Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access
Virtual Roads to Real Recovery, with Amanda Kennedy
An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Amanda Kennedy, manager of the Mercy Virtual Substance Use Recovery Program. Focuses on strategies the program uses to build trust and provide patients a seamless bridge into substance use treatment. Part 2 in a 3-part series featuring the 2026 Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) Innovation Tank finalists, with Mercy vSURP's work winning third place.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Amanda Kennedy, manager of the Mercy Virtual Substance Use Recovery Program. Focuses on strategies the program uses to build trust and provide patients a seamless bridge into substance use treatment. Part 2 in a 3-part series featuring the 2026 Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) Innovation Tank finalists, with Mercy vSURP's work winning third place.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Early Evidence of Geographic Variation in Medicare Participation among Newly Eligible Mental Health Providers Following the 2024 Coverage Expansion
Explores the effect that Medicare's expansion of coverage to marriage and family therapists (MFTs) and mental health counselors (MHCs) has had on the rural mental health workforce. Highlights the rate of participation among rural MFTs and MHCs in Medicare from 2022 to 2024 and compares rates to metro counties.
Author(s): Janessa M. Graves, Natalia V. Oster, Lisa A. Garberson, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(3), e70180
Date: 07/2026
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Explores the effect that Medicare's expansion of coverage to marriage and family therapists (MFTs) and mental health counselors (MHCs) has had on the rural mental health workforce. Highlights the rate of participation among rural MFTs and MHCs in Medicare from 2022 to 2024 and compares rates to metro counties.
Author(s): Janessa M. Graves, Natalia V. Oster, Lisa A. Garberson, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(3), e70180
Date: 07/2026
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Access to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) at the State and Substate Levels: Meaning and Measurement
Estimates how eligibility and access to USDA's Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) vary by age and county within Arizona using 2019-2021 program administrative data. Discusses the WIC program's reach, demography, and statistical reliability.
Author(s): Kegan O'Connor, Mark Prell, Linden McBride, et al.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Estimates how eligibility and access to USDA's Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) vary by age and county within Arizona using 2019-2021 program administrative data. Discusses the WIC program's reach, demography, and statistical reliability.
Author(s): Kegan O'Connor, Mark Prell, Linden McBride, et al.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Improving Childhood Immunization Access in Rural Washington Through School-Based Partnerships
Discusses Washington State's Northeast Tri County Health District (NETCHD) efforts to address low rates of childhood immunization within Ferry, Stevens, and Pend Oreille counties via partnerships with schools, public communication, immunization clinics, and other forms of outreach.
Author(s): Rae Lamp
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Association of County and City Health Officials
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Discusses Washington State's Northeast Tri County Health District (NETCHD) efforts to address low rates of childhood immunization within Ferry, Stevens, and Pend Oreille counties via partnerships with schools, public communication, immunization clinics, and other forms of outreach.
Author(s): Rae Lamp
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Association of County and City Health Officials
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Rural Pediatric Readiness: Improving Emergency Care for Kids
Features rural providers in Texas and Wyoming working to improve their ability to provide quality emergency care to pediatric patients, as well as a pediatric readiness training program in Georgia.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Features rural providers in Texas and Wyoming working to improve their ability to provide quality emergency care to pediatric patients, as well as a pediatric readiness training program in Georgia.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Strengthening Rural Health Centers: Challenges, Innovations, and Opportunities
Provides an overview of how health centers serve rural residents. Describes workforce and geographic challenges rural health centers face. Includes data on states where rural health centers serve over half of all health center patients in the state. Discusses areas for key investments to strengthen the ability of health centers to serve their patients and communities.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Community Health Centers
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Provides an overview of how health centers serve rural residents. Describes workforce and geographic challenges rural health centers face. Includes data on states where rural health centers serve over half of all health center patients in the state. Discusses areas for key investments to strengthen the ability of health centers to serve their patients and communities.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Community Health Centers
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A Multiregional Decentralized Clinical Trial Program to Improve Access
Assesses geographic and demographic trends in clinical trial participation at Mayo Clinic during the implementation of a decentralized clinical trials (DCT) program between January 2024 and March 2025.
Author(s): Tufia C. Haddad, Lydia A. Mercado, Jennifer G. Le-Rademacher, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(6), e2617204
Date: 06/2026
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Assesses geographic and demographic trends in clinical trial participation at Mayo Clinic during the implementation of a decentralized clinical trials (DCT) program between January 2024 and March 2025.
Author(s): Tufia C. Haddad, Lydia A. Mercado, Jennifer G. Le-Rademacher, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(6), e2617204
Date: 06/2026
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Michigan - Improving Diabetic Eye Exam Rates: A Practical Guide for Rural Health Clinics
A guidebook for Rural Health Centers (RHCs) in Michigan to screen and provide quality care for diabetic retinopathy (DR). Provides recommendations for DR screening, workflow, referral to eye care providers, and reducing barriers in rural areas.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Michigan Center for Rural Health
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A guidebook for Rural Health Centers (RHCs) in Michigan to screen and provide quality care for diabetic retinopathy (DR). Provides recommendations for DR screening, workflow, referral to eye care providers, and reducing barriers in rural areas.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Michigan Center for Rural Health
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Evaluating Underrepresentation in Cancer Clinical Trial Enrollment Across Three National Cancer Institute–Designated Cancer Centers: A Retrospective Demographic Study
Analyzes how the enrollment in cancer clinical trials varies demographically and geographically across three Comprehensive Cancer Centers (Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio, Yale Cancer Center). Provides data on rural enrollment by center.
Author(s): Guannan Gong, Jessica Liu, Mahanaz Syed, et al.
Citation: JCO Oncology Advances, 3(2), e2500159
Date: 06/2026
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Analyzes how the enrollment in cancer clinical trials varies demographically and geographically across three Comprehensive Cancer Centers (Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio, Yale Cancer Center). Provides data on rural enrollment by center.
Author(s): Guannan Gong, Jessica Liu, Mahanaz Syed, et al.
Citation: JCO Oncology Advances, 3(2), e2500159
Date: 06/2026
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How Wearables and Other Digital Tools Are Driving Innovation in Behavioral Health
Explores the use of wearable devices, applications, telehealth platforms, and AI-enabled screening tools to support prevention, treatment, and recovery for mental health conditions and substance use disorders. Discusses how these tools can be used to collect data that can inform care strategies and policy. Highlights how digital tools can broaden access to rural communities.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Explores the use of wearable devices, applications, telehealth platforms, and AI-enabled screening tools to support prevention, treatment, and recovery for mental health conditions and substance use disorders. Discusses how these tools can be used to collect data that can inform care strategies and policy. Highlights how digital tools can broaden access to rural communities.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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