Rural Public Health Agencies – Resources

The Utility of Rural and Underserved Designations in Geospatial Assessments of Distance Traveled to Healthcare Services: Implications for Public Health Research and Practice
Reviews different definitions and designations of rurality in relation to resident characteristics in a sample of 8 central Texas counties. Discusses the impact that rural definitions can have on research findings and health policy.
Author(s): Matthew Lee Smith, Justin B. Dickerson, Monica L. Wendel, et al.
Citation: Journal of Environmental and Public Health, 2013, 960157
Date: 06/2013
Type: Document
view details

Establishing and Maintaining Public Health Infrastructure in Rural Communities
Reports on the availability of public health services in rural communities. Provides recommendations for establishing and maintaining public health infrastructure and services in rural areas. Includes a case study from Maine.
Additional links: Policy Brief
Author(s): Michael Meit, Naomi Hernandez
Date: 02/2012
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
view details

Developing Partnerships in Rural Communities: At the Intersection of Suicide Prevention, Overdose, and Adverse Childhood Experiences
A fillable worksheet that guides the user in determining how to address suicide prevention, overdose prevention, and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) at the societal, community, relationship, and individual levels. Provides tailored information and planning for rural health departments on risk and protective factors, data sources available to them, and potential partnerships.
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Community-Led Suicide Prevention, edc.org, National Association of County and City Health Officials
view details

Risk Communicating Resources for Rural Areas: A Toolkit to Help Rural Public Health Clinics Communicate Their Message to the Community During an Emergency or Disaster.
Toolkit offering links to comprehensive, accessible, and ready-to-use materials to provide local health department staff with information to improve communication efforts. Places emphasis on challenges encountered in rural settings and targeted for use among county health department nurse managers, supervisors, and other public health staff.
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Georgia Department of Community Health
view details

Pathways to Equity Rural Health Roadmap
Outlines a roadmap for rural health organizations to improve health equity in their communities. Includes guidance on building trust, forming a health equity team, assessing health risks, developing strategies and collaborations, and taking action.
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Pathways to Public Health Equity
view details

State Public Health Legislation Database
Identifies state legislation addressing infectious disease prevention and treatment, public health information and reporting, public health workforce, and vaccines. Updated every two weeks, with information on legislation starting in 2021. Searchable by year, state, topic or keyword.
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: National Conference of State Legislatures
view details

Rural and Frontier Health
Focuses on supporting local health departments (LHDs) in rural and frontier areas by building capacity and capability to serve their communities. Includes initiatives, resources, collaborations, news, and spotlights related to rural and frontier LHDs.
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: National Association of County and City Health Officials
view details

Addressing the Intersection of Suicide, Overdose, and Adverse Childhood Experiences: What Is the Capacity of Local Health Departments?: Results from the National Fielding of the SPACECAT
Provides survey results from local health departments (LHDs) regarding their capacity to address suicide, overdose, and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Analyzes data from 101 LHDs that completed the Suicide, Overdose, and Adverse Childhood Experiences Prevention Capacity Assessment Tool (SPACECAT) from a sampling of small (serving 50,000 people or less), medium (serving 50,000-499,999 people), and large (serving 500,000 or more people) LHDs. Includes discussions centering around capacity issues such as networking and partnerships, strategic planning, staffing, data integration, and addressing concerns for at-risk populations.
Author(s): Katherine Palm, Lane Davis, Margaret Cunningham, Kyle Brees, Kellie Hall
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Association of County and City Health Officials
view details

Working Together to Improve Local Public Health Capacity in West Central Minnesota
Discusses the consolidation process of health services among 5 counties in West Central Minnesota in order to develop a service model that recognized the communal identity of the area. Details the governance structure and the related impacts and successes of the consolidation.
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Public Health Accreditation Board Center for Innovation
view details

Working Together to Improve Environmental Health in Colorado
Discusses the process of 3 rural and 3 frontier counties in Colorado partnering to provide environmental health services for their local areas. Features the results of the collaboration as well as strategies to create successful partnerships and governance.
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Public Health Accreditation Board Center for Innovation
view details