- Biden-Harris Administration Releases National Strategy for Suicide Prevention and First-Ever Federal Action Plan
- Biden-Harris Administration Takes Historic Action to Increase Access to Quality Care, and Support to Families and Care Workers
- Biden Administration Sets Higher Staffing Mandates. Most Nursing Homes Don't Meet Them.
- Rural Jails Turn to Community Health Workers To Help the Newly Released Succeed
- Rural Communities Face Primary Care Physician Shortage
- Miles for Milk: How Student-Run Grocery Store Reshaped Rural Community's Food Access
- Native Americans Have Shorter Life Spans, and It's Not Just Due to Lack of Health Care
- Promotoras Play Essential Role in Connecting Farmworkers with Health Care in Rural NorCal
- Using Medicaid to Address Young People's Mental Health Needs in School Settings
- Across the Country, Amish Populations Are on the Rise
- Sunsets, Wildlife and Limited Care: Challenges of Aging in Place in Rural America
- City-Country Mortality Gap Widens amid Persistent Holes in Rural Health Care Access
- Tribal Environmental Impact Network
- Minnesota's Rural Ambulance Providers Look to State Capitol for Their Own Lifeline
- Biden-Harris Administration Takes Action to Support the Primary Care Workforce
Cerner Launches Cloud-Based EHR System Geared for Rural and Critical Access Hospitals
Cerner, an electronic health record software company, launched a cloud-based version of its electronic health record (EHR) with the aim of helping rural and Critical Access Hospitals eliminate
COVID Crisis Highlights Need for Rural Broadband
Rural hospitals are struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has highlighted the importance of having adequate broadband to enable access to telehealth. As telehealth becomes more popular, broadband becomes increasingly essential. The July 15 Webinar, “COVID-19 Impacts on Rural Healthcare and Broadband,” the fourth webinar in the “From the Farmgate” series of webinars CoBank sponsors, presented speakers covering these issues. These presenters advocate for rural broadband and healthcare stabilization through policy action. In addition, this article highlights a struggling hospital and showcases
HHS Study: Strategies Rural Communities Use to Address Substance Misuse Among Families in The Child Welfare System
The Office for Planning and Evaluation at HHS describes nine programs serving child welfare-involved parents with substance use issues, with a focus on their applicability to rural communities. These programs offered several types of services, including parent mentoring, case management, home visiting, and treatment for opioid use disorders.
Senators Propose Bipartisan Paycheck Protection Program Fix for Rural Hospitals
Senators Roger Wicker (R-MS), Tina Smith (D-MN), Doug Jones (D-AL), and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) have introduced bipartisan legislation that would waive the Small Business Administration’s (SBA)
HHS Provides More Details on Provider Relief Fund Reporting
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released additional
Senators Durbin and Lankford Take to the Senate Floor to Speak on Behalf of the Needs of Rural Hospitals
Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL) and James Lankford (R-OK) discussed the challenges facing rural hospitals in the wake of COVID-19 on the Senate floor. These senators helped s
Case Study: Iowa’s I-Smile Program Promoting Dental Care
A unique partnership between the Iowa Medicaid and public health agencies, Iowa’s I-Smile program addresses the disproportionate impact of dental disease on low-income individuals and families. The initiative is supported through cooperative agreement between the National Organizations of State and Local Health Officials and the Health Resources and Services Administration. Read more here.
HHS Study: Strategies Rural Communities Use to Address Substance Misuse Among Families In The Child Welfare System
The Office for Planning and Evaluation at the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) describes nine programs serving child welfare-involved parents with substance use issues, with a particular focus on their applicability to rural communities. These programs offered various types of services, including parent mentoring, case management, home visiting, and treatment for opioid use disorders. Read more here.
ASPE Issue Brief: Medicare Beneficiary Use of Telehealth Visits: Early Data From The Start Of The Covid-19 Pandemic
On July 28, the HHS Office of the Assistance Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) released an issue brief examining changes in Medicare fee-for-service primary care visits and use of telehealth at the start of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE). This brief seeks to address the issue of how and whether the Medicare telehealth flexibilities introduced to address the COVID-19 pandemic may have helped maintain access to primary health care during the PHE. The analysis found Medicare primary care visits dropped precipitously from mid-March at the start of the pandemic, at the same telehealth visits increased for primary care. However, telehealth use was lower in rural areas.
Changes in Care-Seeking after Rural Hospitals Merge
Researchers at the North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center examined 15 rural hospitals to estimate the change in use of inpatient services delivered by acquired rural hospitals following a merger. Read more about the findings here.