Rural Health
Resources by Type: Document
Leveraging the Community-Based Workforce to Strengthen Behavioral Health Care in Rural Tennessee
Profiles River Valley Health (RVH), a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) and Community Mental Health Center (CMHC) that serves rural communities in eastern Tennessee. Discusses how a community-based workforce can provide more accessible and responsive behavioral healthcare in rural areas. Includes staffing models and funding strategies for sustainability.
Author(s): Christopher Menschner
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Profiles River Valley Health (RVH), a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) and Community Mental Health Center (CMHC) that serves rural communities in eastern Tennessee. Discusses how a community-based workforce can provide more accessible and responsive behavioral healthcare in rural areas. Includes staffing models and funding strategies for sustainability.
Author(s): Christopher Menschner
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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South Dakota Department of Health - Maternal and Infant Health Task Force Strategic Plan
Report provides an overview of maternal and infant health outcomes and needs in South Dakota. Discusses access challenges in rural counties, particularly in counties with hospitals that lack obstetric units, and compares obstetric services in rural and urban hospitals. Details maternal and infant health initiatives throughout the state.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: South Dakota Department of Health
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Report provides an overview of maternal and infant health outcomes and needs in South Dakota. Discusses access challenges in rural counties, particularly in counties with hospitals that lack obstetric units, and compares obstetric services in rural and urban hospitals. Details maternal and infant health initiatives throughout the state.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: South Dakota Department of Health
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Contributing Factors to Rural Energy Use, Costs, and Affordability in the Early 2020s
Examines disparities in energy efficiency and costs in rural and urban households. Utilizes data from the U.S. Department of Energy's 2020 Residential Energy Consumption Survey to analyze rural versus urban differences in energy use and burden, energy efficiency, extreme weather, housing quality, and energy insecurity according to household types, such as low-income, homes with children, mobile homes, and rentals. Discusses financial and health impacts of poor energy performance in rural areas.
Author(s): Justin B. Winikoff, Hannah Kamen, Richelle L. Winkler
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Examines disparities in energy efficiency and costs in rural and urban households. Utilizes data from the U.S. Department of Energy's 2020 Residential Energy Consumption Survey to analyze rural versus urban differences in energy use and burden, energy efficiency, extreme weather, housing quality, and energy insecurity according to household types, such as low-income, homes with children, mobile homes, and rentals. Discusses financial and health impacts of poor energy performance in rural areas.
Author(s): Justin B. Winikoff, Hannah Kamen, Richelle L. Winkler
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Survey of the Availability of Neurology Services on Hawaiʻi Island
Examines access to neurology services via a survey of 28 primary care physicians on Hawaii Island, covering topics including the prevalence of neurological complaints or diagnoses among patients, the ability of physicians to manage or refer patients for neurological conditions, and more. Discusses access challenges related to Hawaii's rurality throughout.
Author(s): Jan Augustine E. Aurelio, J. Douglas Miles
Citation: Hawaii Journal of Health and Social Welfare, 85(10), 299-306
Date: 10/2026
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Examines access to neurology services via a survey of 28 primary care physicians on Hawaii Island, covering topics including the prevalence of neurological complaints or diagnoses among patients, the ability of physicians to manage or refer patients for neurological conditions, and more. Discusses access challenges related to Hawaii's rurality throughout.
Author(s): Jan Augustine E. Aurelio, J. Douglas Miles
Citation: Hawaii Journal of Health and Social Welfare, 85(10), 299-306
Date: 10/2026
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Funded! Now What? A Guide for Newly Funded Health Centers
Provides a step-by-step guide for health centers (Section 330 grantees) who have recently been awarded New Access Point (NAP) funding. Covers compliance, operations, workforce, quality, governance, finance, and reporting. Includes information on tools and technical assistance resources.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Community Health Centers
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Provides a step-by-step guide for health centers (Section 330 grantees) who have recently been awarded New Access Point (NAP) funding. Covers compliance, operations, workforce, quality, governance, finance, and reporting. Includes information on tools and technical assistance resources.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Community Health Centers
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Rural and Urban Health Center Patients and Financing
Reports on rural and urban community health centers' revenue sources, patient demographics, and patient health insurance coverage using 2025 Uniform Data System (UDS) data. Includes an interactive map showing shares of child and adult rural health center patients covered by Medicaid by state.
Author(s): Akash Pillai, Jennifer Tolbert
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Reports on rural and urban community health centers' revenue sources, patient demographics, and patient health insurance coverage using 2025 Uniform Data System (UDS) data. Includes an interactive map showing shares of child and adult rural health center patients covered by Medicaid by state.
Author(s): Akash Pillai, Jennifer Tolbert
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Cancer Risk Factors, Screening, and Neighborhood Socioeconomic Deprivation Across the U.S. Urban-to-Frontier Continuum
Presents a study on geographic variation in cancer risk behaviors and screening across the metropolitan-to-frontier continuum. Identifies demographic characteristics and cancer-related behaviors and screening access in rural, urban, and frontier areas. Explores rates of alcohol use, tobacco use, and physical activity, among other factors, by geography.
Author(s): Brody Gibson, Laurie Grieshober, Rachel M Ceballos, et al.
Citation: Journal of the National Cancer Institute Monographs, lgag021
Date: 10/2026
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Presents a study on geographic variation in cancer risk behaviors and screening across the metropolitan-to-frontier continuum. Identifies demographic characteristics and cancer-related behaviors and screening access in rural, urban, and frontier areas. Explores rates of alcohol use, tobacco use, and physical activity, among other factors, by geography.
Author(s): Brody Gibson, Laurie Grieshober, Rachel M Ceballos, et al.
Citation: Journal of the National Cancer Institute Monographs, lgag021
Date: 10/2026
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America's Health Rankings 2026 Health of Women and Children Report
Provides a national and state-by-state overview of the health of infants, children, and women of reproductive age. Compares rural-urban differences in maternal mortality, severe maternal morbidity, healthcare access, substance use, mental health conditions, and more among reproductive-age women and children at the national level. Includes maps that show concentrated disadvantage by county within each state.
Additional links: Concentrated Disadvantage by County, State Summaries
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: United Health Foundation
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Provides a national and state-by-state overview of the health of infants, children, and women of reproductive age. Compares rural-urban differences in maternal mortality, severe maternal morbidity, healthcare access, substance use, mental health conditions, and more among reproductive-age women and children at the national level. Includes maps that show concentrated disadvantage by county within each state.
Additional links: Concentrated Disadvantage by County, State Summaries
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: United Health Foundation
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Medical Debt and Advanced Cancer Stage at Diagnosis
Explores how medical debt burden is associated with incidence of 9 common cancers at the county level, using 2017-2021 data from multiple national datasets. Includes comparisons of medical debt prevalence in rural versus urban counties.
Author(s): Jiazhang Xing, Xuesong Han, Xin Hu, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(10), e2637508
Date: 10/2026
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Explores how medical debt burden is associated with incidence of 9 common cancers at the county level, using 2017-2021 data from multiple national datasets. Includes comparisons of medical debt prevalence in rural versus urban counties.
Author(s): Jiazhang Xing, Xuesong Han, Xin Hu, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(10), e2637508
Date: 10/2026
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Rural Health Transformation Program: Early Implementation Actions and Monitoring Plans
Provides an overview of actions taken by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to establish the Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program, including how state applications were reviewed and scored; how CMS plans to determine future funding allotments; and the circumstances under which CMS may withhold, reduce, or recover a state's funding. Describes how CMS plans to monitor state RHT Program activities.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Provides an overview of actions taken by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to establish the Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program, including how state applications were reviewed and scored; how CMS plans to determine future funding allotments; and the circumstances under which CMS may withhold, reduce, or recover a state's funding. Describes how CMS plans to monitor state RHT Program activities.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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