Rural Healthcare Workforce – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Healthcare Workforce.
Health Professional Shortage Areas: Mental Health
Printable map that shows nonmetropolitan and micropolitan mental health HPSAs on one color scale and metropolitan mental health HPSAs on another. Data source: data.HRSA.gov
Additional links: Mental Health HPSA Table
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Printable map that shows nonmetropolitan and micropolitan mental health HPSAs on one color scale and metropolitan mental health HPSAs on another. Data source: data.HRSA.gov
Additional links: Mental Health HPSA Table
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Health Professional Shortage Areas: Dental Care
Printable map that shows nonmetropolitan and micropolitan dental care HPSAs on one color scale and metropolitan dental care HPSAs on another. Data source: data.HRSA.gov
Additional links: Dental Health HPSA Table
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Printable map that shows nonmetropolitan and micropolitan dental care HPSAs on one color scale and metropolitan dental care HPSAs on another. Data source: data.HRSA.gov
Additional links: Dental Health HPSA Table
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Health Professional Shortage Areas: Primary Care
Printable map that shows nonmetropolitan and micropolitan primary care HPSAs on one color scale and metropolitan primary care HPSAs on another. Data source: data.HRSA.gov
Additional links: Primary Care HPSA Table
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Printable map that shows nonmetropolitan and micropolitan primary care HPSAs on one color scale and metropolitan primary care HPSAs on another. Data source: data.HRSA.gov
Additional links: Primary Care HPSA Table
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Marriage and Family Therapist and Mental Health Counselor Workforces in Rural America Under New Medicare Reimbursement Policy
Describes how Medicare reimbursement expanded to cover marriage and family therapists (MFTs) and mental health counselors (MHCs) in January 2024. Examines the change in Medicare-enrolled MFTs and MHCs between the third quarter (Q3) of 2023 and fourth quarter (Q4) of 2024. Presents findings from semi-structured interviews with rural health system and mental health organization leaders regarding practice arrangements, the perceived impacts of MFT and MHC reimbursement, barriers to serving rural Medicare beneficiaries, and considerations for future policies.
Author(s): Janessa M. Graves, Natalia V. Oster, Lisa A. Garberson, Davis G. Patterson, C. Holly A. Andrilla
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Describes how Medicare reimbursement expanded to cover marriage and family therapists (MFTs) and mental health counselors (MHCs) in January 2024. Examines the change in Medicare-enrolled MFTs and MHCs between the third quarter (Q3) of 2023 and fourth quarter (Q4) of 2024. Presents findings from semi-structured interviews with rural health system and mental health organization leaders regarding practice arrangements, the perceived impacts of MFT and MHC reimbursement, barriers to serving rural Medicare beneficiaries, and considerations for future policies.
Author(s): Janessa M. Graves, Natalia V. Oster, Lisa A. Garberson, Davis G. Patterson, C. Holly A. Andrilla
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Rural Health Transformation Fund: Workforce Trends and Implications for Rural Care
Webinar presenting findings from a review of all 50 state Rural Health Transformation Fund plans, examining how workforce issues are framed, strategies that states are prioritizing, and how telehealth and digital health are reflected in workforce planning. Also explores the challenge of maintaining the workforce needed to support technology-enabled care in rural settings.
Additional links: PowerPoint, Transcript
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers
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Webinar presenting findings from a review of all 50 state Rural Health Transformation Fund plans, examining how workforce issues are framed, strategies that states are prioritizing, and how telehealth and digital health are reflected in workforce planning. Also explores the challenge of maintaining the workforce needed to support technology-enabled care in rural settings.
Additional links: PowerPoint, Transcript
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers
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Beyond the Shortage: What Rural Medicine Still Gets Right
Commentary describing the importance of continuity in rural healthcare, leading to better outcomes and increased patient trust. Discusses the advantages of clinicians knowing their patients well.
Author(s): James R. Burmeister, Ida J. Rubino
Citation: Family Medicine, 58(5), 370-371
Date: 05/2026
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Commentary describing the importance of continuity in rural healthcare, leading to better outcomes and increased patient trust. Discusses the advantages of clinicians knowing their patients well.
Author(s): James R. Burmeister, Ida J. Rubino
Citation: Family Medicine, 58(5), 370-371
Date: 05/2026
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Governors' Policy Actions in Rural Health Workforce
Describes policy actions taken by governors to advance healthcare career pathways, education and training, and recruitment and retention, as well as policies related to licensure and scope of practice. Includes examples from state Rural Health Transformation Program project narratives.
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Governors Association
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Describes policy actions taken by governors to advance healthcare career pathways, education and training, and recruitment and retention, as well as policies related to licensure and scope of practice. Includes examples from state Rural Health Transformation Program project narratives.
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Governors Association
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Access to and Provision of Child and Youth Behavioral Health Services in the Rural and Urban U.S.
Compiles findings from 9 reports on youth behavioral health in the rural U.S. Describes prevalence of behavioral health conditions, the youth behavioral health workforce, behavioral health licensure and reimbursement policy, and provision of youth behavioral health services. Features statistics with breakdowns by 7 levels of population density.
Author(s): Janessa M. Graves, Lisa A. Garberson, Sara C. Woolcock, C. Holly A. Andrilla
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Compiles findings from 9 reports on youth behavioral health in the rural U.S. Describes prevalence of behavioral health conditions, the youth behavioral health workforce, behavioral health licensure and reimbursement policy, and provision of youth behavioral health services. Features statistics with breakdowns by 7 levels of population density.
Author(s): Janessa M. Graves, Lisa A. Garberson, Sara C. Woolcock, C. Holly A. Andrilla
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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New Insights on the Rural Public Health Workforce, with Casey Balio and Betty Bekemeier
An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Casey Balio, research assistant professor at the East Tennessee State University Center for Rural Health and Research, and Betty Bekemeier, director of the Northwest Center for Public Health Practice. Focuses on new insights about the rural public health workforce from their recently published research study.
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Casey Balio, research assistant professor at the East Tennessee State University Center for Rural Health and Research, and Betty Bekemeier, director of the Northwest Center for Public Health Practice. Focuses on new insights about the rural public health workforce from their recently published research study.
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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The Distribution of the Youth Behavioral Health Workforce in Rural and Urban America in 2025
Examines the distribution of school counselors; youth, family, or school psychologists; youth or family mental health nurses; school social workers; and pediatric psychiatrists or behavioral pediatricians across rural and urban areas of the U.S. Features statistics with breakdowns by provider type and location by 6 levels of population density, and a county-level map with shadings showing rural counties with and without youth behavioral health clinicians.
Author(s): Janessa M. Graves, Sara C. Woolcock, Lisa A. Garberson, C. Holly A. Andrilla
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Examines the distribution of school counselors; youth, family, or school psychologists; youth or family mental health nurses; school social workers; and pediatric psychiatrists or behavioral pediatricians across rural and urban areas of the U.S. Features statistics with breakdowns by provider type and location by 6 levels of population density, and a county-level map with shadings showing rural counties with and without youth behavioral health clinicians.
Author(s): Janessa M. Graves, Sara C. Woolcock, Lisa A. Garberson, C. Holly A. Andrilla
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Additional resources are available related to this guide. See the full list of resources by topic for: