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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Emergency preparedness and response

Missouri Health Assessment
Describes the Missouri state health status assessment, community themes and strengths, state health system assessment, and forces of change. Mentions rural throughout and includes statistics showing disparities between urban and rural areas for various health issues.
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
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Losses, Gains, and Changes to the Food Environment in a Rural Kentucky County during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Results of a study conducted in rural Laurel County, Kentucky, regarding changes to the food environment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Offers suggestions for future programming to address inequitable access and response during public health emergencies.
Author(s): Makenzie L. Barr, Courtney Martin, Courtney Luecking, Kathryn Cardarelli
Citation: Nutrients, 13(11), 3929
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
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Rural Telehealth and Healthcare System Readiness Measurement Framework: Final Report
Presents a performance measurement framework to guide quality and performance improvement for healthcare services delivered via telehealth in rural areas in response to disasters. Covers five domains — access to care and technology; costs, business models, and logistics; experience; effectiveness; and equity — rural-specific measurement issues, and potential solutions. Includes recommendations for rural telehealth measurement for time-sensitive emergencies, public health emergencies, and disasters.
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Quality Forum
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Critical Access Hospitals' Initial Response to COVID-19 by System Affiliation
Summarizes results of a survey of Critical Access Hospital (CAH) executives in eight states regarding the initial response to COVID-19 through August 2020. Presents data by system-affiliated and independent CAH status. Discusses COVID-19 case volume, personal protective equipment (PPE) supply, and the perceived impact of system affiliation status on facilities' overall response to COVID-19.
Author(s): Ira Moscovice, Madeleine Pick, Megan Lahr
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Critical Access Hospitals' Initial Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Use of Federal Funding and Regulatory Flexibilities
Explores how Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) used federal relief funding and regulatory waivers to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic through August 2020. Summarizes results of a survey of CAH executives in eight states. Discusses the sources of federal funding CAHs received and the types of regulatory waivers and flexibilities these CAHs used.
Author(s): Ira Moscovice, Madeleine Pick, Megan Lahr, Nathan Bean, Keelia Silvis
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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The Impact of COVID-19 on People with Disabilities
Examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people with disabilities. Covers access to healthcare and direct care workers, congregate care settings and transition, education, employment, effective communication, and mental health and suicide prevention services. Identifies challenges to rural residents throughout, including access to broadband in rural areas. Offers policy recommendations to federal and state policymakers and other relevant stakeholders.
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Council on Disability
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COVID-19: Lessons Learned from Interior and Treasury's Administration of CARES Act Funds Could Improve Federal Emergency Relief to Tribes
Examines how the U.S. Departments of Interior and Treasury distributed CARES Act funds to tribes, the impact on tribes accessing and using these funds. Highlights the challenges the agencies and tribes faced regarding this funding. Offers lessons learned and policy recommendations for the Department of the Treasury to improve future federal emergency relief funding for tribes.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Ensuring Equity in Disaster Preparedness, Response, and Recovery
Video of testimony presented to the House Committee on Homeland Security on Oct. 27, 2021. Discusses disaster-related disparities and inequities in tribal, minority, underserved, and rural communities, and offers recommendations for improvement. Includes links for transcripts.
Additional links: Testimony by Chauncia Willis, Institute for Diversity and Inclusion in Emergency Management, Testimony by Christopher Currie, Government Accountability Office, Testimony by James Joseph, Tidal Basin Government Consulting, Testimony by Lori Peek, Natural Hazards Center, University of Colorado Boulder
Author(s): Lori Peek, Chauncia Willis, Christopher Currie, James Joseph
Date: 10/2021
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: House Committee on Homeland Security
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COVID-19: Additional Actions Needed to Improve Accountability and Program Effectiveness of Federal Response
Discusses the federal government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Provides an overview of federal actions on healthcare and economic policy areas through September 2021, including data on COVID-19 relief spending, testing, worker health and safety, and child nutrition programs. Offers 16 new recommendations to federal agencies regarding the proper use of relief funding, occupational health and safety, and fraud risks to unemployment insurance programs that would improve the federal response and preparation for future public health emergencies.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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COVID-19 Contracting: Indian Health Service Used Flexibilities to Meet Increased Medical Supply Needs
Examines the Indian Health Service (IHS) National Supply Service Center (NSSC) contract obligations to obtain COVID-19-related products and medical supplies. Describes the contracting approaches used and challenges IHS officials faced.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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