Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Networking and collaboration
Supporting Older-Adult Behavioral Health: Building the First State Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health and Aging
Describes the establishment of the Oregon Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health and Aging which seeks to increase access to behavioral health services for older adults with mental illness and substance use disorders in Oregon through translational research, workforce development, and policy innovation. Highlights national initiatives related to behavioral health and aging. Offers guidance to other states interested in a similar model. Mentions rural throughout.
Author(s): Walter D. Dawson, Allyson Stodola, Paula Carder, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 3(9)
Date: 09/2025
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Describes the establishment of the Oregon Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health and Aging which seeks to increase access to behavioral health services for older adults with mental illness and substance use disorders in Oregon through translational research, workforce development, and policy innovation. Highlights national initiatives related to behavioral health and aging. Offers guidance to other states interested in a similar model. Mentions rural throughout.
Author(s): Walter D. Dawson, Allyson Stodola, Paula Carder, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 3(9)
Date: 09/2025
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"You Can't Do Anything by Yourself": Recruiting and Retaining Mental Health Professionals in Rural America
Discusses the challenges in recruiting and retaining mental health professionals in rural areas, as well as strategies and approaches to address the need. Features a Michigan mental health center CEO and state behavioral health organizations in Nebraska and South Carolina. Also includes insights from 3RNET, which focuses nationally on rural health recruitment and retention.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Discusses the challenges in recruiting and retaining mental health professionals in rural areas, as well as strategies and approaches to address the need. Features a Michigan mental health center CEO and state behavioral health organizations in Nebraska and South Carolina. Also includes insights from 3RNET, which focuses nationally on rural health recruitment and retention.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Sustaining Rural Labor & Delivery Programs: Strategies for Financial Analyses and Considerations for Maintaining Services
A guide for Critical Access Hospital and other rural hospital executives to use when assessing the financial viability of their Labor & Delivery programs. Outlines three strategies that may bring a Labor & Delivery program closer to sustainability and prevent unnecessary closure of services in rural areas.
Author(s): Eric Shell, Dahlia McGrath, Jeff Sommer, et al.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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A guide for Critical Access Hospital and other rural hospital executives to use when assessing the financial viability of their Labor & Delivery programs. Outlines three strategies that may bring a Labor & Delivery program closer to sustainability and prevent unnecessary closure of services in rural areas.
Author(s): Eric Shell, Dahlia McGrath, Jeff Sommer, et al.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Co-Creating Non-Congregate Summer Meals: Engaging Your Community to Design Your Program
Examines collaborative processes to create successful non-congregate summer meal programs in rural communities. Discusses a pilot program in Florida and offers suggestions related to meal sites, activities for children, caregiver appreciation, and more.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: No Kid Hungry
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Examines collaborative processes to create successful non-congregate summer meal programs in rural communities. Discusses a pilot program in Florida and offers suggestions related to meal sites, activities for children, caregiver appreciation, and more.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: No Kid Hungry
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Enhancing Primary Care Capacity for Cardiovascular Disease Management Through the ECHO+ Model: A Multistate Rural Collaboration Among West Virginia, Arkansas, and Oklahoma
Examines quality of care and clinician capacity impacts of the ECHO+ cardiovascular disease (CVD) tele-education course, which included asynchronous pre-recorded lectures and a quality improvement learning collaborative for 41 rural primary care providers in West Virginia, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. Provides data on ECHO+ impacts on CVD quality indicators, patient outcomes, and participant feedback.
Author(s): Dru Ricci, Hannah Schmitt, Heidi Ngov, et al.
Citation: Journal of Primary Care & Community Health, 16
Date: 09/2025
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Examines quality of care and clinician capacity impacts of the ECHO+ cardiovascular disease (CVD) tele-education course, which included asynchronous pre-recorded lectures and a quality improvement learning collaborative for 41 rural primary care providers in West Virginia, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. Provides data on ECHO+ impacts on CVD quality indicators, patient outcomes, and participant feedback.
Author(s): Dru Ricci, Hannah Schmitt, Heidi Ngov, et al.
Citation: Journal of Primary Care & Community Health, 16
Date: 09/2025
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Distribution of Block Grant Funding: Considerations for Rural Communities
Analyzes the allocation of federal block grant funding from states to local communities via case studies of public health, community development, and substance use treatment funding distribution in six states. Highlights barriers and facilitators of rural funding, including agency staffing, flexibility, and cooperation and state-by-state variation in approaches to rurality.
Author(s): Kate E. Beatty, Casey P. Balio, Margaret M. Francisco, Michael B. Meit, Stephanie M. Mathis
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: ETSU/NORC Rural Health Research Center
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Analyzes the allocation of federal block grant funding from states to local communities via case studies of public health, community development, and substance use treatment funding distribution in six states. Highlights barriers and facilitators of rural funding, including agency staffing, flexibility, and cooperation and state-by-state variation in approaches to rurality.
Author(s): Kate E. Beatty, Casey P. Balio, Margaret M. Francisco, Michael B. Meit, Stephanie M. Mathis
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: ETSU/NORC Rural Health Research Center
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A Twenty-Year Review: Revisiting the Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Funding Needs and Gaps in the Appalachian Region
Provides county, state, and metro versus nonmetro data on water and wastewater infrastructure in the Appalachian region. Discusses funding and collaborative possibilities to improve critical infrastructure in Appalachian communities.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Author(s): Ahmed Rachid El-Khattabi, Christy M. Ihlo, Leigh Anne Krometis, Kara Millonzi
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Appalachian Regional Commission
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Provides county, state, and metro versus nonmetro data on water and wastewater infrastructure in the Appalachian region. Discusses funding and collaborative possibilities to improve critical infrastructure in Appalachian communities.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Author(s): Ahmed Rachid El-Khattabi, Christy M. Ihlo, Leigh Anne Krometis, Kara Millonzi
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Appalachian Regional Commission
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Explaining the Diffusion of Project ECHO
Analyzes the creation and reach of the rural intervention Project Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (Project ECHO) to identify factors contributing to its rapid adoption as a model for mentorship and sharing knowledge in healthcare.
Author(s): James W. Dearing, R. Sam Larson
Citation: Implementation Science Communications, 6, 88
Date: 08/2025
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Analyzes the creation and reach of the rural intervention Project Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (Project ECHO) to identify factors contributing to its rapid adoption as a model for mentorship and sharing knowledge in healthcare.
Author(s): James W. Dearing, R. Sam Larson
Citation: Implementation Science Communications, 6, 88
Date: 08/2025
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Building Healthier Rural Communities: Economic Development Districts Address Social Determinants of Health
Report outlining social determinants of health (SDOH) in rural areas and how Economic Development Districts (EDD) address them. Highlights workforce, infrastructure, food security, health, disaster preparedness, funding, data, and public-private partnerships. Includes a case study from an EDD in North Carolina and highlights the role of hospitals in the community.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Economic Development District Community of Practice, National Association of Development Organizations
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Report outlining social determinants of health (SDOH) in rural areas and how Economic Development Districts (EDD) address them. Highlights workforce, infrastructure, food security, health, disaster preparedness, funding, data, and public-private partnerships. Includes a case study from an EDD in North Carolina and highlights the role of hospitals in the community.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Economic Development District Community of Practice, National Association of Development Organizations
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New Rural Residency Program Addresses Physician Shortage
Profiles the rural healthcare residency program at Grand Itasca Clinic & Hospital in Minnesota. Discusses the collaboration with the University of Minnesota Medical School and Fairview Health and the importance of giving medical residents experience in rural primary care.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Profiles the rural healthcare residency program at Grand Itasca Clinic & Hospital in Minnesota. Discusses the collaboration with the University of Minnesota Medical School and Fairview Health and the importance of giving medical residents experience in rural primary care.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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