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Rural Health
Resources by State: Pennsylvania

Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics Demonstration Program: Report to Congress, 2019
Provides an overview of the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) demonstration. Describes participating states' CCBHC activities including improved access to treatment and recovery support services, the range of services provided during the first year of the demonstration, how states have been reporting and utilizing required quality measures, and assess the costs to CCBHCs. This is the third of five annual reports to Congress on the CCBHC demonstration.
Date: 09/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Mathematica Policy Research, RAND Corporation
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Preliminary Cost and Quality Findings from the National Evaluation of the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic Demonstration
Provides an overview of the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) demonstration through April 2019. Describes the CCBHC payment rates and costs of care through the first demonstration year as well as the experiences of states and CCBHCs reporting the required quality measures. Includes a comparison of payment rates by urban and rural clinic location.
Author(s): Joshua Breslau, Brian Briscombe, Michael Dunbar, et al.
Date: 09/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Mathematica
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Implementation Findings from the National Evaluation of the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic Demonstration
Provides an overview of the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) demonstration through April 2019. Presents findings on implementation progress, successes, and challenges regarding CCBHC staffing, access to care, scope of required services, and care coordination. Includes rural references and case studies throughout.
Author(s): Allison Wishon Siegwarth, Rachel Miller, Jasmine Little, et al.
Date: 09/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Mathematica Policy Research
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Alcohol Use Disorder: Addressing Stigma and Treatment Access in Rural America
Examines alcohol use and misuse in rural America. Features the work of healthcare providers in Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Texas, and New Mexico. Discusses stigma, treatment access, and recovery. Addresses the impact of COVID-19 on treatment access, including the use of telehealth.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 08/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Behavioral Health Care System Capacity in Pennsylvania and Its Impact on Hospital Emergency Departments and Patient Health
An assessment of Pennsylvania's behavioral health needs and the impact that the behavioral healthcare system's capacity has on hospital emergency departments and patient health. Examines the effect of provider shortages, the role of first responders, emergency response models, and efforts to expand telehealth. Mentions rural throughout.
Author(s): Yvonne Llewellyn Hursh, Bryan W. DeWalt, Allison N. Kobzowicz, et al.
Date: 07/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Joint State Government Commission, General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
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High COVID-19 Mortality Risk in Pennsylvania's Rural Counties
Discusses the risk of COVID-19-related hospitalization or death in Pennsylvania rural counties, due to high prevalence rates of chronic disease and percentage of populations age 65 or older. Features a map showing variation in chronic health comorbidities in Pennsylvania counties.
Additional links: Interactive Map
Author(s): Raeven Faye Chandler, Shannon M. Monnat, Yue Sun
Date: 07/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion
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"It's on Us": Healthcare's Unique Position in the Response to Human Trafficking
Provides an overview of human trafficking and explains the role healthcare providers can play in addressing this issue in rural communities. Features a rural hospital CEO, a State Office of Rural Health (SORH) director, a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, and a Safe Harbor Regional Navigator sharing their experiences combating human trafficking.
Author(s): Jenn Lukens
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 07/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Pennsylvania Hospital Transitions HRSA-Funded Program to Online Services and Addresses COVID-19 Stress
Features Butler Memorial Hospital and how it adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic. Highlights the switch to online delivery for a chronic disease project funded by a HRSA Rural Health Care Services Outreach grant. Also describes initiatives to address healthcare workforce stress, help patients use tablets to visit with loved ones, and distribute healthy food to the community.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 07/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Pennsylvania Mental Health Care Workforce Shortage: Challenges and Solutions: A Staff Study
Provides a discussion of mental healthcare workforce occupations and examines the factors that led to shortages in these fields. Describes how telemedicine can be used to extend the mental healthcare workforce in rural Pennsylvania and determines how state government entities can encourage more people to enter and remain in the mental healthcare workforce. Makes recommendations including increasing the number of psychiatric residencies in rural areas and designating more Rural Health Clinics. Includes a county-level map of Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Author(s): Grant Rosul, Stephen J. Kramer, Wendy L. Baker
Date: 06/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Joint State Government Commission, General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
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Improving Rural Health: State Policy Options for Increasing Access to Care
Discusses strategies from state legislatures and other stakeholders to increase access to healthcare in rural areas. Focuses on policies and policy options for state legislatures in three areas: improving health insurance coverage, safeguarding rural health facilities, and changing rural healthcare delivery. Features examples from Colorado, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
Author(s): Jack Pitsor
Date: 06/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Conference of State Legislatures
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