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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy

Rural Focus and Representation in State Maternal Mortality Review Committees: Review of Policy and Legislation
An assessment of the extent of rural representation in state policy efforts related to improving maternal health through the development of maternal mortality and morbidity review committees (MMRCs). Analysis included whether or not states established an MMRC, had passed legislation requiring an MMRC, identified rural populations in the legislation, and if they required rural representation within the MMRC.
Author(s): Katy B. Kozhimannil, Julia D. Interrante, Amanda Corbet, et al.
Citation: Women's Health Issues 299(5) 357-363
Date: 2019
Type: Document
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The Relationship Between Rural Setting and Health: Factors that Influence Individuals With or at Risk of CVD - A Summary of the Literature
Describes current literature on rural challenges and opportunities, including cardiovascular risk due to obesity, lack of access to healthcare, workforce shortages, importance of paramedics and community health workers, telehealth and broadband, and impact of the substance use disorder epidemic. Intended to help stakeholders understand the causes of health disparities and to support action to improve the health of rural communities.
Date: 2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Heart Association
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School Success: An Opportunity for Population Health: Proceedings of a Workshop (2019)
Explores how health sector capabilities can be used to improve educational outcomes from pre-school through 12th grade. Includes case studies on flu vaccination as a tool to reduce absenteeism in rural Arkansas and school-based wellness hubs in a rural frontier Oregon county.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice
Date: 2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Health Status and Access to Care among Maine's Low-Income Childless Adults: Implications for State Medicaid Expansion
Examines access to care for low-income adults without children in Maine, along with their health status and demographics. Includes breakdowns by rural residence and a discussion of challenges for rural areas. Offers recommendations to policymakers and others working to implement Maine's Medicaid expansion.
Author(s): Zach Croll, Erika C. Ziller
Date: 2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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Review and Evaluation of the Substance Abuse, Mental Health, and Homelessness Grant Formulas
Examines the formulas for distributing state funds under the the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant, Community Mental Health Services Block Grant, and Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness program as required by the 21st Century Cures Act. Focuses on how well the formulas reflect state service needs, offers recommendations for updating the grant formulas, and considers the potential impact of updates on state funding. Addresses how the current formulas take rural areas into consideration, whether updates are needed, and whether data is available for those updates.
Additional links: Federal Block Grants to States for Mental Health, Substance Abuse, and Homelessness: Research Brief
Author(s): J. Scott Ashwood, Karen Chan Osilla, Maria DeYoreo, et al.
Date: 2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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State Strategies for Averting Early Deaths: Innovations and Best Practices for Preventing Suicide
Reports on an exchange of state-level best practices for preventing suicide. Identifies lessons learned with a focus on three categories: cross-sector collaboration; strategic partnerships including with tribal and veterans organizations; and upstream prevention efforts, including school programs. Briefly addresses challenges for rural and tribal communities. Highlights model programs from Colorado, Washington, Idaho, and Utah.
Date: 2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Governors Association
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Updating the Costs of Compliance for California's Hospital Seismic Safety Standards
Updates progress made on California's implementation of a bill intended to improve hospital building standards to prepare for earthquakes. Analyzes the legislation's affordability for hospitals, particularly Critical Access Hospitals; future costs of compliance; factors influencing prioritization of compliance strategies; and policy alternatives.
Author(s): Benjamin L. Preston, Tom LaTourrette, James R. Broyles, et al.
Date: 2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: California Hospital Association, RAND Corporation
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State Innovation Models (SIM) Round 2: Model Test Annual Report Three
Third annual report on the Round 2 State Innovation Models (SIM) program across eleven participating states - Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Washington. Addresses the adoption of delivery models and payment reforms related to value-based payment (VBP) and alternative payment models (APMs). Offers an update and lessons learned on strategies to support healthcare delivery transformation related to behavioral health integration, data for improving health care quality and performance, health information technology, care coordination, and workforce development. Describes states' population health activities. Includes discussion of rural issues throughout the report.
Additional links: Findings at a Glance
Date: 2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, RTI International
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The Ecology of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
Summarizes results from an 8-state study of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), a drug withdrawal condition that may occur in newborns exposed to opioids during pregnancy. Discusses correlations to rurality, unemployment rates, poverty, and the supply of healthcare providers, and identifies potential policy interventions that could help. For interactive, county-level data, see the Simulation of County Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) Rates Tool based on study findings.
Additional links: Simulation of County Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) Rates Tool
Date: 2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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Experiences of Medicaid Programs and Health Centers in Implementing Telehealth
Examines the experiences of 19 rural and urban Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and 7 state Medicaid programs with supporting and delivering telehealth. Addresses state Medicaid policies, telehealth models and types, barriers and facilitators for telehealth, and future plans. Identifies considerations for payers, policymakers, and FQHCs interested in telehealth implementation.
Author(s): Lori Uscher-Pines, Kathryn Bouskill, Jessica Sousa, Mimi Shen, Shira H. Fischer
Date: 2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, RAND Corporation
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