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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Policy

Geographic Variations in Driving Time to U.S. Mental Health Care, Digital Access to Technology, & Household Crowdedness
Evaluated distance to mental health services, household crowdedness, and access to technology and broadband alongside rurality to determine barriers to mental healthcare for both rural and urban residents in 31,924 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs). Discusses implications for telehealth and policy measures addressing the digital divide.
Author(s): Sophia N.D. Negaro, Rachel M. Hantman, Janice C. Probst, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 1(6)
Date: 12/2023
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School Meals and Other Child Nutrition Programs: Background and Funding
Provides an overview of federal child nutrition programs, including the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), and Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), among others. Includes information on reimbursement rates for rural SFSP meal sites, as well as brief mentions of rural and tribal demonstration programs.
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Safe Driving in Tribal Communities: What can Tribal Governments and Health Professionals Do?
Fact sheet on strategies and policies tribal governments and health professionals can adopt to reduce motor vehicle crash injuries and deaths in tribal communities. Discusses seat belts, teen drivers, car seats, alcohol-impaired driving, and more.
Date: 11/2023
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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2023 March of Dimes Report Card: The State of Maternal and Infant Health for American Families
Provides information on U.S. and state-level maternal and infant health outcomes. Considers issues such as preterm birth, infant mortality rate, access to health care, policy efforts, social determinants of health, and more. Includes county-level grades of maternal vulnerability.
Date: 11/2023
Sponsoring organization: March of Dimes
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Health Panel Comment Letter - Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting Proposed Rule
Comments offered in response to a September 6, 2023, proposed rule regarding minimum nurse staffing standards for long-term care facilities. Discusses considerations for the implementation timeline and including licensed practical nurses in the proposed staffing ratios and standards, the definition of rural utilized in the proposed rule to identify rural facilities, and conditions for hardship exemption eligibility.
Date: 11/2023
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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Extra Episode - Women Who Impact with Lisa Davis in Recognition of National Rural Health Day
Podcast episode featuring a discussion with Lisa Davis, Director of the Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health and Outreach Associate Professor of Health Policy and Administration at Pennsylvania State University. Covers Davis's career, the impact she sees from her work, advice for others, and current projects.
Date: 11/2023
Sponsoring organization: Impact! Communications, Inc.
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Extra Episode - Women Who Impact with Michelle Mills in Recognition of National Rural Health Day
Podcast episode featuring a discussion with Michelle Mills, Chief Executive Officer of the Colorado Rural Health Center. Covers Mills' career, the impact she sees from her work, advice for others, and current projects.
Date: 11/2023
Sponsoring organization: Impact! Communications, Inc.
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Extra Episode - Women Who Impact with Alana Knudson in Recognition of National Rural Health Day
Podcast episode featuring a discussion with Alana Knudson, Director of the NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis. Covers Knudson's career in rural health research, the impact she sees from her work, advice for others, and current projects.
Date: 11/2023
Sponsoring organization: Impact! Communications, Inc.
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Methadone Prescribing by Addiction Specialists Likely to Leave Communities Without Available Methadone Treatment
Examines two policy proposals for expanding access to methadone treatment for opioid use disorder. Highlights the impact on availability in rural areas. Discusses the role of mental health professional shortage areas and Federally Qualified Health Centers in each proposal.
Author(s): Paul J. Joudrey, Dylan Halpern, Qinyun Lin, et al
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 1(5)
Date: 11/2023
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Final Rule for CY 2024 Physician Fee Schedule: Fact Sheet
Fact sheet covering Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) telehealth policy changes for 2024 as outlined in the final calendar year (CY) 2024 Physician Fee Schedule. Covers eligible services that can be delivered by telehealth, remote monitoring services, physician supervision, diabetes self-management training (DSMT), and more.
Date: 11/2023
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
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