Topics: Criminal justice system

Doulas Provide Support for Maternal and Infant Health in Rural Communities

Three programs across rural America demonstrate how doulas improve birth outcomes by providing prenatal, labor, and postpartum support. A New Mexico program reaches American Indian, Hispanic, and other populations who lack nearby labor/delivery units; a Minnesota program works with moms experiencing incarceration; and a North Dakota program is training postpartum doulas who will care for families impacted by opioid use disorder and other substance use.

Though often considered an urban problem, homelessness also affects rural individuals and families, impacting their health and well-being. A Vermont nonprofit leader shares her organization’s work using the evidence-based solution Housing First and reminds us that for many, homelessness is just “one catastrophic event away.”

A conversation with the Commissioner of the Administration for Native Americans about the nuances of human trafficking among Native populations and what is being done to address this issue.

Referred to as a form of “modern-day slavery,” human trafficking occurs in every state and is not limited by the size of a community. Health services are one of the most common points of access to a lifeline for those actively being trafficked, giving healthcare professionals an advantage to help victims escape. A rural hospital CEO, a SORH director, a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, and a Safe Harbor Regional Navigator share how they combat human trafficking through training and raising awareness.

In the past five years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has delivered two reports to Congress concerning traumatic brain injury. Concussions, or mild traumatic brain injuries, are common. With perspectives gained from their varied roles, five experts share information on concussions in rural America.

Late life domestic violence, considered by some to be a subcategory of elder abuse, also needs the attention of healthcare providers. Hear from researchers about prevalence, screening, costs, and legal issues, in addition to work being done in indigenous populations.

As more federal dollars are directed toward the opioid crisis, three communities use grant funds for treatment and recovery care coordination in court, prisons, and the homes of new moms.

The connection between bullying and youth suicide in rural Union Parish, Louisiana, led a Critical Access Hospital to create an anti-bullying program. Together with local law enforcement, they teach students in elementary through high school the negative effects of peer victimization and how to model positive social behavior.

The initial shock of the opioid epidemic is settling, and rural communities have identified several avenues to combat opioid addiction. Rural organizations are implementing innovative solutions to shrink the number of opioid overdoses, and many are finding that great success requires teamwork.

Lisa Davis

The director of the Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health discusses innovative programs, hydraulic fracking and her work in prisons.

The Rural Monitor

Articles and resources on key rural health issues, from the Rural Health Information Hub

Topics: Criminal justice system

Doulas Provide Support for Maternal and Infant Health in Rural Communities

Human Trafficking in Native Populations: Q&A with Commissioner Jeannie Hovland

“It’s on Us”: Healthcare’s Unique Position in the Response to Human Trafficking

Concussion in Rural America: Experts Detail Injury and Recovery of Traumatic Brain Injury

Rural Health Opioid Program Funds Care Coordination Efforts for Recovery

Together We Can Be Bully Free: CAH and Law Enforcement Address Peer Victimization through School-Based Program

The Opioid Epidemic: Rural Organizations Fight Back

An Interview with Lisa Davis