Rural Health
Resources by Type: Document
Rural Health Transformation Program Planned State Initiatives: Budget Period 1
Presents an overview of initiatives planned by states as part of the Rural Health Transformation Program organized across eight categories: population health, workforce, payment and service models, health system innovation, accessible care, technology, disease prevention and care, and health promotion.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Presents an overview of initiatives planned by states as part of the Rural Health Transformation Program organized across eight categories: population health, workforce, payment and service models, health system innovation, accessible care, technology, disease prevention and care, and health promotion.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Rural Health Transformation Program State Programmatic Snapshots: 2026 Release
Provides an overview of each state's Rural Health Transformation Program initiatives and focus areas, as well as policy action commitments outlined in states' applications.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Provides an overview of each state's Rural Health Transformation Program initiatives and focus areas, as well as policy action commitments outlined in states' applications.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Strategies for Addressing California's Rural Behavioral Health Workforce Shortages
Issue brief discussing behavioral health workforce shortages in rural California and identifying state policy and healthcare delivery strategies to support workforce supply and improve behavioral health access in the state. Covers topics including expanded behavioral health availability in primary care settings, use of community health workers and telehealth to expand service availability, workforce development, recruitment and retention, and more. The associated planning guide provides guidance on planning and implementing behavioral health workforce strategies at the community level.
Additional links: Planning Guide
Author(s): Rachel Davis
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Healthforce Center at UCSF
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Issue brief discussing behavioral health workforce shortages in rural California and identifying state policy and healthcare delivery strategies to support workforce supply and improve behavioral health access in the state. Covers topics including expanded behavioral health availability in primary care settings, use of community health workers and telehealth to expand service availability, workforce development, recruitment and retention, and more. The associated planning guide provides guidance on planning and implementing behavioral health workforce strategies at the community level.
Additional links: Planning Guide
Author(s): Rachel Davis
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Healthforce Center at UCSF
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Food Hardship and Nutrition Insecurity in Rural Areas with Access to Non-Congregate Summer Meals
Examines food insecurity, food hardship, and nutrition insecurity in rural communities with access to the 2025 non-congregate summer meals option (SUN Meals To-Go). Provides data on household food hardship by income levels, nutrition insecurity by income levels, and barriers to nutrition security.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Mathematica, No Kid Hungry
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Examines food insecurity, food hardship, and nutrition insecurity in rural communities with access to the 2025 non-congregate summer meals option (SUN Meals To-Go). Provides data on household food hardship by income levels, nutrition insecurity by income levels, and barriers to nutrition security.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Mathematica, No Kid Hungry
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Rural Versus Urban Distribution of Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency Training and Associated Rural Community Characteristics
Examines location of OB/GYN residency program training sites and the community's associated sociodemographic characteristics and healthcare workforce supply. Utilizes 2023-2024 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) data to provide a map showing OB/GYN training site distribution across the U.S. as well as 2022-2023 Area Health Resource File data to analyze healthcare access characteristics of rural communities with or without OB/GYN residency program training sites. Discusses challenges in providing rural-focused opportunities during graduate medical education (GME) rotations and the related impact on maternity care shortages.
Author(s): Ryan Spencer, Mukesh Adhikari, Lori Rodefeld, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(4), e70231
Date: 10/2026
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Examines location of OB/GYN residency program training sites and the community's associated sociodemographic characteristics and healthcare workforce supply. Utilizes 2023-2024 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) data to provide a map showing OB/GYN training site distribution across the U.S. as well as 2022-2023 Area Health Resource File data to analyze healthcare access characteristics of rural communities with or without OB/GYN residency program training sites. Discusses challenges in providing rural-focused opportunities during graduate medical education (GME) rotations and the related impact on maternity care shortages.
Author(s): Ryan Spencer, Mukesh Adhikari, Lori Rodefeld, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(4), e70231
Date: 10/2026
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Rural Emergency Hospital Revenue Cycle: Building a Strong Billing Foundation
Describes essential elements of Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) revenue cycle readiness. Covers post-conversion REH enrollment and compliance; outpatient claim, coding, and documentation accuracy; and collaboration across the revenue cycle.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Redesign Center
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Describes essential elements of Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) revenue cycle readiness. Covers post-conversion REH enrollment and compliance; outpatient claim, coding, and documentation accuracy; and collaboration across the revenue cycle.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Redesign Center
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Characteristics of Women Ages 40–60 with Menopausal Symptoms: United States, 2025
Offers data on women between 40 and 60 experiencing menopausal symptoms including demographics, educational attainment, treatment, and 4 levels of urbanization.
Author(s): Anjel Vahratian, Janine A. Clayton
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Offers data on women between 40 and 60 experiencing menopausal symptoms including demographics, educational attainment, treatment, and 4 levels of urbanization.
Author(s): Anjel Vahratian, Janine A. Clayton
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Treatable Mortality in Illinois Counties, "Them That Has, Gets"
Examines preventable mortality in Illinois caused by diseases that could have been treated by available medical care. Utilizes CDC Wonder data from 2018 and 2024 and provides county-level, as well as metro versus nonmetro, mortality rates and causes of death.
Author(s): Adee Athiyaman
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs
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Examines preventable mortality in Illinois caused by diseases that could have been treated by available medical care. Utilizes CDC Wonder data from 2018 and 2024 and provides county-level, as well as metro versus nonmetro, mortality rates and causes of death.
Author(s): Adee Athiyaman
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs
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Evaluation of Agricultural Heat-Related Illness Prevention Training in Colorado
Evaluates the effectiveness of 13 train-the-trainer (TTT) heat-related illness prevention sessions in Colorado. Study assessed both TTT participants and agricultural workers who were trained by TTT participants. Describes study findings within the 4 levels of the Kirkpatrick evaluation model addressing participant satisfaction, knowledge acquisition, application, and impact of the training.
Author(s): Yessica Paola Martinez Palenque, Whitney Pennington, Kristin M. Skiendzielewski, et al.
Citation: Journal of Agromedicine, 2026
Date: 10/2026
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Evaluates the effectiveness of 13 train-the-trainer (TTT) heat-related illness prevention sessions in Colorado. Study assessed both TTT participants and agricultural workers who were trained by TTT participants. Describes study findings within the 4 levels of the Kirkpatrick evaluation model addressing participant satisfaction, knowledge acquisition, application, and impact of the training.
Author(s): Yessica Paola Martinez Palenque, Whitney Pennington, Kristin M. Skiendzielewski, et al.
Citation: Journal of Agromedicine, 2026
Date: 10/2026
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Veterans' Views on Alcohol Use and Experience of Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome Treatment and Subsequent Alcohol Use Disorder Care at Two Highly Rural-Serving VA Hospitals: A Qualitative Study
Presents findings from interviews with veterans with alcohol use disorder (AUD) about the alcohol withdrawal syndrome treatment they received at two rural-serving Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals. Highlights perceived barriers to care and makes suggestions for improving it.
Author(s): Tony Pomales, Daniel Ball, Jeydith Gutierrez, James C. Willey
Citation: Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 49, 902-917
Date: 10/2026
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Presents findings from interviews with veterans with alcohol use disorder (AUD) about the alcohol withdrawal syndrome treatment they received at two rural-serving Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals. Highlights perceived barriers to care and makes suggestions for improving it.
Author(s): Tony Pomales, Daniel Ball, Jeydith Gutierrez, James C. Willey
Citation: Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 49, 902-917
Date: 10/2026
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