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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access

Behavioral Health and Primary Care Integration in Rural Health Facilities: Policy Brief and Recommendations to the Secretary
Provides an overview of the prevalence of mental illness and substance use disorders in rural areas. Discusses the role of rural primary care providers in treating these conditions. Outlines federal programs and resources to support behavioral health and primary care integration. Offers policy recommendations related to access to care; workforce recruitment and retention; telehealth, technology, and broadband; and reimbursement and sustainable revenue.
Date: 06/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Behavioral Healthcare Organizations' Experiences Related to Use of Telehealth as a Result of the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Exploratory Study
Study examining the experiences of substance use disorder (SUD) and mental health treatment service providers with telehealth based on surveys of 391 individuals on behalf of their organizations. Describes COVID-related experiences with telehealth, general telehealth experiences, and recommendations for continued telehealth delivery, including rural-specific insights and concerns.
Author(s): Abby Kisicki, Sara Becker, Michael Chaple, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 22, 775
Date: 06/2022
Type: Document
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Tribal Broadband: National Strategy and Coordination Framework Needed to Increase Access
Provides an overview of federal programs that support the deployment of broadband infrastructure on tribal lands and the extent to which federal agencies focus on tribal issues related to broadband access. Discusses barriers tribes and providers face in accessing these federally-funded programs. Providers recommendations for the Executive Office of the President and the Department of Commerce to address tribal needs and engagement in a national broadband strategy.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 06/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Advancing Health Equity in Rural America
Report examining rural health equity, covering rural economic and demographic data, disparities by rurality, race/ethnicity, and class, and examples of initiatives that aim to increase health equity in rural communities. Offers recommendations for increasing health equity through economic and policy actions.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Author(s): Paula Braveman, Julia Acker, Elaine Arkin, Katrina Badger, Nicole Holm
Date: 06/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
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Contraception and Healthcare Utilization by Reproductive-Age Women Who Use Drugs in Rural Communities: a Cross-Sectional Survey
Study examining contraceptive use by women aged 18-49 in rural areas, comparing overall rates of contraceptive use to those of women who use opioid and/or non-opioid injection drugs. Analyzes data from the Rural Opioids Initiative (ROI) and the National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG). Discusses the study's implications for access to services, targeted interventions, and testing for infectious diseases.
Author(s): Ximena A. Levander, Canyon A. Foot, Sara L. Magnusson, et al.
Citation: Journal of General Internal Medicine
Date: 06/2022
Type: Document
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Expansion of Grocery Delivery and Access for Washington SNAP Participants During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Examines 2021 grocery delivery access and 2017 food insecurity rates by county in Washington using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) data and grocery delivery data from Amazon and Walmart. Identifies food insecure areas, including rural regions of the state, and describes actions to address food insecurity.
Author(s): Shawna Beese, Ofer Amram, Acacia Corylus, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 19
Date: 06/2022
Type: Document
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Medicaid & State Telehealth Policy – Medicaid Telehealth Policy & Substance Use Disorder
Webinar covering state and federal Medicaid telehealth policy for the treatment of substance use disorder (SUD). Offers an overview of telehealth, its expansion during the COVID-19 pandemic, and its application in SUD treatment with examples from Arkansas and Philadelphia. Also covers research on disparities in drug-related mortality and access to treatment during the pandemic. Captions are available by clicking "CC" at the bottom of the video pane.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 06/2022
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
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COVID-19 Vaccine Provider Availability and Vaccination Coverage Among Children Aged 5–11 Years — United States, November 1, 2021–April 25, 2022
Reports on active COVID-19 vaccine providers and county-level vaccine administration data during November 1, 2021–April 25, 2022 for children 5-11 years of age. Includes county-level maps showing the number of pediatric vaccine providers and vaccination coverage for this age group. Also includes data for noncore, micropolitan, and metropolitan areas.
Author(s): Jennifer DeCuir, Lu Meng, Yi Pan, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 71(26), 847-851
Date: 06/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Anxiety, Depression, and Access to Mental Health Care by Sexual Orientation and Rurality
Presents a study on rates of anxiety and depression by sexual orientation in relation to access to mental healthcare. Compares rates of anxiety and depression between lesbian, gay, bisexual, and heterosexual individuals in rural and urban areas.
Author(s): Carrie Henning-Smith, Courtney Sarkin, Mariana Tuttle, Gilbert Gonzales
Date: 06/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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White House Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis
Provides an overview of the maternal health crisis, including maternal mortality and morbidity disparities, and outlines investments and initiatives to address these issues. Presents goals and actions related to access to maternal and behavioral health services, improving data collection and policy, expanding and diversifying the maternal health workforce, and strengthening economic and social supports.
Date: 06/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: The White House
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