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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Community and economic development

2023 County Health Rankings National Findings Report
Analyzes county-level health and wellness data, focusing on issues such as civic infrastructure and socioeconomic opportunity. Includes information on access to broadband, libraries, parks and recreation, schools, and social organizations. Provides U.S. map of county-level life expectancy (LE) and discusses the relationship of LE to civic participation.
Date: 03/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
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Linkages Between Rural Community Capitals and Healthcare Provision: A Survey of Small Rural Towns in Three U.S. Regions
Identifies community-level factors affecting the recruitment and retention of rural healthcare professionals through key informant interviews and a survey of healthcare professionals in 9 states across three regions: the Lower Mississippi Delta, the Southern Great Plains, and the Upper Midwest. Explores how the importance of these factors varies across regions and types of healthcare professionals and whether the importance of these factors differs between recruitment and retention.
Additional links: Report Summary
Author(s): John Pender, Maria Kuhns, Cindy Yu, Janice Larson, Shirley Huck
Date: 03/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Rural Community Transit Strategies: Building on, Expanding, and Enhancing Existing Assets and Programs
Provides an overview of a potential rural transit model based on the current infrastructure in Minnesota and by examining other state models. Focuses on solutions such as hybrid mobility, small town assets, expanding service, responding to driver shortages, engaging citizens and networking within communities, and more. Discusses public health concerns such as food access and disability accommodations.
Author(s): Thomas Fisher, Mary Vogel, Alireza Khani, Fernando Burga
Date: 02/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Minnesota Department of Transportation
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Health Care's Role in Rural Economic Development: Addressing Health Workforce Needs
Policy brief exploring how rural healthcare can impact local economic and community development. Offers recommended policies and actions to support rural workforce development and community development.
Author(s): Nicole Carritt
Date: 02/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Health Care's Role in Rural Economic Development: How Work Support Programs Improve Health and Stimulate Rural Economies
Policy brief exploring how work support programs – Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicaid, and Child Care and Development Funds (CCDF) – and other state and federal programs can address social determinants of health, improve health, and stimulate economic activity in rural America. Offers policy recommendations to increase access to these programs in rural areas.
Author(s): David Jordan
Date: 02/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Federal Credit Assistance and Grant Programs for Rural Businesses: In Brief
Provides an overview of selected federal credit assistance and grant programs that support rural businesses. Covers programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), and the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA), as well as the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC).
Date: 02/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Investing in Rural Capacity: Comprehensive Summary of the National Rural Development Stakeholder Listening Sessions
Discusses investments in capacity that improve quality of life in rural areas. Reports on responses from organizational stakeholders from the 4 U.S. Regional Rural Development Centers based on survey data and listening sessions that took place between 2021 and 2022. Focuses on strategies to address physical infrastructure, workforce and economic development, community vibrancy, climate change, health, agriculture and food systems, and equity in rural areas.
Author(s): Jason S. Entsminger, John J. Green, Rachel Welborn, et al.
Date: 02/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Regional Rural Development Centers
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Wisconsin State Health Improvement Plan: 2023-2027 Summary
Provides an overview on the collaboration and partnerships to create the state health improvement plan, with a focus on social and community conditions, safety, social belonging and wellness, and mental health. Includes strategies specific to rural areas as well as tribal and local health departments.
Additional links: Implementation Guide
Date: 02/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Wisconsin Department of Health Services
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Building Rural Prosperity: Annual Report 2022
Report from the United States Department of Agriculture, Rural Development's Rural Partners Network, a group working across federal agencies to ensure that rural people have access to federal resources and a hand in determining how those resources are deployed in their communities. This report outlines the group's activities from 2022. Lists the selected Community Networks and ranks their priority areas which includes medical care. Describes a selection of projects from the Community Networks and also how federal dollars were invested in rural locations. Includes a timeline of activities and outcomes from the year.
Date: 01/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Partners Network
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Human Services in Rural Contexts: Comprehensive Report
Provides an overview of human services in rural areas, with information focused on human services programs and benefits, economic and social well-being, persistent poverty communities, and adaptations to overcome access barriers in rural areas. Includes tables, graphs, and county-level U.S. maps depicting human services needs.
Author(s): Emily Brimsek, James Murdoch, Emma Ward, Neel Chakraborti, Ashton Cain
Date: 01/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: 2M Research, Administration for Children and Families, Urban Institute
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