Ohio resources via the Rural Health Information Hub

News: CMS: Medicare Program; Delayed Implementation of Certain Prior Authorization for Select Services for the Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) Model

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 09:03:29 -0500

Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announcing a delay in the implementation of two services from the list of Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model items and services. The two services for which the prior authorization or pre-payment review process are delayed are 1) Deep Brain Stimulation for Essential Tremor and Parkinson's Disease (NCD 160.24) and 2) Percutaneous Image-Guided Lumbar Decompression for Spinal Stenosis (NCD 150.13). This notice is effective April 6, 2026.

News: CMS: Medicare Program; Implementation of Prior Authorization for Select Services for the Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) Model; Correction

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 08:57:19 -0500

Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) making typographical and technical corrections to the July 1, 2025 notice titled "Medicare Program; Implementation of Prior Authorization for Select Services for the Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) Model." Corrections are effective April 6, 2026.

News: How a Proposed Bill Could Help Homebound Ohio Seniors Access Food Assistance

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 09:39:49 -0500

Describes the problems older adults in rural Ohio face in accessing food pantry programs they are eligible for due to transportation and mobility challenges. Notes proposed legislation that would assist food pantries with expanding food delivery services into more rural parts of their service area.

News: Medical Emergencies Can Lead to Financial Emergencies. A Rural Ohio Nonprofit Aims to Help

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 09:17:47 -0500

Highlights a rural Ohio nonprofit that supports area residents with medical expenses by covering other needs such as home modifications, transportation, and more. Discusses the costs of healthcare alongside other common living expenses.

Resource: Unapologetically Built Backwards: ONU HealthWise, Pharmacist-Driven Healthcare Access in Rural Ohio

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 14:33:18 -0500

Features a university pharmacy department in rural Ohio that prepares pharmacy students for rural practice while also providing mobile services in nearby rural counties. Describes how the program has expanded to offer interprofessional education experiences and serve a larger region. -- Rural Health Information Hub

Resource: Ohio Rural Health Transformation Program Solicitation Invitations

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 11:32:54 -0500

Lists funding opportunities available through the Ohio Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) to help implement Ohio's approved RHTP initiatives and activities. -- Ohio Department of Health

Resource: Scaling Medical-Dental Integration Nationally: Outcomes from the MORE Care Initiative

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 15:47:15 -0500

Presents a study evaluating the implementation of the MORE Care initiative, an oral health integration model, into six rural counties in Ohio. Details the outcomes of the two year pilot program, including oral health assessments, fluoride varnish, and dental referral systems implemented into primary care practices.

Event: 2026 National PACE Association Summer Conference

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0600

Cleveland OH
June 5, 2026 -- National PACE Association

Resource: Connecting the Dots: An Environmental Scan of Rural Health Associations in the United States

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 13:17:00 -0600

Provides an environmental scan of state rural health associations in the U.S. and their main points of focus. Discusses issues such as education, advocacy, policy, and partnerships and their relationship to public health. Includes discussion of how to develop priority areas for Ohio's rural health association. -- Ohio Public Health Association

Resource: A Twenty-Year Review: Revisiting the Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Funding Needs and Gaps in the Appalachian Region

Fri, 14 Nov 2025 11:25:28 -0600

Provides county, state, and metro versus nonmetro data on water and wastewater infrastructure in the Appalachian region. Discusses funding and collaborative possibilities to improve critical infrastructure in Appalachian communities. -- Appalachian Regional Commission

Resource: Ohio Rural Obstetrical Workforce

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 13:52:31 -0600

Offers maps and tables of the obstetricians and advanced practice midwives workforce distribution in Ohio in 2025. Includes county-level data and rural and urban comparisons. -- WWAMI Rural Health Research Center

Resource: Ohio Rural Primary Care Workforce

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 13:49:41 -0600

Offers maps and tables of the primary care workforce distribution in Ohio in 2025. Includes county-level data and rural and urban comparisons. -- WWAMI Rural Health Research Center

Resource: Ohio Rural Health Transformation Program

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 09:19:52 -0600

Provides information on Ohio's Rural Health Transformation Program. Presents a summary of strategic goals, eligible activities, and links to Ohio's application materials. -- Ohio Department of Health

Resource: Ohio Rural Behavioral Health Workforce

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 14:03:19 -0500

Offers maps and tables of the supply and distribution of behavioral health clinicians in Ohio in 2025. Includes county-level data and rural and urban comparisons. -- WWAMI Rural Health Research Center

Resource: Ohio's Well-Being Dashboard

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 15:06:50 -0500

Provides social and economic well-being scores by Ohio county. -- Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies

Event: 2026 Ohio Rural Health Conference

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Wooster OH
August 6, 2026 -- Ohio Rural Health Association

Resource: The Implementation Climate for Integrating Buprenorphine Prescribing into Rural Primary Care

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 15:36:17 -0500

Examines the climate in rural primary care settings to expand buprenorphine access for opioid use disorder (OUD). Analyzes interview feedback from primary care practitioners in rural Ohio regarding issues such as OUD treatment prioritization, compatibility of buprenorphine prescriptions in primary care settings, and buprenorphine access shortages.

Resource: Navigating Hepatitis C Care: Knowledge Gaps and Access Barriers Among Young Women Who Inject Drugs in Rural Appalachia

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 18:55:39 -0500

Presents a study on the barriers to hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing and treatment for young women who inject drugs (YWID) in rural areas. Aims to identify the factors influencing the accessibility of HCV testing and treatment for YWID in rural Appalachian, Ohio. Bases findings on interviews with 30 YWID aged 18-35 and discusses interpersonal and community barriers to care.

Resource: Precision Public Health Alliances as a Model and Method for Community Engagement

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 09:12:01 -0500

Examines the Precision Public Health Alliance (PPHA) approach of utilizing analytics to map social, demographic, and clinical comorbidity variables onto colorectal cancer (CRC) screening data in rural northeastern Kentucky and southeastern Ohio. Provides data on the relationship among sociodemographic information, clinical outcomes, and CRC screening to assess community needs. Discusses the importance of understanding social determinants of health (SDOH) and community collaboration when addressing population health.

Resource: The 2025 State of Poverty in Ohio Report

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 15:30:14 -0500

Provides information on poverty in Ohio, with a focus on pharmacy, food, and additional healthcare/human services deserts. Includes county-level information on individual and family poverty rates, food insecurity, insurance status, housing, and more. -- Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies

Resource: Oral Health Screening Survey of Third Grade Schoolchildren in Ohio, 2023-2024

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 12:09:33 -0500

Provides information on the dental health of third-grade children in Ohio. Includes data on oral health conditions, access to dental care, and county-level information on prevalence of untreated tooth decay and locations of Dental Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) and safety net clinics. -- Ohio Department of Health

Resource: The Appalachian Region: A Data Overview from the 2019-2023 American Community Survey Chartbook

Mon, 07 Jul 2025 11:13:41 -0500

State- and county-level information on population, age, household characteristics, housing occupancy, education, labor force, employment, transportation, income, health insurance coverage, disability, and veteran status, for the 13 Appalachian states. Features statistics with breakdowns by 5 levels of population density. Includes data explorer options for Appalachian categories such as population and age, education, income and poverty, computer and broadband access, rural Appalachia versus rural America, and employment and commuting. -- Appalachian Regional Commission, Population Reference Bureau

Organization: Superior Health Quality Alliance

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 15:44:22 -0500

A Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) working with patients, providers, and community partners to improve the health of people in the Great Lakes region: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Offers technical assistance to eligible providers, including support for chronic disease management, behavioral health integration, patient safety, care coordination and health equity.

Resource: Ohio Policy Spotlight: School-Based Health Care and Medicaid

Tue, 10 Dec 2024 11:57:00 -0600

Provides an overview of school-based health services in Ohio. Includes county-level data on the percentage of Ohio children enrolled in any public health insurance. -- Health Policy Institute of Ohio

Resource: Telling the Story of Public Health Accreditation in Ohio

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 10:15:01 -0600

Examines how a high percentage of Ohio's local health departments (LHDs) have achieved Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) accreditation. Provides qualitative interview and focus group feedback as well as quantitative data on finances and LHD profiles to explain the accreditation process in Ohio. Includes reflection on the challenges of achieving PHAB equity standards in rural areas. -- Health Policy Institute of Ohio

Resource: Ohio Farmer Stress and Wellbeing Report

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 15:15:08 -0600

Discusses lifestyle and stress factors that impact farmer mental health in Ohio. Provides information and background on the Ohio Agricultural Mental Health Alliance (OAMHA) and their survey data focused on farmer mental health, anxiety, depression, feelings of loneliness, access to mental health services, and more. -- Ohio Rural Health Association

Resource: Ohio Vector-Borne Disease Surveillance Update

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 13:52:42 -0600

Provides information and county-level data on vector-borne illnesses in Ohio from mosquitoes and ticks. -- Ohio Department of Health

Resource: Ohio Health Policy Fact Sheet: Employment and Maternal and Child Health

Wed, 23 Oct 2024 13:59:54 -0500

Examines the relationship among secure employment, living wages, parental leave, and maternal and child health in Ohio. Provides county-level information on the living wage for a household of 2 adults and 2 children. Discusses policy to address employment issues for parents and families. -- Health Policy Institute of Ohio

Resource: The Friends and Family for Mental Health Program: A Pilot Study of a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Skills Intervention for Rural Adults

Mon, 14 Oct 2024 14:10:40 -0500

Pilot study on the Friends and Family for Mental Health Program, a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) skills program for informal caregivers in rural communities. Provides data on 37 Ohioans' change in informal care skills and psychological well-being while participating in the program. Discusses informal care models and examines barriers to mental health services in rural areas.

Resource: Xylazine Awareness and Attitudes among People Who Use Drugs in Ohio, 2023–2024

Mon, 14 Oct 2024 11:15:27 -0500

Examines awareness and perceptions across rural and urban counties in Ohio of the drug xylazine, a non-opioid tranquilizer unsafe for human consumption. Utilizes 2023-2024 survey data from 630 people recruited at naloxone distribution sites to analyze awareness of xylazine by participant demographics, drug use, and rural versus urban location.