Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy
How Do Services Offered Within Opioid Treatment Programs Vary Based on State Methadone Policies?
Examines the availability of opioid treatment programs (OTPs) in various states as well as access to medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) options, psychosocial services, and housing supports. Analyzes 1,501 opioid treatment programs (OTPs) and their characteristics, including state restrictiveness, services offered, facility type, rurality, and more.
Author(s): Zoe Lindenfeld, Noa Krawczyk, Erin A. Taylor, Denis Agniel, Jonathan H. Cantor
Citation: Journal of Substance Use & Addiction Treatment, 190, 210062
Date: 11/2026
view details
Examines the availability of opioid treatment programs (OTPs) in various states as well as access to medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) options, psychosocial services, and housing supports. Analyzes 1,501 opioid treatment programs (OTPs) and their characteristics, including state restrictiveness, services offered, facility type, rurality, and more.
Author(s): Zoe Lindenfeld, Noa Krawczyk, Erin A. Taylor, Denis Agniel, Jonathan H. Cantor
Citation: Journal of Substance Use & Addiction Treatment, 190, 210062
Date: 11/2026
view details
The State of Childhood in Rural America: Well-Being, Challenges and Opportunities
Reports on the well-being of rural children, including their educational performance, poverty, household spending, and food insecurity. Discusses how state and federal policy can support the well-being of rural children and families.
Author(s): Anita I. Drever, Beth A. Eagleton, Denali A. Drake, Jonathan J. Sury
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Save the Children
view details
Reports on the well-being of rural children, including their educational performance, poverty, household spending, and food insecurity. Discusses how state and federal policy can support the well-being of rural children and families.
Author(s): Anita I. Drever, Beth A. Eagleton, Denali A. Drake, Jonathan J. Sury
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Save the Children
view details
Changing Patterns of Specialty Care for Diabetic Foot Ulcers among Rural and Urban Veterans Following the VA MISSION Act
Presents a study on older veterans' access to specialty care for diabetic foot ulcers under the MISSION Act in rural and urban areas. Explores veterans' access both inside and outside of the VA and breaks down utilization data by specialty, such as podiatry, infectious disease, vascular surgery, and endocrinology.
Author(s): Hiroyuki Suzuki, Mary Vaughan-Sarrazin, Michael Ohl, et al.
Citation: International Wound Journal, 23(9), e71039
Date: 09/2026
view details
Presents a study on older veterans' access to specialty care for diabetic foot ulcers under the MISSION Act in rural and urban areas. Explores veterans' access both inside and outside of the VA and breaks down utilization data by specialty, such as podiatry, infectious disease, vascular surgery, and endocrinology.
Author(s): Hiroyuki Suzuki, Mary Vaughan-Sarrazin, Michael Ohl, et al.
Citation: International Wound Journal, 23(9), e71039
Date: 09/2026
view details
September 2026 MedPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) September 2026 meeting. Covers the context for Medicare payment policy, issues relating to Medicare Part D and potential policy directions, MedPAC's work plan regarding ambulatory surgical centers, the use of post-acute care services by beneficiaries in fee-for-service Medicare and Medicare Advantage, and Medicare Advantage risk adjustment at the plan level.
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
view details
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) September 2026 meeting. Covers the context for Medicare payment policy, issues relating to Medicare Part D and potential policy directions, MedPAC's work plan regarding ambulatory surgical centers, the use of post-acute care services by beneficiaries in fee-for-service Medicare and Medicare Advantage, and Medicare Advantage risk adjustment at the plan level.
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
view details
What Telehealth Gets Right and What's Missing: A National Multistakeholder Study of Access and Sustainability
Explores the perspectives of telehealth patients and providers, as well as policymakers and administrators, regarding the impacts of telehealth on increasing healthcare access. Summarizes three sets of themes that emerged from semistructured interviews of 62 participants. Offers recommendations for improving the accessibility and sustainability of telehealth across each theme.
Author(s): Saif Khairat, John Geracitano, Andrea Huang, et al.
Citation: The Permanente Journal
Date: 09/2026
view details
Explores the perspectives of telehealth patients and providers, as well as policymakers and administrators, regarding the impacts of telehealth on increasing healthcare access. Summarizes three sets of themes that emerged from semistructured interviews of 62 participants. Offers recommendations for improving the accessibility and sustainability of telehealth across each theme.
Author(s): Saif Khairat, John Geracitano, Andrea Huang, et al.
Citation: The Permanente Journal
Date: 09/2026
view details
So You Want To Become A Health Center
Provides guidance for organizations interested in establishing a new health center under the HRSA Health Center Program. Includes information on pathways of entry into the Health Center Program; Health Center Program benefits and eligibility; strategies for assessing community need; governance, financial, and operational considerations, and more.
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Community Health Centers
view details
Provides guidance for organizations interested in establishing a new health center under the HRSA Health Center Program. Includes information on pathways of entry into the Health Center Program; Health Center Program benefits and eligibility; strategies for assessing community need; governance, financial, and operational considerations, and more.
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Community Health Centers
view details
Broadband Connectivity Among Rural First Responders in Pennsylvania
Explores challenges and opportunities in digital communication technologies experienced by Pennsylvania rural first responders. Features recommendations for Pennsylvania policymakers and stakeholders to improve communication access.
Author(s): Christopher Ali, Abigail Simmerman, DongWook Jeong
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
view details
Explores challenges and opportunities in digital communication technologies experienced by Pennsylvania rural first responders. Features recommendations for Pennsylvania policymakers and stakeholders to improve communication access.
Author(s): Christopher Ali, Abigail Simmerman, DongWook Jeong
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
view details
Minors Working on the Farm: Child Labor Laws for Agricultural Employers
Webinar recording describing state and federal policies regulating the scenarios where minors may work in agriculture. Discusses hazardous activities and parental exemptions.
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: The National Agricultural Law Center
view details
Webinar recording describing state and federal policies regulating the scenarios where minors may work in agriculture. Discusses hazardous activities and parental exemptions.
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: The National Agricultural Law Center
view details
Practical Approaches to Rural Public Health Policy
Training module that provides core knowledge about how the public health policy process functions, building support among decision-makers, and how contextual factors impact public health policy for rural public health practice. Focuses on building knowledge around a six-step policy process to identify an issue, identify options, strategize and build support, finalize and adopt the policy, implement the policy, and review and adjust the policy based on lessons learned. Includes real-world local public health policy examples. Continuing education credits for this course are available through August 28, 2029, via CDC TRAIN.
Additional links: CDC TRAIN
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
view details
Training module that provides core knowledge about how the public health policy process functions, building support among decision-makers, and how contextual factors impact public health policy for rural public health practice. Focuses on building knowledge around a six-step policy process to identify an issue, identify options, strategize and build support, finalize and adopt the policy, implement the policy, and review and adjust the policy based on lessons learned. Includes real-world local public health policy examples. Continuing education credits for this course are available through August 28, 2029, via CDC TRAIN.
Additional links: CDC TRAIN
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
view details
State RHTP & Telehealth Database
Excel spreadsheet detailing the telehealth-related initiatives included in each state's Rural Health Transformation Program project narrative. Allows users to filter by telehealth modality, healthcare issue addressed, proposed use of AI, and more.
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
view details
Excel spreadsheet detailing the telehealth-related initiatives included in each state's Rural Health Transformation Program project narrative. Allows users to filter by telehealth modality, healthcare issue addressed, proposed use of AI, and more.
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
view details