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Rural Health Information Hub

Human Services to Support Rural Health – Resources

Selected recent or important resources focusing on Human Services to Support Rural Health.

Rural/Urban Differences in Receipt of Governmental Rental Assistance: Relationship to Health and Disability
Examines the relationship of housing to health and disability. Utilizes 2021 National Health Interview Survey data to analyze home ownership and rental assistance by rural versus urban location, with further breakdowns by age, sex, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, marital status, education and employment status, self-rated health, region, and disability status.
Author(s): Carrie Henning-Smith, Alexis Swendener, Katie Rydberg, Megan Lahr, Hawking Yam
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 40(2), 394-400
Date: 2024
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2023 Housing Assistance Council (HAC) National Rural Housing Conference
Video recording of the 2023 Rural Housing Conference that covers discussions on rural housing equity, diversity, federal policy and priority updates, and more. Includes 7 sessions available for viewing. Transcript available below description.
Date: 10/2023
Sponsoring organization: Housing Assistance Council
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Portfolio of Research in Welfare and Family Self-Sufficiency
Provides an overview of the efforts of the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation to support families and promote self-sufficiency. Focuses on capacity building, strategies to improve program/participant outcomes, knowledge building and communication, and related family welfare resources and publications. Discusses nuances of specific environments and human services in rural contexts.
Date: 08/2023
Sponsoring organization: Administration for Children and Families
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Recovery In Rural America: Housing Helps Address the Substance Use Disorder Crisis
Describes the intersection of housing issues and substance use disorder (SUD) and discusses potential collaborations, innovations, and solutions. Includes examples of how rural communities across the U.S. have strategized to solve problems associated with housing and SUD.
Date: 08/2023
Sponsoring organization: Housing Assistance Council
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Family Strengthening Research: 2022 Report
Provides an overview of the Division of Family Strengthening's (DFS) major research investments through 2022. Reports on DFS focus areas: strengthening and supporting relationships, fatherhood, children, and families; reducing teen pregnancy and supporting positive youth development; and preventing family violence. Includes discussions on programs and issues specific to tribal and rural communities.
Date: 06/2023
Sponsoring organizations: Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Evaluation of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program: Final Report
Examines the effectiveness of the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP) to develop community responses and create Continuums of Care (CoCs) plans for unhoused youth in urban and rural sites. Discusses engagement of youth to create local policy; networking and collaboration among child welfare, education, behavioral health, and juvenile justice agencies; and outreach services and housing interventions.
Author(s): Kathryn A. Henderson, Debra J. Rog, Harihar Bhattarai, et al.
Date: 03/2023
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
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4C for Cherokee Children Cultural Connection
Discusses the trauma Cherokee children experience in the foster care system and a related program meant to mitigate the grief and loss after being removed from the home. Focuses on utilizing cultural knowledge to process trauma and improve physical and mental health.
Date: 02/2023
Sponsoring organization: Capacity Building Center for Tribes
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Human Services in Rural Contexts: Comprehensive Report
Provides an overview of human services in rural areas, with information focused on human services programs and benefits, economic and social well-being, persistent poverty communities, and adaptations to overcome access barriers in rural areas. Includes tables, graphs, and county-level U.S. maps depicting human services needs.
Author(s): Emily Brimsek, James Murdoch, Emma Ward, Neel Chakraborti, Ashton Cain
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organizations: 2M Research, Administration for Children and Families, Urban Institute
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Rural Resource Guide: Affordable Housing and Recovery in Rural Communities
Provides an overview on federal regulations related to housing applicants with substance use disorder (SUD) and/or criminal charges. Reports on housing programs provided by Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Discusses affordable housing in rural areas as a necessary component in SUD recovery.
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organization: Housing Assistance Council
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Common Problems, Common Solutions: Looking Across Sectors at Strategies for Supporting Rural Youth and Families Tool-Kit
Provides an overview of barriers faced by rural communities in supporting youth and families, and innovative strategies to improve outcomes for youth, families, and communities. Informed by interviews and listening sessions with practitioners and leaders working in rural areas across the United States.
Author(s): Lisa Pilnik, Christine Humowitz
Date: 2023
Sponsoring organizations: Georgetown University Center for Juvenile Justice Reform, U.S. Department of Justice
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Last Updated: 4/2/2025