Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy
The University of Arizona Center for Rural Health Annual Report FY 2024-2025
Highlights the Center for Rural Health's past-year accomplishments, and describes challenges and opportunities for improving the health of rural Arizonans in the upcoming year. Discusses the State Office of Rural Health, Arizona Health Improvement Plan (AzHIP), Arizona Rural Hospital Flexibility program (AzFLEX), Arizona Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program (AzSHIP), and other programs. Includes a map of rural and safety net health facilities.
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: Arizona Center for Rural Health
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Highlights the Center for Rural Health's past-year accomplishments, and describes challenges and opportunities for improving the health of rural Arizonans in the upcoming year. Discusses the State Office of Rural Health, Arizona Health Improvement Plan (AzHIP), Arizona Rural Hospital Flexibility program (AzFLEX), Arizona Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program (AzSHIP), and other programs. Includes a map of rural and safety net health facilities.
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: Arizona Center for Rural Health
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Safeguarding Children in Agriculture: A National Action Plan
Offers strategies and intended outcomes for 7 goals related to creating safe environments for children in agricultural settings. Goals cover leadership, gathering and using data, policy, creating and using research, and addressing emerging threats. Builds upon the 2012 plan Blueprint for Protecting Children in Agriculture: The 2012 National Action Plan.
Author(s): Andrea Swenson, Bryan Weichelt, Amy Liebman, et al.
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: National Children's Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety
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Offers strategies and intended outcomes for 7 goals related to creating safe environments for children in agricultural settings. Goals cover leadership, gathering and using data, policy, creating and using research, and addressing emerging threats. Builds upon the 2012 plan Blueprint for Protecting Children in Agriculture: The 2012 National Action Plan.
Author(s): Andrea Swenson, Bryan Weichelt, Amy Liebman, et al.
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: National Children's Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety
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Strategies and Interventions to Strengthen Support for Family Caregivers for Individuals with Serious Illness or Disability: Proceedings of a Workshop - In Brief
Summarizes a workshop discussing issues related to caregiving including successful interventions and strategies addressing burdens placed on caregivers, the needs of specific caregiver populations, how to scale successful programs, and policies for supporting caregivers. Discuses rural specific caregiving challenges.
Additional links: Read Online
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Summarizes a workshop discussing issues related to caregiving including successful interventions and strategies addressing burdens placed on caregivers, the needs of specific caregiver populations, how to scale successful programs, and policies for supporting caregivers. Discuses rural specific caregiving challenges.
Additional links: Read Online
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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The Climate of Working Alone in Agriculture
Summarizes research from 193 articles discussing safety issues for agricultural workers who work alone, U.S. regulations for lone worker safety including enforcement, and similarities with hazards in other industries.
Author(s): Aaron James Etienne, William E. Field, Shawn G. Ehlers, Roger Tormoehlen, Noah Joel Haslett
Citation: Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health, 31(2), 93-108
Date: 2025
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Summarizes research from 193 articles discussing safety issues for agricultural workers who work alone, U.S. regulations for lone worker safety including enforcement, and similarities with hazards in other industries.
Author(s): Aaron James Etienne, William E. Field, Shawn G. Ehlers, Roger Tormoehlen, Noah Joel Haslett
Citation: Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health, 31(2), 93-108
Date: 2025
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Addressing Workforce Challenges Across the Behavioral Health Continuum of Care: Proceedings of a Workshop
Summary of presentations and discussions from a July 2024 public workshop to address workforce needs and challenges related to behavioral healthcare. Includes discussions of telepsychiatry collaborative care to improve rural access and capacity, and recruiting and retaining Native American healthcare providers in behavioral health settings.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Board on Health Care Services
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Summary of presentations and discussions from a July 2024 public workshop to address workforce needs and challenges related to behavioral healthcare. Includes discussions of telepsychiatry collaborative care to improve rural access and capacity, and recruiting and retaining Native American healthcare providers in behavioral health settings.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Board on Health Care Services
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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The Uneven Impact of Medicaid Expansion on Rural and Urban Black, Latino/a, and White Mortality
Examines mortality rates and the corresponding impact of Medicaid expansion on Black, Latino/a, and White populations, broken down by rural versus urban location. Utilizes 2009-2019 data of Average Treatment Effect on the Treated (ATET) estimates to provide statistical breakdowns and graphic representation of how Medicaid expansion has impacted mortality rates for varying populations.
Author(s): J. Tom Mueller, Regina S. Baker, Matthew M. Brooks
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12859
Date: 2025
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Examines mortality rates and the corresponding impact of Medicaid expansion on Black, Latino/a, and White populations, broken down by rural versus urban location. Utilizes 2009-2019 data of Average Treatment Effect on the Treated (ATET) estimates to provide statistical breakdowns and graphic representation of how Medicaid expansion has impacted mortality rates for varying populations.
Author(s): J. Tom Mueller, Regina S. Baker, Matthew M. Brooks
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12859
Date: 2025
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Rural Hospitals: Community Cornerstones Facing Perilous Threats to Care
Infographic presenting data regarding the importance of rural hospitals to their communities. Includes information on workforce and financial challenges experienced by rural hospitals, as well as the impact of hospital closures on access to care. Provides recommendations on actions to support rural hospitals and communities.
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Infographic presenting data regarding the importance of rural hospitals to their communities. Includes information on workforce and financial challenges experienced by rural hospitals, as well as the impact of hospital closures on access to care. Provides recommendations on actions to support rural hospitals and communities.
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Primary Care Legislative Report to the Thirty-Third Legislature: State of Hawaii 2025
Annual legislative report covering Hawaii State Department of Health program activities and partnerships with Primary Health Care Partners (PHCP). Details initiatives focused on healthcare workforce shortages, workforce training and retention, shortage area designations, telehealth, and more.
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: Hawaii State Department of Health
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Annual legislative report covering Hawaii State Department of Health program activities and partnerships with Primary Health Care Partners (PHCP). Details initiatives focused on healthcare workforce shortages, workforce training and retention, shortage area designations, telehealth, and more.
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: Hawaii State Department of Health
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Bridging the Gap: A Policy Framework for Sustainable Community Paramedicine in Rural America
Policy brief regarding the need for a national policy for non-physician licensed healthcare providers to be reimbursed for community paramedicine services. Discusses the role of community paramedicine in expanding access to care in rural areas and describes four community paramedicine models. Offers policy recommendations related to recognizing, supporting, and reimbursing community paramedicine programs.
Author(s): Katie Gorndt, Kimberly Haverly, Tom Syverson
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Policy brief regarding the need for a national policy for non-physician licensed healthcare providers to be reimbursed for community paramedicine services. Discusses the role of community paramedicine in expanding access to care in rural areas and describes four community paramedicine models. Offers policy recommendations related to recognizing, supporting, and reimbursing community paramedicine programs.
Author(s): Katie Gorndt, Kimberly Haverly, Tom Syverson
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Morbidity and Mortality Related to Intimate Partner Violence in the Perinatal Period
Policy brief discussing intimate partner violence (IPV) during the perinatal period, including IPV and IPV screening disparities in rural areas. Offers policy recommendations to address IPV experienced by perinatal people living in rural areas, focusing on prevention, screening, and resources for survivors.
Author(s): Susie Gurzenda, Casey P. Balio, Megan Weis
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Policy brief discussing intimate partner violence (IPV) during the perinatal period, including IPV and IPV screening disparities in rural areas. Offers policy recommendations to address IPV experienced by perinatal people living in rural areas, focusing on prevention, screening, and resources for survivors.
Author(s): Susie Gurzenda, Casey P. Balio, Megan Weis
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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