RHIhub This Week - November 15, 2023
Filling the Gaps: Program Builds Referral and Recovery Services in Western Massachusettsby Kay Miller Temple, MD Leveraging federal Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) funding to strengthen and expand their community's substance use services, a Berkshire County, Massachusetts coalition decreased stigma and built sustainable recovery services. |
Webinar Recording
Rural Definitions and Data: Changes after the 2020 CensusIn case you missed it, a recording of our latest webinar featuring discussion on recent changes to rural definitions, data, and potential impacts on federal funding eligibility in rural areas is now available to view! |
The Rural Communities Opioid Response Program: Helping Meet Rural NeedsCheck out our 6 new videos highlighting the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP), a multi-year initiative funded by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, as well as the work RCORP grantees are doing to help treat and prevent opioid use disorder in their communities. |
New in Our Online Library |
Nov 15, 2023 -- National Rural Health Day, a day to recognize the efforts of rural community members, healthcare providers, and other rural stakeholders, is being celebrated on November 16, 2023. Includes a collection of stories from around the country recognizing and celebrating National Rural Health Day. Could a Solution to Provide Legal Care in Alaska Work in Rural Minnesota? Nov 14, 2023 -- Highlights the community justice worker (CJW) model in Alaska for access to legal care. The model, based on the community health aide model, is being studied for potential implementation in rural Minnesota. Discusses the attorney shortage in rural areas and the health impact this has on rural residents, particularly through access to safe and healthy housing and domestic violence situations. Notes that Indigenous populations in particular stand to benefit from the model. Source: MinnPost How Telehealth Is Bringing Specialist Care to the North Country Nov 14, 2023 -- Highlights telehealth in rural New York, discussing both increased access to healthcare and remaining barriers. Notes the impact on access to specialists, behavioral healthcare, dentistry, and optometry. Source: NCPR Announcing Plans for New Experimental Products Designed with the AIAN Community in Mind Nov 13, 2023 -- The U.S. Census Bureau announces plans to include American Indian and Alaska Native stakeholders in the design process of new experimental statistical products. The Census Bureau will use listening sessions to gather feedback, noting this is a way to increase data equity and access. Source: U.S. Census Bureau VA Announces New Graduate Medical Education Program to Help Expand Health Care Access to Veterans in Underserved Communities Nov 10, 2023 -- The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has created a graduate medical education pilot program in an effort to increase access to healthcare for rural, tribal, and other underserved Veterans. 100 or more physician residents will be placed in non-VA facilities in rural and other communities beginning in July 2025. Source: Department of Veterans Affairs Rural Vermont Community Finds Success Distributing Narcan With a Vending Machine Nov 9, 2023 -- Highlights the impact of a naloxone vending machine in a rural Vermont community. Describes the trend to offer naloxone not just through vending machines but also through awareness programming throughout rural America. Source: The Daily Yonder |
Program that engages adults age 55 and over to provide mentorship for children and youth with special or exceptional needs, or who would benefit from the one-one-one attention. AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers serve in schools, Head Starts, drug treatment centers, correctional institutions, and childcare centers. Priority states and territories are listed in Appendix A of the application instructions. Geographic coverage: Nationwide and U.S. territories Application Deadline: Feb 1, 2024 Sponsor: AmeriCorps AmeriCorps Seniors Senior Companion Program Replacement and Expansion Opportunity Program that engages adults age 55 and over to provide companionship and support to other adults in need of extra assistance to remain at home or in the community for as long as possible. Volunteers provide companionship to ease loneliness and social isolation, assisting with transportation and light chores, helping to serve as eyes and ears to professionals who can intervene in the case of medical or other deterioration on the part of the clients, and giving support to informal caregivers. Priority states and territories are listed in Appendix A of the application instructions. Geographic coverage: Nationwide and U.S. territories Application Deadline: Feb 1, 2024 Sponsor: AmeriCorps Rural Residency Planning and Development Program Grants to develop newly accredited, sustainable rural residency programs in family medicine, internal medicine, public health, general preventive medicine, psychiatry, general surgery, and obstetrics/gynecology. The overall goal of the program is to support expansion of the physician workforce in rural communities. Geographic coverage: Nationwide Application Deadline: Feb 12, 2024 Sponsors: Bureau of Health Workforce, Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Economic Impact Initiative Grants Funding to assist in the development of essential community facilities in rural communities that have extreme unemployment and severe economic depression. Geographic coverage: Nationwide Applications accepted on an ongoing basis Sponsors: U.S. Department of Agriculture, USDA Rural Development |
Recording of a November 8, 2023, hearing exploring how the Clean Water State Revolving Fund can help address wastewater infrastructure challenges faced by small, rural, disadvantaged, and underserved communities. Features testimony from the Rural Community Assistance Partnership; Nueces River Authority; and the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, Water Quality Division. Additional links: John Byrum, Nueces River Authority - Testimony, Olga Morales-Pate, Rural Community Assistance Partnership - Testimony, Shellie R. Chard, Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality - Testimony Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works Date: 11/2023 Amid Unwinding of Pandemic-Era Policies, Medicaid Programs Continue to Focus on Delivery Systems, Benefits, and Reimbursement Rates: Results from an Annual Medicaid Budget Survey for State Fiscal Years 2023 and 2024 Examines changes taking place in Medicaid programs in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Features sections on delivery systems, provider rates and taxes, benefits, pharmacy and prescription drugs, and telehealth. Highlights challenges posed by the unwinding of COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE), as well as other challenges and priorities. Sponsoring organization: KFF Date: 11/2023 Birthing-Friendly Hospitals and Health Systems Interactive tool identifying hospitals and health systems that have been designated as "Birthing-Friendly" by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Declines in Influenza Vaccination Coverage Among Health Care Personnel in Acute Care Hospitals During the COVID-19 Pandemic — United States, 2017–2023 Examines influenza vaccinations among health care personnel (HCP) prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Provides data on facility-level influenza vaccination levels among HCP for 3 years during the prepandemic period (2017-2020) and 3 years during the pandemic (2020-2023), broken down by HCP type and rural, suburban, or urban location. Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Location: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 72(45), 1244-1247 Date: 11/2023 Examining Alignment of Community Health Teams' Preferences for Health, Equity, and Spending with State All-payer Waiver Priorities: A Discrete Choice Experiment Provides an overview of the Vermont All-Payer Model (VAPM) and regional community health teams (CHTs). Analyzes the results of a survey of all 13 Vermont CHTs to describe how VAPM and CHTs interact and how VAPM impacts the priorities and design of community-based CHTs. Examines how community-based CHTs make trade-offs made between health, health equity, and healthcare spending. Author(s): Eline M. van den Broek-Altenburg, Jamie S. Benson, Adam J. Atherly Location: Health Services Research Date: 11/2023 Fentanyl in Native Communities: Native Perspectives on Addressing the Growing Crisis Recording of a November 8, 2023 hearing discussing fentanyl in both Native Hawaiian and American Indian and Alaska Native Communities. Features testimony from Lummi Nation, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians of North Dakota, Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Reservation, and representatives of the behavioral health and public health fields. Discusses the criminal justice system, behavioral health workforce shortages, health impacts of historical trauma, and more. Captions available within the video player. Additional links: Dr. A. Aukahi Austin Seabury, Ph.D., I Ola Lāhui, Inc. - Testimony, Dr. Claradina Soto, Ph.D., Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California - Testimony, Mr. Eric M. Gettis, Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium - Testimony, The Honorable Bryce Kirk, Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck - Testimony, The Honorable Jamie S. Azure, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians of North Dakota - Testimony, The Honorable Tony Hillaire, Lummi Nation - Testimony Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Date: 11/2023 The Future of Rural Hospitals and Health Systems Podcast episode featuring a discussion with Joanne Conroy, M.D., Dartmouth Health president and CEO and the American Hospital Association Board of Trustees' chair-elect. Explores the future of rural hospitals and health systems and possible solutions to providing quality, cost-efficient care in rural communities. Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association Date: 11/2023 Geographic Variation in Health Insurance Coverage: United States, 2022 Reports on rates of people who had private health insurance, public insurance, and who were uninsured according to the 2022 National Health Interview Survey. Presents coverage rates by urbanization level for adults aged 18-64 and for children aged 0-17. Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics Date: 11/2023 Helping Older Adults Age Well in Rural America Provides an overview of strategies that mitigate challenges related to aging in rural communities. Provides data on healthcare access in rural areas and presents successful models that focus on transportation, social services, and alternative care models, such as paramedicine and hybrid care. Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund Date: 11/2023 HHS is Taking Action to Strengthen Primary Care Describes the importance of primary care to improving access to healthcare, the health and well-being of individuals and communities, and health equity. Discusses challenges facing primary care and outlines actions taken by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to address these challenges. Covers primary care payment, workforce, access, health information technology, and research and practice improvement support. Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Date: 11/2023 Indian Health Service: Many Federal Facilities Are in Fair or Poor Condition and Better Data Are Needed on Medical Equipment Examines the state of the Indian Health Service's (IHS) federally-operated medical facilities and equipment between January 2022 and November 2023. Describes IHS efforts to mitigate the negative effects aging facilities and equipment may have on patient care. Offers policy recommendations to the Director of IHS regarding equipment planning, acquisition, and management. Additional links: Full Report Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office Date: 11/2023 Influenza and Up-to-Date COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage Among Health Care Personnel — National Healthcare Safety Network, United States, 2022–23 Influenza Season Provides data on influenza and COVID-19 vaccination among health care personnel (HCP) during the 2022-2023 influenza season. Presents vaccination data of HCP in nursing homes and acute care hospitals, broken down by staff type, facility size, rural versus urban location, urbanicity, social vulnerability index, and region. Includes state-level maps of HCP vaccination percentages. Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Location: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 72(45), 1237-1243 Date: 11/2023 Malnutrition-Related Mortality Trends in Older Adults in the United States from 1999 to 2020 Analyzes trends in malnutrition mortality from 1999 to 2020 in adults over 65 years old. Examines mortality rates broken down by gender, race, Census region, age group, and location on the urban-rural continuum. Author(s): Naydeen Mostafa, Ahmed Sayed, Omar Rashad, Omar Baqal Location: BMC Medicine, 21, 421 Date: 11/2023 NSDUH (National Survey on Drug Use and Health) Detailed Tables - 2022 Explores 2022 survey data, including revisions, on use of illicit drugs, alcohol, and tobacco, trends in substance use disorder and mental health, and access to treatment for youth and adults. Features statistics for a variety of demographic and geographic characteristics, including rural versus urban status. Includes information on substance use and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Date: 11/2023 Recent Incarceration, Substance Use, Overdose, and Service Use Among People Who Use Drugs in Rural Communities Compares 2,935 people who use drugs (PWUD) in rural areas of 10 states to evaluate the impact of time since last incarceration on access to treatment and overdose rates. Discusses policy measures that could increase access to and successful completion of treatment for substance use disorders. Author(s): Daniel B. Hoover, Todd Korthuis, Elizabeth Needham Waddell, et al. Location: JAMA Network Open, 6(11), 2342222 Date: 11/2023 RHC Emergency Preparedness 101 Recording of a November 7, 2023, webinar on Rural Health Clinic (RHC) emergency preparedness requirements. Provides an overview of the regulatory and interpretive guidance requirements and discusses the components of an emergency preparedness manual. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series. Additional links: Presentation Slides Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics Date: 11/2023 Rural Emergency Hospital Conversion and Technical Assistance Webinar Recording of a November 2, 2023, webinar discussing the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) program. Provides an overview of the REH designation, policy and regulatory requirements, and REH Technical Assistance Center (TAC) services. Presentation slides include links to resources and templates. Transcript available in the video description. Additional links: Presentation Slides Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Redesign Center Date: 11/2023 Rural Hospital Experiences in the Colorado Hospital Transformation Program Provides an overview of the Colorado Hospital Transformation Program (CO HTP), a 5-year program that ties Medicaid supplemental payments to hospitals' ability to meet performance targets through September 2026. Describes the experiences of three Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and explores how CO HTP impacts rural hospitals. Covers planning and community engagement, quality of care, and healthcare costs. Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value Date: 10/2023 Telehealth Policies and Federally Qualified Health Centers Provides an overview of telehealth policies for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). Covers originating and distance sites, reimbursement, services outside the four walls of the FQHC, and more. Includes a chart of FQHC Medicaid telehealth reimbursement eligibility policies by state. Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center Date: 10/2023 Understanding Rural-Urban Differences in Veterans' Internet Access, Use and Patient Preferences for Telemedicine Analyzes disparities among rural and urban veterans regarding telemedicine. Utilizes March 2022 survey data from 350 veterans about issues related to telemedicine use, including internet access, connection speeds, internet-connected devices, and use and perception of telemedicine. Author(s): Amy M. J. O'Shea, Mikayla Gibson, James Merchant, et al. Location: Journal of Rural Health Date: 11/2023 The Women Farmer Stress Inventory: Examining Women Farmer Stress in the United States Corn Belt Explores the causes of stress for women farmers. Discusses sociodemographic and farm-level factors that correlate with, and contribute to, stress. Breaks down data such as farm size and revenue, off-farm work and care labor, and demographic factors such as age, marital status, and education, among others. Author(s): Carly E. Nichols, Jonathan Davis Location: Journal of Rural Health Date: 11/2023 |
Deadline: Nov 30, 2023 National Association of Community Health Centers Event Dates: Apr 23 - 25, 2024 Atlanta, GA Conference Website Call for Abstracts: 2024 Annual Midwest Stream Forum for Agricultural Worker Health Deadline: Dec 1, 2023 National Center for Farmworker Health Event Dates: Apr 16 - 18, 2024 Albuquerque, NM Conference Website Call for Proposals: 2024 Annual National Indian Health Board Tribal Health Conference Deadline: Jan 26, 2024 National Indian Health Board Event Dates: May 19 - 23, 2024 Rapid City, SD Conference Website Call for Proposals: 2024 Annual Colorado Rural Health Center Forum Deadline: Feb 10, 2024 Colorado Rural Health Center Event Dates: Apr 3 - 5, 2024 Broomfield, CO Conference Website |
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