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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Sustainability of programs

Dental Health Aides in Alaska: A Qualitative Assessment to Improve Pediatric Oral Health in Remote Rural Villages
Evaluates the response to oral health disparities and access issues in remote Alaska Native villages by pediatric dental health aides. Draws data from interviews with patient focus groups, providers, and individual community members. Discusses barriers and strengths for pediatric dental health aides, including cultural competency, program sustainability, and expanded access to preventative oral health services.
Author(s): Kirsten Senturia, Louis Fiset, Kim Hort, et al.
Citation: Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology, 46(4), 416-424
Date: 08/2018
Type: Document
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Summary Report to the Field Number 1: Rural Group Recommendations for National Funders
Blog post discussing the results of questionnaire responses from 22 people representing national rural groups in areas including education, broadband, transit, housing, and healthcare workforce development. Offers recommendations for ways in which national funders can most effectively promote the work of rural groups.
Date: 08/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Campbell University
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Building a Community Health Worker Program: The Key to Better Care, Better Outcomes, & Lower Costs
A toolkit offering information and strategies to help hospitals and healthcare systems design and implement a community health worker (CHW) program targeted to the communities they serve. Highlights evidence-based best practices, sustainable financing of CHW activities, engaging stakeholders, and suggests outcome measures. Provides a chapter of case studies on rural, urban, and suburban settings.
Author(s): Beth A. Brooks, Sheila Davis, Loraine Frank-Lightfoot, et al.
Date: 07/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: American Hospital Association, CommunityHealth Works
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Evaluation of the Round Two Health Care Innovation Awards (HCIA R2): Third Annual Report
Summarizes the third year evaluation results of 38 Health Care Innovation Awards Round Two projects, one awardee of the original 39 having left the program in September 2016. Focuses on implementation effectiveness, developing payment models, planning for sustainability, and some preliminary work related to evaluating program impacts. Provides findings for the individual awardees, which include projects that serve rural areas.
Date: 06/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Mathematica Policy Research
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To Spark or Sustain? Two Equally Important Rural Funder Choices
Blog about rural philanthropy and suggestions for determining the best ways for communities to support local groups, including health services systems.
Author(s): Allen Smart
Date: 04/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Exponent Philanthropy
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Rural Health Care Services Outreach Program Supports Sustainable Change
Provides an overview of the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy's Rural Health Care Services Outreach Program and the impact several grantees have made in their communities. Discusses how the grantees planned their projects with the goal of sustaining services after the grant funding ends.
Author(s): Jenn Lukens
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 11/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Using Telehealth to Identify and Manage Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Conditions in Rural Areas
Reports on an environmental scan, discussions with providers and stakeholders, and site visits regarding how telehealth supports behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment. Addresses how telehealth is used, implementation, services offered, financing and sustainability. Focuses on the implications for treating opioid use disorders in rural areas, in particular, using medication-assisted treatment (MAT) with support from telehealth. Appendix B includes site briefs from the 9 states included in the study.
Date: 09/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Financing Project ECHO: Options for State Medicaid Programs
Outlines how 4 states are using Medicaid funds to support Project ECHO and enhance services for rural and other at-risk populations in California, Colorado, New Mexico, and Oregon. Shares design considerations for specific delivery system environments and ways to ensure long-term program sustainability. Project ECHO seeks to expand access to specialty healthcare services in rural and underserved areas.
Author(s): Greg Howe, Allison Hamblin, Lauren Moran
Date: 09/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Rural Health Philanthropy Partnership: Leveraging Public-Private Funds to Improve Health
Highlights the work of two grantees funded through the Rural Health Care Coordination Network Partnership Program, a combined effort of the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy and philanthropy organizations. Discusses how the coordinated efforts of the grantees and their philanthropy partners benefit patients.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 05/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Rural Health Networks and Coalitions Toolkit
Resources and best practices to help rural communities develop or expand a rural health network or coalition. Identifies program models and examples, and discusses implementation, evaluation, sustainability, and dissemination of program results.
Date: 04/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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