Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Behavioral health
School Nurses' Perceptions of Mental Health Responsibilities Within School Nursing Practice: A Q Methodology Study
Examines the perspectives of school nurses on addressing mental health needs of students in rural schools. Analyzes feedback from 70 school nurses working in eastern North Carolina on issues such as nursing responsibilities, mental health, suicide risk, crisis response, and more.
Author(s): Travis E. Lewis, Deby E. Tyndall, Mitzi C. Pestaner
Citation: Journal of School Health, 96(10), e70242
Date: 10/2026
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Examines the perspectives of school nurses on addressing mental health needs of students in rural schools. Analyzes feedback from 70 school nurses working in eastern North Carolina on issues such as nursing responsibilities, mental health, suicide risk, crisis response, and more.
Author(s): Travis E. Lewis, Deby E. Tyndall, Mitzi C. Pestaner
Citation: Journal of School Health, 96(10), e70242
Date: 10/2026
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Historical State Actions Aligned with Approved RHTP Uses
Describes state legislation enacted to address rural health topics that coincide with priorities of the Rural Health Transformation Program, including chronic disease management, the healthcare workforce, emergency medical services, health technology, behavioral health, and healthcare payment.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Conference of State Legislatures
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Describes state legislation enacted to address rural health topics that coincide with priorities of the Rural Health Transformation Program, including chronic disease management, the healthcare workforce, emergency medical services, health technology, behavioral health, and healthcare payment.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Conference of State Legislatures
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Veterans Affairs Clinical Resource Hub Improve Access to Mental Health Services for Rural Veterans
Evaluates 627,436 telemental health service encounters over 5 years with rural veterans to determine the impact of 18 Clinical Resource Hubs on access to mental healthcare. Discusses how utilization of telemental health services increased over the 5 years, trends in modality types, and mental health diagnoses, in addition to other demographic characteristics.
Author(s): Erin Jaske, Chelle L. Wheat, Bradford Felker, et al.
Citation: Telemedicine and e-Health, 32(10), 995-1002
Date: 10/2026
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Evaluates 627,436 telemental health service encounters over 5 years with rural veterans to determine the impact of 18 Clinical Resource Hubs on access to mental healthcare. Discusses how utilization of telemental health services increased over the 5 years, trends in modality types, and mental health diagnoses, in addition to other demographic characteristics.
Author(s): Erin Jaske, Chelle L. Wheat, Bradford Felker, et al.
Citation: Telemedicine and e-Health, 32(10), 995-1002
Date: 10/2026
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Telehealth FAQ
Provides information on Medicare telehealth regulations and payment policy for calendar year 2026. Includes information on audio-only services, behavioral health services, direct supervision, and more.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Provides information on Medicare telehealth regulations and payment policy for calendar year 2026. Includes information on audio-only services, behavioral health services, direct supervision, and more.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Medicare Payment Basics: Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities Services Payment System
Overview of Medicare's payment system for inpatient psychiatric services provided in freestanding hospitals or specialized hospital-based units. Demonstrates how payments for these services are adjusted to reflect geographic differences in labor costs, and cost of care by facility and patient characteristics.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Overview of Medicare's payment system for inpatient psychiatric services provided in freestanding hospitals or specialized hospital-based units. Demonstrates how payments for these services are adjusted to reflect geographic differences in labor costs, and cost of care by facility and patient characteristics.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Health Professional Shortage Areas: Mental Health
Printable map that shows nonmetropolitan and micropolitan mental health HPSAs on one color scale and metropolitan mental health HPSAs on another. Data source: data.HRSA.gov
Additional links: Mental Health HPSA Table
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Printable map that shows nonmetropolitan and micropolitan mental health HPSAs on one color scale and metropolitan mental health HPSAs on another. Data source: data.HRSA.gov
Additional links: Mental Health HPSA Table
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Tennessee Suicide Prevention 2026 Annual Report
Summarizes suicide surveillance and programmatic data collected by the Tennessee Department of Health. Identifies strategies and best practices for the prevention of deaths by suicide. Features statistics including rates of suicide among residents of rural and urban Tennessee counties in 2024.
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Tennessee Department of Health
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Summarizes suicide surveillance and programmatic data collected by the Tennessee Department of Health. Identifies strategies and best practices for the prevention of deaths by suicide. Features statistics including rates of suicide among residents of rural and urban Tennessee counties in 2024.
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Tennessee Department of Health
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"It's Nice to Know That You're Not Alone": Lessons from Rural Midwest Women Veterans' Experiences with a Chronic Pain Management Group
Explores the experiences of rural women veterans who participated in a virtual eight-week telehealth behavioral pilot program aimed at addressing chronic pain. Breaks down participant characteristics, such as age, education, and source of pain, among other measures, and highlights participant feedback.
Author(s): Nicole L. Johnson, Kenda Stewart Steffensmeier, DorisAnn McGinnis, et al.
Citation: Psychological Services, 23(4), 938-945
Date: 09/2026
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Explores the experiences of rural women veterans who participated in a virtual eight-week telehealth behavioral pilot program aimed at addressing chronic pain. Breaks down participant characteristics, such as age, education, and source of pain, among other measures, and highlights participant feedback.
Author(s): Nicole L. Johnson, Kenda Stewart Steffensmeier, DorisAnn McGinnis, et al.
Citation: Psychological Services, 23(4), 938-945
Date: 09/2026
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Wisconsin State Opioid Response 4 Year Two: Statewide Annual Report
Provides information on the State Opioid Response 4 (SOR-4) grant awarded in 2024 and focused on expanding access to treatment and recovery services for opioid and stimulant use disorder in Wisconsin, supporting training of peer support services, increasing the number of providers offering medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), and raising awareness related to OUD. Utilizes data from clients who completed the State Opioid Response 4 (SOR-4) GPRA Client Outcome Measures tool from 2025 to 2026 and reports on treatment needs, recovery, telehealth, and recovery housing. Compares client experiences in rural versus urban counties.
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute
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Provides information on the State Opioid Response 4 (SOR-4) grant awarded in 2024 and focused on expanding access to treatment and recovery services for opioid and stimulant use disorder in Wisconsin, supporting training of peer support services, increasing the number of providers offering medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), and raising awareness related to OUD. Utilizes data from clients who completed the State Opioid Response 4 (SOR-4) GPRA Client Outcome Measures tool from 2025 to 2026 and reports on treatment needs, recovery, telehealth, and recovery housing. Compares client experiences in rural versus urban counties.
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute
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Cannabis Assessment in Oncology Patients—Evaluation Survey: Understanding Usage Patterns in a Rural Radiation Cohort in Kentucky
Explores the use and perceptions of unprescribed medicinal cannabis among 237 adults receiving radiation therapy in Kentucky between July 2023 and February 2024. Includes comparisons by rural or urban dwelling and treatment location.
Author(s): Evans Amoah, Waleed F. Mourad, Marcus E. Randall, et al.
Citation: The Oncologist, 31(11), oyag370
Date: 09/2026
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Explores the use and perceptions of unprescribed medicinal cannabis among 237 adults receiving radiation therapy in Kentucky between July 2023 and February 2024. Includes comparisons by rural or urban dwelling and treatment location.
Author(s): Evans Amoah, Waleed F. Mourad, Marcus E. Randall, et al.
Citation: The Oncologist, 31(11), oyag370
Date: 09/2026
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