Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Behavioral health
Supporting Older-Adult Behavioral Health: Building the First State Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health and Aging
Describes the establishment of the Oregon Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health and Aging which seeks to increase access to behavioral health services for older adults with mental illness and substance use disorders in Oregon through translational research, workforce development, and policy innovation. Highlights national initiatives related to behavioral health and aging. Offers guidance to other states interested in a similar model. Mentions rural throughout.
Author(s): Walter D. Dawson, Allyson Stodola, Paula Carder, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 3(9)
Date: 09/2025
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Describes the establishment of the Oregon Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health and Aging which seeks to increase access to behavioral health services for older adults with mental illness and substance use disorders in Oregon through translational research, workforce development, and policy innovation. Highlights national initiatives related to behavioral health and aging. Offers guidance to other states interested in a similar model. Mentions rural throughout.
Author(s): Walter D. Dawson, Allyson Stodola, Paula Carder, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 3(9)
Date: 09/2025
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HRSA Rural Communities Opioid Response Program Award Recipients Generally Met All Core Activities and Benchmarks
Examines whether Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) Expansion award recipients met the five required core activities and three proposed benchmarks between September 2019 and August 2022. Summarizes results of a performance audit of RCORP MAT Expansion award recipients, including site visits to each awardee. Appendix C covers the challenges and barriers award recipients faced while establishing or expanding their MAT programs.
Additional links: Report Highlights
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Examines whether Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) Expansion award recipients met the five required core activities and three proposed benchmarks between September 2019 and August 2022. Summarizes results of a performance audit of RCORP MAT Expansion award recipients, including site visits to each awardee. Appendix C covers the challenges and barriers award recipients faced while establishing or expanding their MAT programs.
Additional links: Report Highlights
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Supporting Rural Health Facilities
Discusses strategies pursued by states to strengthen the financial stability of rural hospitals and expand access to primary care, behavioral healthcare, and emergency care. Describes state policies related to technical assistance, financial stabilization grants, payment models, Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), health centers, Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs), and free-standing emergency departments.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Conference of State Legislatures
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Discusses strategies pursued by states to strengthen the financial stability of rural hospitals and expand access to primary care, behavioral healthcare, and emergency care. Describes state policies related to technical assistance, financial stabilization grants, payment models, Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), health centers, Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs), and free-standing emergency departments.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Conference of State Legislatures
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Variation in Extreme Risk Protection Order Use Among Urban, Suburban, and Rural ZIP Codes in Maryland: A Descriptive Study
Analyzes the use of extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs) in rural, suburban, and urban Maryland between October 2018 and June 2020. Includes rural and urban analysis of various demographic characteristics, type of threat, target of threat, type of ERPO petitioner, and court outcomes. Discusses a variety of violence types include interpersonal violence, mass shootings, and suicide as well as ERPO uptake in rural areas.
Author(s): Mia Aassar, Elise Omaki, Lisa Geller, April M. Zeoli, Shannon Frattaroli
Citation: Inquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing, 62
Date: 09/2025
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Analyzes the use of extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs) in rural, suburban, and urban Maryland between October 2018 and June 2020. Includes rural and urban analysis of various demographic characteristics, type of threat, target of threat, type of ERPO petitioner, and court outcomes. Discusses a variety of violence types include interpersonal violence, mass shootings, and suicide as well as ERPO uptake in rural areas.
Author(s): Mia Aassar, Elise Omaki, Lisa Geller, April M. Zeoli, Shannon Frattaroli
Citation: Inquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing, 62
Date: 09/2025
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State Strategies for Strengthening Rural Health: Insights from NASHP's 2025 Annual Conference
Summarizes a session from the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) 2025 Annual Conference regarding state strategies to improve access to care in rural communities. Highlights policies from North Dakota, Washington, and West Virginia related to workforce and capacity challenges, broadband and telehealth, behavioral health access points, and linking health and social care.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
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Summarizes a session from the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) 2025 Annual Conference regarding state strategies to improve access to care in rural communities. Highlights policies from North Dakota, Washington, and West Virginia related to workforce and capacity challenges, broadband and telehealth, behavioral health access points, and linking health and social care.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
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Best Practices for Implementing the Continuum of Crisis Services Under Medicaid and CHIP
Provides guidance for states to maintain a continuum of behavioral health crisis care for patients covered by Medicaid and CHIP. Details core elements of the continuum of crisis care and how Medicaid and CHIP function within that framework. Highlights considerations for rural communities.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Provides guidance for states to maintain a continuum of behavioral health crisis care for patients covered by Medicaid and CHIP. Details core elements of the continuum of crisis care and how Medicaid and CHIP function within that framework. Highlights considerations for rural communities.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Treatment Initiations and Opioid Overdoses among Recently Incarcerated People after Adoption of the Take-Home Methadone Policy
Explores the effect flexible methadone policies implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic had on opioid overdoses and treatment initiation and uptake among incarcerated people upon release. Highlights the effect this policy had on rural areas and communities that lack access to opioid treatment.
Author(s): Benjamin A. Barsky, Shapei Yan, Meredith B. Rosenthal
Citation: Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 274, 112775
Date: 09/2025
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Explores the effect flexible methadone policies implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic had on opioid overdoses and treatment initiation and uptake among incarcerated people upon release. Highlights the effect this policy had on rural areas and communities that lack access to opioid treatment.
Author(s): Benjamin A. Barsky, Shapei Yan, Meredith B. Rosenthal
Citation: Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 274, 112775
Date: 09/2025
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Introducing Public Health Vending Machines in Rural Communities: Protocol for a Study Using a Community-Based Participatory Approach
Provides a study protocol focused on creating a community-engaged approach to implementing public health vending machines (PHVMs) that distribute naloxone in rural North Carolina. Discusses the need to engage people who have experienced substance use when developing public health interventions to prevent drug overdose.
Author(s): Meghan Guter, Lauren Harrell, Kathleen L Egan, Reese Hiatt, Lori Ann Eldridge
Citation: JMIR Research Protocols, 14
Date: 09/2025
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Provides a study protocol focused on creating a community-engaged approach to implementing public health vending machines (PHVMs) that distribute naloxone in rural North Carolina. Discusses the need to engage people who have experienced substance use when developing public health interventions to prevent drug overdose.
Author(s): Meghan Guter, Lauren Harrell, Kathleen L Egan, Reese Hiatt, Lori Ann Eldridge
Citation: JMIR Research Protocols, 14
Date: 09/2025
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Rural Providers' Attitudes Toward Integrating Harm Reduction Strategies and PrEP Prescribing into Rural Primary Care Settings in the US. Southeast and Midwest
Examines the perceptions of providers working in rural primary care settings toward buprenorphine, methadone, comprehensive harm reduction, and PrEP prescriptions. Analyzes 409 providers treating either a person with opioid use disorder or a person with HIV and provides data breakdowns on PrEP prescriptions, medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), and perceptions toward harm reduction integration.
Author(s): Phillip L. Marotta, Miryam Biaid, Robert Heimer, et al.
Citation: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 20, 73
Date: 09/2025
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Examines the perceptions of providers working in rural primary care settings toward buprenorphine, methadone, comprehensive harm reduction, and PrEP prescriptions. Analyzes 409 providers treating either a person with opioid use disorder or a person with HIV and provides data breakdowns on PrEP prescriptions, medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), and perceptions toward harm reduction integration.
Author(s): Phillip L. Marotta, Miryam Biaid, Robert Heimer, et al.
Citation: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 20, 73
Date: 09/2025
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Electronic Data Capture of Patient-Report Questionnaire in Patient Management in a Rural Population
Explores the feasibility and acceptability of electronic patient-reported outcomes among metabolic and bariatric surgery patients at an academic medical center in rural West Virginia. Describes results of a patient questionnaire regarding the experience of using a tablet to complete psychosocial evaluations before seeing a behavioral health provider and their preference for using a tablet or traditional paper-and-pencil forms.
Author(s): Hayley Harman, Ashleigh A. Pona, Lawrence Tabone, et al.
Citation: JSLS: Journal of the Society of Laparoscopic & Robotic Surgeons, 29(3), e2025.00068
Date: 09/2025
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Explores the feasibility and acceptability of electronic patient-reported outcomes among metabolic and bariatric surgery patients at an academic medical center in rural West Virginia. Describes results of a patient questionnaire regarding the experience of using a tablet to complete psychosocial evaluations before seeing a behavioral health provider and their preference for using a tablet or traditional paper-and-pencil forms.
Author(s): Hayley Harman, Ashleigh A. Pona, Lawrence Tabone, et al.
Citation: JSLS: Journal of the Society of Laparoscopic & Robotic Surgeons, 29(3), e2025.00068
Date: 09/2025
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