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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Behavioral health

Filling the Gaps in the Behavioral Health Workforce
Discusses the shortage of licensed behavioral health workers in rural and underserved communities. Explores the roles of behavioral health support specialists and community-initiated care to support licensed behavioral health professionals. Offers policy recommendations to strengthen the roles of the nonclinical workforce.
Date: 01/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
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Mental Health in Rural New York: Findings and Implications of a Listening Tour with Residents and Professionals
Findings from the Rural Mental Health Listening Tour of New York State, conducted between March 2020 and September 2021 to elicit input and experiences of community members living and working in rural areas. Presents strengths and assets of rural communities, and highlights model programs and success stories. Includes recommendations in categories including access to transportation and broadband, access to mental health programs, availability of services, improving and sustaining workforce capacity, and offers state- and county-specific recommendations.
Author(s): Brett Harris, Katie Gallant, Abby Mariani
Date: 01/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
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2021 Indiana Physician Workforce Brief
Information on demographics, education and practice characteristics, and distribution of Indiana physicians, based on self-reported data. Includes county-level maps showing geographic distribution of Indiana primary care physicians and psychiatrists, with shadings indicating counties that are Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) and Mental Health HPSAs.
Author(s): Courtney Medlock, Reno Jamison, Hannah L. Maxey
Date: 01/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Bowen Center for Health Workforce Research and Policy
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NSDUH (National Survey on Drug Use and Health) Detailed Tables - 2021
Presents 2021 survey data, including revisions, on use of illicit drugs, alcohol, and tobacco, trends in substance use disorder and mental health, and access to treatment for youth and adults. Features statistics for a variety of demographic and geographic characteristics, including rural versus urban status. Includes information on substance use and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Date: 01/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Spatial Analysis of Access to Psychiatrists for US Military Personnel and Their Families
Examines the location and capacity of psychiatrists within a 30-minute driving time of TRICARE beneficiaries. Explores how geographic access to psychiatrists affects veteran TRICARE beneficiaries in rural and low-income communities. Breaks down community data by region, rural or urban status, and economic makeup, among other measures.
Author(s): Marigee Bacolod, Jennifer Heissel, Yu-Chu Shen
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 6(1), e2249314
Date: 01/2023
Type: Document
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Participation in Project ECHO to Advance Rural Primary Care Providers' Ability to Address Patient Mental Health Needs
Features a study on the role continuing education programs, such as Project ECHO, can play in aiding rural primary care providers (PCPs) to integrate behavioral healthcare into their practice. Focuses on the Advanced Primary Care (APC ECHO) Adult Psychiatry Module and evaluates its efficacy in facilitating behavioral health integration in to rural PCPs.
Author(s): Ariel Porto, Rosemary Motz, Maximillian Morris, et al.
Citation: Medical Education Online, 28(1), 2164470
Date: 01/2023
Type: Document
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Rural Healthy People 2030
Presents literature reviews of 20 rural public health priority topics identified through a survey of rural stakeholders. Reviews the scope of each topic, discusses related goals and objectives from the national Healthy People 2030 initiative, identifies affected populations, highlights interventions and solutions, and more. Topics include mental health, substance use, social determinants of health, access to care, quality of care, chronic health conditions, and COVID-19.
Author(s): Alva O. Ferdinand, Jane N. Bolin, Timothy Callaghan, et al.
Date: 2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Southwest Rural Health Research Center
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Addressing Commercial Tobacco Use in Indigenous Communities Toolkit
Explores public health approaches to addressing commercial tobacco use disparities in Indigenous communities. Discusses community engagement, cultural appropriateness, and other elements of effective communication and program implementation. Features case studies focused on rural youth engagement, access to services in Alaska Native villages, policy development in the Navajo Nation, and more.
Date: 2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Lung Association (ALA)
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North Carolina Office of Rural Health Key Performance Measures Reported by Program
Offers statistics for performance measures or output for fiscal year 2023. Features breakdowns including total patient encounters and telemedicine encounters; statistics on controlled diabetes, hypertension, and early pre-natal care; and screening for tobacco use, depression, and obesity.
Date: 2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
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U.S Department of Health and Human Services Agency Equity Action Plan: 2023 Update
Offers overview of the 5 areas of focus for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for 2023. Areas of focus include child welfare, access to health insurance, maternal health outcomes, behavioral health, and clinical innovations. Includes rural specific actions. Highlights equity progress updates and accomplishments since the 2022 equity action plan.
Date: 2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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