Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare needs and services
Mental Health Treatment among Adults: United States, 2024
Explores data pertaining to mental health treatment received by adults in 2024. Breaks down data by treatment type, such as receiving medication or therapy, as well as demographic measures, such as age, family income, and rurality, among others.
Author(s): Elizabeth M. Briones, Maria A. Villarroel
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Explores data pertaining to mental health treatment received by adults in 2024. Breaks down data by treatment type, such as receiving medication or therapy, as well as demographic measures, such as age, family income, and rurality, among others.
Author(s): Elizabeth M. Briones, Maria A. Villarroel
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Rural vs. Urban Patterns of Dental Care Services and Outcomes among Medicaid-Enrolled Children in Early Childhood
Describes rural and urban patterns of preventive and restorative dental care and oral health outcomes among Medicaid-enrolled children aged 2 through 5 in 2021-2022. Includes data on the percent of children who received any preventive dental services, children with fewer than 2 cleanings per year, and number of dental caries diagnosed each year by rurality.
Author(s): Cassie Odahowski, Joni Nelson, Amy Martin, et al.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of South Carolina Rural Health Research Center
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Describes rural and urban patterns of preventive and restorative dental care and oral health outcomes among Medicaid-enrolled children aged 2 through 5 in 2021-2022. Includes data on the percent of children who received any preventive dental services, children with fewer than 2 cleanings per year, and number of dental caries diagnosed each year by rurality.
Author(s): Cassie Odahowski, Joni Nelson, Amy Martin, et al.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of South Carolina Rural Health Research Center
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Transitions from First Drug Use to Illicit Opioid and Injection Drug Use in a Multisite Rural U.S. Cohort of People Who Use Drugs
Presents a study aiming to understand the transition from initial drug use to non-prescription opioid use and injection drug use among rural people who use non-prescription opioids. Bases finding on structured interviews of rural drug users in ten states describing their "first use" event and the transition to illicit opioid use.
Author(s): Rob J. Fredericksen, Adams Sibley, Kathryn E. Lancaster, et al.
Citation: Harm Reduction Journal, 23, 111
Date: 06/2026
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Presents a study aiming to understand the transition from initial drug use to non-prescription opioid use and injection drug use among rural people who use non-prescription opioids. Bases finding on structured interviews of rural drug users in ten states describing their "first use" event and the transition to illicit opioid use.
Author(s): Rob J. Fredericksen, Adams Sibley, Kathryn E. Lancaster, et al.
Citation: Harm Reduction Journal, 23, 111
Date: 06/2026
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A Tour of Youth Behavioral Health Services Landscape: Prevalence, Treatment, and the Workforce
Webinar discussing the prevalence of youth mental health conditions, substance use, and treatment in rural areas, the distribution of the youth behavioral health workforce, and the state of Medicaid funding for these services.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Author(s): Janessa Graves, Holly Andrilla, Lisa Garberson, et al.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Rural Health Research Gateway, WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Webinar discussing the prevalence of youth mental health conditions, substance use, and treatment in rural areas, the distribution of the youth behavioral health workforce, and the state of Medicaid funding for these services.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Author(s): Janessa Graves, Holly Andrilla, Lisa Garberson, et al.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Rural Health Research Gateway, WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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VA Medical Facility Security: Actions Needed to Address Longstanding Risks
Discusses findings from the Government Accountability Office's work regarding security at Veterans Administration (VA) medical facilities between January 2013 and April 2026. Describes challenges related to the security of its facilities and actions that could help address those challenges. Compares crime rates at VA stations that serve majority urban and majority rural areas.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Discusses findings from the Government Accountability Office's work regarding security at Veterans Administration (VA) medical facilities between January 2013 and April 2026. Describes challenges related to the security of its facilities and actions that could help address those challenges. Compares crime rates at VA stations that serve majority urban and majority rural areas.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Rural-Urban Disparities in Access to Interventional Psychiatry Treatments among VA Patients
Analyzes how access varies to interventional psychiatry treatments, including electroconvulsive therapy, vagus nerve stimulation, and medication-assisted psychotherapy, among rural and urban veterans. Uses 2017-2023 VA electronic health record data of veterans with major depressive disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnoses.
Author(s): Brian Shiner, Vincent DuFort, Tayla Peltzman, Bradley V. Watts
Citation: Journal of Rural Mental Health, 50(2), 75-85
Date: 06/2026
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Analyzes how access varies to interventional psychiatry treatments, including electroconvulsive therapy, vagus nerve stimulation, and medication-assisted psychotherapy, among rural and urban veterans. Uses 2017-2023 VA electronic health record data of veterans with major depressive disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnoses.
Author(s): Brian Shiner, Vincent DuFort, Tayla Peltzman, Bradley V. Watts
Citation: Journal of Rural Mental Health, 50(2), 75-85
Date: 06/2026
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A Rural Solution to the Geriatric Mental Health Crisis
Podcast episode featuring leaders from two rural New England hospitals, discussing their behavioral health programs for older adults. Describes how these specialized behavioral health programs are helping older adults receive mental healthcare close to home.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Podcast episode featuring leaders from two rural New England hospitals, discussing their behavioral health programs for older adults. Describes how these specialized behavioral health programs are helping older adults receive mental healthcare close to home.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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New Jersey Primary Care Workforce
Offers maps and tables of the primary care workforce distribution in New Jersey in 2025. Includes county-level data.
Author(s): S.C. Woolcock, C.H.A. Andrilla, L.A. Garberson, J.M. Graves
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Offers maps and tables of the primary care workforce distribution in New Jersey in 2025. Includes county-level data.
Author(s): S.C. Woolcock, C.H.A. Andrilla, L.A. Garberson, J.M. Graves
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Whole Person Care During and After Pregnancy
Webinar discussing how integrated care teams can support maternal and infant health in Texas via oral health care, care coordination, collaboration, and other aspects of whole-person care. Discusses rural Texas communities throughout, with special focus on those in East Texas.
Author(s): Kia Parsi, Jacquelyn Alvarado, Stephen Patrick, Ankit Sanghavi
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Texas Health Institute, Texas Oral Health Coalition, Texas Primary Care Consortium
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Webinar discussing how integrated care teams can support maternal and infant health in Texas via oral health care, care coordination, collaboration, and other aspects of whole-person care. Discusses rural Texas communities throughout, with special focus on those in East Texas.
Author(s): Kia Parsi, Jacquelyn Alvarado, Stephen Patrick, Ankit Sanghavi
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Texas Health Institute, Texas Oral Health Coalition, Texas Primary Care Consortium
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Medicaid Opportunities to Strengthen Oral Health Access In Rural Communities
Discusses how workforce innovations, teledentistry, rural workforce pipelines, and the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) can improve oral healthcare access for Medicaid recipients in rural communities.
Author(s): Madeline Steward
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Discusses how workforce innovations, teledentistry, rural workforce pipelines, and the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) can improve oral healthcare access for Medicaid recipients in rural communities.
Author(s): Madeline Steward
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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