Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Service delivery models
A Roadmap for Implementing Virtual Geriatric Mental Health Services for Rural Veterans: Qualitative Longitudinal Evaluation
Explores access to geriatric mental health (GMH) in rural areas among older rural veterans. Evaluates the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) tele-GMH program's ability to provide care to veterans in rural areas. Describes the phases of implementation of tele-GMH as a part of a longitudinal evaluation.
Author(s): Christine E. Gould, Marika Blair Humber, Chalise Carlson, et al.
Citation: JMIR Aging, 9, e95286
Date: 06/2026
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Explores access to geriatric mental health (GMH) in rural areas among older rural veterans. Evaluates the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) tele-GMH program's ability to provide care to veterans in rural areas. Describes the phases of implementation of tele-GMH as a part of a longitudinal evaluation.
Author(s): Christine E. Gould, Marika Blair Humber, Chalise Carlson, et al.
Citation: JMIR Aging, 9, e95286
Date: 06/2026
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Connection for a Cure: How Broadband Access Supports Telehealth Use
Describes broadband access, the impact it has on telehealth utilization, and the impact of telehealth on health outcomes. Highlights various state and federal policy measures addressing broadband and telehealth access, the Rural Health Transformation Program, reimbursement, cross-state licensure flexibility, teleprescribing, and emergency medical services.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Conference of State Legislatures
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Describes broadband access, the impact it has on telehealth utilization, and the impact of telehealth on health outcomes. Highlights various state and federal policy measures addressing broadband and telehealth access, the Rural Health Transformation Program, reimbursement, cross-state licensure flexibility, teleprescribing, and emergency medical services.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Conference of State Legislatures
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Advancing Behavioral Health Integration in Community Health Centers: Policy Pathways to Whole Person Care
Explores how high-performing community health centers (CHCs) implement behavioral health integration as well as the policy and financing factors that influence these efforts. Summarizes interviews with leaders from 10 CHCs and six experts on Medicaid, payment reform, and community-based care. Discusses the state of behavioral health integration in CHCs nationwide and the impact of integration across patient populations. Offers policy recommendations to strengthen and sustain behavioral health integration within CHCs.
Author(s): Erin Prendergast, Amy Flowers, Peter Shin
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Commonwealth Fund, National Association of Community Health Centers
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Explores how high-performing community health centers (CHCs) implement behavioral health integration as well as the policy and financing factors that influence these efforts. Summarizes interviews with leaders from 10 CHCs and six experts on Medicaid, payment reform, and community-based care. Discusses the state of behavioral health integration in CHCs nationwide and the impact of integration across patient populations. Offers policy recommendations to strengthen and sustain behavioral health integration within CHCs.
Author(s): Erin Prendergast, Amy Flowers, Peter Shin
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Commonwealth Fund, National Association of Community Health Centers
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Factors Influencing Rural Hospitals to Participate and Remain in Accountable Care Organizations
Examines factors that impact rural hospital participation in Medicare and accountable care organization (ACO) models. Utilizes interview feedback from rural hospital executives regarding ACO participation and discusses themes such as financial incentives, value-based reimbursement, population health, healthcare quality, and more.
Author(s): Emily J. Lawton, Jenah McCarty, Thomas E. Vaughn, Fred Ullrich, Keith J. Mueller
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70179
Date: 06/2026
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Examines factors that impact rural hospital participation in Medicare and accountable care organization (ACO) models. Utilizes interview feedback from rural hospital executives regarding ACO participation and discusses themes such as financial incentives, value-based reimbursement, population health, healthcare quality, and more.
Author(s): Emily J. Lawton, Jenah McCarty, Thomas E. Vaughn, Fred Ullrich, Keith J. Mueller
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70179
Date: 06/2026
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Preventing Death and Supporting Recovery, with Ray Antonacci and Sarah Czarnecki
An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Lincoln County Ambulance District Chief Ray Antonacci and Battalion Chief Sarah Czarnecki. Focuses on a new initiative allowing them to administer buprenorphine to incarcerated individuals experiencing opioid withdrawal symptoms. Part 1 in a 3-part series featuring the 2026 Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) Innovation Tank finalists.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Lincoln County Ambulance District Chief Ray Antonacci and Battalion Chief Sarah Czarnecki. Focuses on a new initiative allowing them to administer buprenorphine to incarcerated individuals experiencing opioid withdrawal symptoms. Part 1 in a 3-part series featuring the 2026 Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) Innovation Tank finalists.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Strengthening Rural Health Centers: Challenges, Innovations, and Opportunities
Provides an overview of how health centers serve rural residents. Describes workforce and geographic challenges rural health centers face. Includes data on states where rural health centers serve over half of all health center patients in the state. Discusses areas for key investments to strengthen the ability of health centers to serve their patients and communities.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Community Health Centers
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Provides an overview of how health centers serve rural residents. Describes workforce and geographic challenges rural health centers face. Includes data on states where rural health centers serve over half of all health center patients in the state. Discusses areas for key investments to strengthen the ability of health centers to serve their patients and communities.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Community Health Centers
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Pursuing Cultural Competence in Rural Mental Health
Offers best practices for mental health practitioners treating patients in rural communities, particularly through telehealth. Discusses rural culture and stereotypes, patient and provider trust, access to resources, broadband access, and provider burnout.
Author(s): Ashley Abramson
Citation: Monitor on Psychology, 57(4), 74
Date: 06/2026
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Offers best practices for mental health practitioners treating patients in rural communities, particularly through telehealth. Discusses rural culture and stereotypes, patient and provider trust, access to resources, broadband access, and provider burnout.
Author(s): Ashley Abramson
Citation: Monitor on Psychology, 57(4), 74
Date: 06/2026
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Rural Housing: Weaknesses in Data Quality and Use Limit HUD's Ability to Assess Effectiveness of Service Coordinators
Provides an overview of service coordinators in rural federally assisted housing that link residents to healthcare, transportation, and other supportive services. Describes the availability and quality of data on these service coordinators and evidence of their effects on residents' well-being. Offers recommendations for collecting data on service coordinators and analyzing performance.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Provides an overview of service coordinators in rural federally assisted housing that link residents to healthcare, transportation, and other supportive services. Describes the availability and quality of data on these service coordinators and evidence of their effects on residents' well-being. Offers recommendations for collecting data on service coordinators and analyzing performance.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Sustaining Rural Labor & Delivery Programs: Strategies & Considerations Webinar
A recorded webinar that discusses strategies to improve financial sustainability of rural hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). Focuses on financial performance, reimbursement opportunities, and operational models identified in the Sustaining Rural Labor & Delivery Programs report. Transcript available below transcription.
Author(s): Eric Shell, Kristin L. Reiter, Madeleine Pick
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: Stroudwater Associates
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A recorded webinar that discusses strategies to improve financial sustainability of rural hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). Focuses on financial performance, reimbursement opportunities, and operational models identified in the Sustaining Rural Labor & Delivery Programs report. Transcript available below transcription.
Author(s): Eric Shell, Kristin L. Reiter, Madeleine Pick
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: Stroudwater Associates
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Billing of Distant Site Telehealth Services in Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs)
Presents instructions on how Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) should bill distant site telehealth services for services provided on or after October 1, 2026.
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Presents instructions on how Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) should bill distant site telehealth services for services provided on or after October 1, 2026.
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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