adjei, Jeremy Lowery, et al.
Citation: PEC Innovation, 7
Date: 12/2025
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Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS): Traditional MIPS Scoring Guide for the 2025 Performance Year
Provides details on how scores are calculated for the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS), one of two tracks under the Medicare Quality Payment Program. Explains the four performance categories that affect Medicare Physician Fee Schedule payments: quality, cost, improvement activities, and promoting interoperability. Includes information for small practices.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Provides details on how scores are calculated for the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS), one of two tracks under the Medicare Quality Payment Program. Explains the four performance categories that affect Medicare Physician Fee Schedule payments: quality, cost, improvement activities, and promoting interoperability. Includes information for small practices.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS): 2025 Merit-Based Incentive Payment (MIPS) Value Pathways (MVPs) Implementation Guide
Provides an overview of the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Value Pathways (MVPs), a voluntary reporting option that can be used to meet MIPS reporting requirements for the 2025 performance year. Describes subgroup reporting, reporting requirements, scoring, performance feedback and public reporting, and how to register to report an MVP. Includes information on considerations and exceptions for small practices and clinicians in a rural or Health Professional Shortage Area.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Provides an overview of the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Value Pathways (MVPs), a voluntary reporting option that can be used to meet MIPS reporting requirements for the 2025 performance year. Describes subgroup reporting, reporting requirements, scoring, performance feedback and public reporting, and how to register to report an MVP. Includes information on considerations and exceptions for small practices and clinicians in a rural or Health Professional Shortage Area.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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SBA's Rural Activities
Describes the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) programs targeting rural small businesses. Discusses how SBA coordinates with the U.S. Department of Agriculture on rural small business issues, the history of the SBA Office of Rural Affairs, and considerations for Congress.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Describes the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) programs targeting rural small businesses. Discusses how SBA coordinates with the U.S. Department of Agriculture on rural small business issues, the history of the SBA Office of Rural Affairs, and considerations for Congress.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Medicare Telehealth Trends Report
Describes the trends of telehealth utilization among Medicare beneficiaries between January 1, 2020, and June 30, 2025. Presents data on the percentage of Medicare beneficiaries that used a telehealth service by calendar quarter and by Medicaid eligibility, type of Medicare eligibility, demographic characteristics, and rural/urban residence.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Describes the trends of telehealth utilization among Medicare beneficiaries between January 1, 2020, and June 30, 2025. Presents data on the percentage of Medicare beneficiaries that used a telehealth service by calendar quarter and by Medicaid eligibility, type of Medicare eligibility, demographic characteristics, and rural/urban residence.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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R3 Report: National Patient Safety Goal for Suicide Prevention
Establishes safety goals and practices for suicide prevention in Joint Commission-accredited hospitals. Highlights specific requirements for accredited Critical Access Hospitals.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Joint Commission
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Establishes safety goals and practices for suicide prevention in Joint Commission-accredited hospitals. Highlights specific requirements for accredited Critical Access Hospitals.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Joint Commission
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Rural Active Living: A Call to Action 2.0, 10-Year Review and Recommendations to Advance the Field
Examines the recommendations from the 2015 Rural Active Living: A Call to Action guidance. Utilizes feedback from the Physical Activity Policy Research and Evaluation Network Rural Active Living Workgroup, funded by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, to review the original 8 Rural Active Living Calls to Action. Discusses relevant literature and research related to active living best practices, social issues, COVID-19 impacts, collaboration, implementation science, and implications of rural health funding.
Author(s): M Renée Umstattd Meyer, Marilyn E Wende, Jessica Stroope, et al.
Citation: Journal of Public Health Management & Practice, 32(2), 197-213
Date: 11/2025
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Examines the recommendations from the 2015 Rural Active Living: A Call to Action guidance. Utilizes feedback from the Physical Activity Policy Research and Evaluation Network Rural Active Living Workgroup, funded by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, to review the original 8 Rural Active Living Calls to Action. Discusses relevant literature and research related to active living best practices, social issues, COVID-19 impacts, collaboration, implementation science, and implications of rural health funding.
Author(s): M Renée Umstattd Meyer, Marilyn E Wende, Jessica Stroope, et al.
Citation: Journal of Public Health Management & Practice, 32(2), 197-213
Date: 11/2025
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Arizona Child Fatality Review Program: Thirty-Second Annual Report
Reports on child mortality in Arizona in 2024. Discusses demographics, causes of death, and recommendations for prevention. Includes rural and urban comparisons of mortality rates and risk factors.
Author(s): Kiran Lalani, Morgan Anderson, Susan Newberry, et al.
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: Arizona Department of Health Services
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Reports on child mortality in Arizona in 2024. Discusses demographics, causes of death, and recommendations for prevention. Includes rural and urban comparisons of mortality rates and risk factors.
Author(s): Kiran Lalani, Morgan Anderson, Susan Newberry, et al.
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: Arizona Department of Health Services
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Mapping Community Capacity to Reduce Vulnerability to Wildfire in Colorado, USA
Describes wildfire mitigation practices and the capacity of Colorado communities to conduct those projects relative to their wildfire risk. Discusses indicators of capacity in human, economic, natural, and social categories. Highlights the role of funding in determining community capacity.
Author(s): Karissa Courtney, Federico Holm, Jennifer Brousseau, et al.
Date: 11/2025
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Describes wildfire mitigation practices and the capacity of Colorado communities to conduct those projects relative to their wildfire risk. Discusses indicators of capacity in human, economic, natural, and social categories. Highlights the role of funding in determining community capacity.
Author(s): Karissa Courtney, Federico Holm, Jennifer Brousseau, et al.
Date: 11/2025
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